Rock legend Rod Stewart has been awarded a knighthood in The Queen’s Birthday Honours list.
The 71 year old, who was awarded a CBE in 2007, and recently played at Southampton’s Ageas Bowl, was awarded for his music and charity work.
Downton Abbey star, Penelope Wilton was also made a Dame, while Ant & Dec were honoured with OBEs. Speaking of the honour, the beloved TV presenters said that they were “both shocked, but incredibly honoured.”
“We are just two ordinary lads from the west end of Newcastle,” they said. “We absolutely love what we do and have done since we started out aged 13. We hope us receiving this honour can inspire young people to chase their dreams and believe that anything is possible. This will definitely be the proudest our Mams have ever been!”
Other high profile names awarded in this year’s honours list include actor Brian Blessed (OBE); Citizen Khan‘s Adil Ray (OBE); Former Blue Peter presenter Janet Ellis (MBE); West End theatre producer Sonia Friedman (OBE), and regular Loose Women panellist Janet Street-Porter (CBE).
Forces’ sweetheart Dame Vera Lynn was also given an even higher accolade than her damehood, receiving a Member of the Order of the Companions of Honour. Speaking of this latest honour, she said: “I felt very greatly honoured to be given a Damehood and never expected to receive anything else. So for Her Majesty to bestow a further accolade on me is very unexpected and I feel even more honoured.”
For the full list of this year’s Birthday Honours, look here.
