Queen Elizabeth II = Classic Rock fan? Apparently so. On This Day in 2006, Rod Stewart was among a handful of British subjects to be named Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE). In Rod the Mod’s case, for services to music. [Ten years later, there would be more to come.]
The CBE is one designation below knighthood (and damehood). The latter list includes such rockers as Paul McCartney, Elton John, Mick Jagger, Tom Jones, Van Morrison, Ray Davies, Ringo Starr and Barry Gibb, as well as Julie Andrews and Shirley Bassey. (Men become a knight; women a dame, as in Dame Judi Dench.)
From the official website of the British Monarchy: Foreign citizens occasionally receive honorary knighthoods or damehoods through UK orders; they are not dubbed, and they do not use the style ‘Sir’ or ‘Dame’. Such knighthoods are conferred by The Queen, on the advice of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, on those who have made an important contribution to relations between their country and Britain. Foreign citizens given honorary knighthoods or damehoods over the years include Chancellor Kohl, President Mitterrand and the actress Angelina Jolie.
(Many think that Bob Geldof, who was conferred knighthood in 1986 for his work in organizing Band Aid, should be addressed as Sir Bob Geldof. That is incorrect as he is not a British citizen.)
Nearly 10 years later, as part of her 90th birthday honors, Queen Elizabeth II knighted Stewart in June 2016.
On October 11, 2016, the formal ceremony was held at London’s Buckingham Palace, as shown in this fabulous tweet by Stewart, shown dressed in tartan trousers while receiving the honors by Prince William, the Duke of Cambridge.
Absolutely mind-blowing. Deeply honoured to be Sir Roderick Stewart. – Rod xxx pic.twitter.com/KPBPlJ8D57
— Rod Stewart (@rodstewart) October 11, 2016
Stewart has a busy year ahead. Tickets are available here and here.
