Queen’s Brian May Knighted

The British monarch King Charles III published his first New Year’s Honors List and Brian May of Queen was named as a Knight Bachelor.

The honors received will give the Queen guitarist an entitlement to be called “Sir Brian May” or, when with his wife, actress Anita Dobson, the couple should be called “Sir Brian and Lady May.” He’d previously been given a C.B.E. award in 2005, while bandmate Roger Taylor was granted an O.B.E. in 2020.

May’s website noted that he was described as a “Musician, Astrophysicist and Animal Welfare Advocate” in the Royal documentation and that the knighthood had been given for “services to Music and to Charity.”

The Queen guitarist expressed his appreciation and gratitude towards this special moment of his life. He said:

“I’m happy and grateful to receive this honour. I will regard the knighthood not so much as a reward, but more as a charge – a commission – for me to continue to fight for justice – to be a voice for those who have no voice. I will endeavour to be worthy – to be that Knight in Shining Armour.”

He also stated that he was “pretty happy” to “end up with a sword on my shoulder” – referring to the physical conferring of the honor and added that he was “probably most proud of the tiny things that we have achieved for animals. It’s an ongoing thing, and I’m hoping the knighthood will help.”

Since at least the 13th century, the title of Knight Bachelor has been the highest knightly rank in British history. However, it does not grant the right to append the letters after the recipient’s name and is not associated with the more senior Orders of Chivalry, such as Knight Commander and Knight Grand Cross.