"Arise, Sir Brian!": Legendary rocker knighted by King Charles
Queen guitarist Brian May has been knighted by King Charles for his extraordinary contribution and influence on the music industry.
The 75-year-old rockstar was supported by his wife of 23 years, actress Anita Dobson, along with other members of his family for the special day.
He was not only honoured for his musical work, but also for his many years of working with charities.
The songwriter and animal welfare advocate, who also has a PhD degree in astrophysics, has earned the new title of Sir Dr Brian May.
May took to Instagram to share a photo of the honour formally being awarded to him as King Charles placed a sword on his shoulders.
"No words!," he wrote.
The knighthood is not the first time May has been honoured for his work, as back in 2005, he was appointed a Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (CBE) for services to the music industry and for charity work.
Brian May recently reflected on one of his most notable performances: when he played God Save the Queen from the roof of Buckingham Palace during Queen Elizabeth's Golden Jubilee in 2002.
"The roof was a very special thing, that's something you do once in your life," he told the Express.co.uk.
"It was riveting and it was terrifying for me and it changed me as a person."
He echoed a similar sentiment when he shared a clip of the performance on social media.
"I was on top of Buckingham Palace. The loneliest place in the world, playing God Save The Queen and terrified out of my wits," he said in the caption.
"But it's one of those times where you face the fear and you're never quite the same again after it."
Image credits: Getty Images