The Beatles’ Ringo Starr Receives Knighthood For Services To Music
The Beatles’ drummer Ringo Starr has received his knighthood for services to music. The music icon, 77, received the honour from the Duke of Cambridge during a ceremony at Buckingham Palace on 20 March.
Speaking to the BBC after accepting the knighthood, he said: “It means a lot actually. It means recognition for the things we’ve done. I was really pleased to accept this.”
Some 53 years ago, Starr was at the palace with his former band mates accepting the MBE – Member of the Order of the British Empire – and acknowledged missing them today. “I was a bit shaky today on my own,” he said.
Starr joins former bandmate Sir Paul McCartney in the honour, who was knighted 21 years ago. Starr said McCartney gave him some simple advice in Los Angeles last week: “Keep smiling.”
He added to the Irish News: “I had dinner with him last week and we were both actually laughing about where we came from, and we’ve ended up in the palace and it’s now Sir Paul and Sir Richard.
“The four of us came here and it was a thrill then,” he added. “It was crazy because we were just four lads who played music and then suddenly we’re at the palace.”
The drummer did seem to feel a bit awkward with the knighthood. Asked if he wants to be known as Sir Ringo or Richard, he answered, “I don’t know yet. It’s new and I don’t know how you use it properly.”
He turned to a reporter and joked, “But I expect you to use it.”
As for what he intends to do with the medal, he joked: “I’ll be wearing it at breakfast.”
Other luminaries receiving honours at Tuesday’s ceremony included authors Jilly Cooper and Michael Morpurgo, former Scottish rugby player John ‘Ian’ McLauchlan, Welsh rugby player Sam Warburton and foster carer Anne Shaw.
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