My knighthood? I’ll wear it well says Sir Roderick
HE’S had 62 hit singles and six Number Ones – not to mention eight children by five women.
But today rocker Rod Stewart will cap his decades-long career with perhaps the greatest honour of all, receiving a knighthood in the Queen’s Birthday Honours.
The 71-year- old said the award was a ‘monumental honour’ and joked he would ‘wear it well’ – a reference to one of his hits. His citation reads: ‘Roderick David Stewart. Singer/Songwriter. For services to music and charity.’
Last night he said: ‘I’ve led a wonderful life and have had a tremendous career thanks to the generous support of the great British public. This monumental honour has topped it off and I couldn’t ask for anything more. I thank Her Majesty and promise to “wear it well”.’
Sir Rod leads a host of showbiz names who are among the 1,149 people to receive accolades in this year’s Birthday Honours for their achievements across a wide range of fields including politics, industry, sport, and charity work
They include Downton Abbey star Penelope Wilton, journalist and broadcaster Janet StreetPorter, actor Brian Blessed and singer Dame Vera Lynn.
Olivier award-winning actress Miss Wilton, 70, who played Isobel Crawley in the hit ITV show, becomes a member of the establishment for real as she is made a Dame for services to drama.
Presenting duo Ant and Dec, who recently hosted The Queen’s 90th Birthday Celebration and worked with Prince Charles on a documentary commemorating 40 years of his charity the Prince’s Trust, have both been awarded OBEs.
The pair – full names Anthony McPartlin and Declan Donnelly, both 40 – said they were shocked to receive the gongs, adding that despite their 27 years in television this is the achievement their ‘mams’ will be most proud of them for.
‘We are just two ordinary lads from the west end of Newcastle,’ they said in a joint statement.
‘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.
‘We are both shocked, but incredibly honoured to receive OBEs. We absolutely love what we do and have done since we started out aged 13.’ Forces’ sweetheart Dame Vera said she was ‘surprised’ and ‘honoured’ to be given another accolade. The 99-yearold, whose songs brought hope during the darkest days of the Second World War, joins the likes of Sir David Attenborough, Dame Maggie Smith and Stephen Hawking in becoming a Companion of Honour.
She said: ‘I was very surprised. 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.’
Miss Street-Porter, 69, becomes a Commander of the British Empire to honour a lifetime of achievement. As well as being a regular Daily Mail columnist, she has been the editor of the Independent on Sunday and is a Bafta-winning television veteran who has produced, presented or appeared on hundreds of programmes.
With her distinctive accent – she has been accused of ‘ murdering vowels’ - she broke into television in 1975 and rose to head of youth and entertainment features at the BBC, where she commissioned popular shows such as Rapido and Red Dwarf.
But she is best known for being in front of the lens, appearing on shows such as ITV’s I’m a Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here! Miss Street-Porter said: ‘I accepted this honour on behalf of older people whose experiences and expertise can contribute so much and who often feel invisible, overlooked in the workplace and portrayed as “problems” in the media.
‘Ageing is a positive process, and I want to celebrate that. I’ve enjoyed working across the media for nearly fifty years and still feel an outsider - which is a source of great strength.’ Actor Brian Blessed, 79, who receives an OBE for services to the arts and charity, said: ‘This is a complete surprise. I am absolutely delighted ... A huge thank you to all of the people that nominated me.’
Others named OBEs were Golden Globe winning television producer Gareth Neame – who has worked on shows including Downton Abbey, Spooks and Hustle – and presenter and Citizen Khan actor Adil Ray.
‘ I couldn’t ask for anything more’