Brian May receives knighthood in 2023 honours list
Queen guitarist and campaigner Brian May has been honoured with a knighthood in the 2023 New Year’s Honours List.
The full citation for the musician recognises not only for his contributions to music but science and animal rights too. It reads: “Dr. Brian Harold MAY, CBE: Brian May is an acclaimed musician and songwriter, founding member of the rock group Queen. In 2020 he was named Greatest Guitarist of All Time by Total Guitar Magazine. Queen’s performance at Live Aid in 1985 is acknowledged as the greatest live set in history. Brian famously opened the Queen’s Golden Jubilee celebrations in 2002 performing live on Buckingham Palace roof – and 20 years later returned to open the Platinum Jubilee concert atop the Victoria Monument.”
“He is also an accomplished astrophysicist, now attached as stereoscopist to many NASA Space exploration teams. He re-established the London Stereoscopic Company in 2008, was co-founder of Asteroid Day in 2015, for the protection of Earth from Asteroid strikes, and was Chancellor of Liverpool John Moore’s University from 2008-2013. His work defending Britain’s wild animals led him to found the Save-Me Trust in 2009, which is his continuing passion, campaigning for the rights of foxes and badgers, and hosting an active wild-life rescue operation.”
His full title will now be Sir Brian Harold May CBE, as he was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 2005. Receiving the new recognition, 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 Armor.”
Elsewhere, he told BBC News: “This is a kind of licence, a kind of commission to carry on doing what I’m doing, and it gives me a bit more power to my elbow. So I’m very happy about that.”
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