QUEEN guitarist Brian May received a knighthood on Friday as part of the United Kingdom’s annual New Year's Honours list.
May, who is now a ‘Sir’, was honoured for services to music and charity, reported the Associated Press.
He said he hopes the knighthood will give him “a little bit more clout.”
“Maybe a few more people will listen to me than would otherwise, you know, if it’s Sir Brian on the phone,” said May in an interview with AP.
He was among hundreds of artists, community leaders and athletes who were recognised on the first list to be signed off by King Charles III.
May, who has a doctorate in astrophysics and is an animal welfare advocate, has campaigned against badger culling and fox hunting. He founded an animal welfare group in 2010 — named Save Me after the 1980 Queen song. Over the years he has released some animals he's rescued onto his land.
“I’ve felt for a long time that we had this false idea that humans are the only important species on the planet, and I don’t think an alien visitor would view it that way. I think every species and every individual has the right to a decent life and a decent death. That’s kind of where I come from,” he said.
He admitted that he already had “a certain amount of power in the world, mainly because of music, obviously”. It allowed him to go into other areas, such as astrophysics and do work in stereoscopy, or 3D imaging. May received his doctorate from Imperial College, London in 2007.
“I do a lot in that area now, which I think is in its way a great service to mankind," May said. “I give them stereoscopy and they give me the chance to play in nice observatories all around the world, you know – but also the animals.”
Knights are addressed as “sir” or “dame”, which preface their names. May’s wife of 22 years, Anita Dobson, will thus be addressed as Lady May.
“She’s thrilled to bits. Yes, yes, she’s very happy about that. Yes, Lady Anita will be enjoying it,” said May, “and it’s a thrill to me to be able to kind of confer that on her. It makes me feel proud that she gets an honour beside me because God knows I wouldn’t be here without her.” – Agencies, December 31, 2022
