LONDON — A Beatle and a Bee Gee are among the celebrated citizens who have been selected for knighthood and other awards given in the name of Britain’s monarch.
On the list for knighthood includes Beatles drummer Ringo Starr and Barry Gibb, the oldest and last surviving of the brothers who made up the pop group the Bee Gees, while Strictly judge Darcey Bussell has been made a dame.Britain’s Cabinet Office publishes a list of the people receiving honors for merit, service or bravery twice a year: Just before New Year’s Eve, and on the Saturday in June when Queen Elizabeth II’s birthday is officially observed.
There are 1,123 people named on the main honours list issued by the Cabinet Office, with 70 percent of the recipients recognised for work in their communities in a voluntary or paid capacity, BBC News reports.
The New Year’s Honors List made public late Friday revealed that Beatles drummer Ringo Starr and Barry Gibb, the oldest and last surviving of the brothers who made up the pop group the Bee Gees, have been tapped as knights.
Ex-Deputy PM Nick Clegg and War Horse novelist Michael Morpurgo also receive knighthoods, and author Jilly Cooper and TV chef Rick Stein become CBEs.
Among five honours for the World Cup-winning England Women cricket team is an OBE for captain Heather Knight.
Ex-astronaut Helen Sharman joins the Order of St Michael and St George.
Alexandra Shulman, who recently stood down as editor of British Vogue after 25 years; actors Hugh Laurie and Susan Hampshire, and leading artificial intelligence researcher Demis Hassabis are made CBEs.
Author and historian Lady Antonia Fraser and broadcaster Lord Melvyn Bragg join the elite Companions of Honour.
And there is an OBE for ITV’s This Morning presenter Eamonn Holmes, who said “2018 will be my 38th year as a broadcaster and I can’t think of a better way of marking that.”
Sir Ringo’s honour for services to music – given under his real name, Richard Starkey – was leaked before the announcement. It comes 20 years after Paul McCartney was knighted and adds to the 1965 MBE received by all four Beatles.
The Los Angeles-based musician said: “It’s great! It’s an honour and a pleasure to be considered and acknowledged for my music and my charity work, both of which I love. Peace and love.” The Cavern Club in his hometown of Liverpool, where the Fab Four started life, described the knighthood as “long overdue”.
Former Royal Ballet principal Dame Darcey, who has forged a new career on the BBC’s Strictly Come Dancing since retiring from the stage, said she was “truly humbled”. She dedicated her damehood for services to dance to “all the dance organisations that I am so fortunate to be part of”.
Sharman receives one of the highest honours, 26 years after she became the first British astronaut with her journey to the Soviet Mir Space Station. That achievement saw her become an OBE in 1993 and her new CMG is for services to education in science and technology.
Elsewhere, there is a CBE for Prof Michele Dougherty from Imperial College, London, a member of the Cassini mission to Saturn.
The process starts with nominations from the public, which first are reviewed by a specialist committee and then by a main honors committee. The nominations are then sent to the prime minister before the various honors are bestowed by the queen or senior royals.
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