LONDON — More than 20 years after bandmate Paul McCartney received the honor, Ringo Star has been knighted. Fans can now call the former Beatles drummer Sir Ringo, or Sir Richard to be precise.
The 77-year-old Ringo Starr received his long-awaited knighthood from Prince William Tuesday. He used his real name Richard Starkey for the big event.
He said the honor “means a lot.” It comes more than half a century after the youthful Beatles first went to Buckingham Palace to receive MBE (Most Excellent Order of the British Empire) awards.
The other surviving Beatle, Paul McCartney, was knighted in 1997.
“I had dinner with him last week and we were both actually laughing about where we came from, and we’ve ended up in the palace and it’s now Sir Paul and Sir Richard,” said Starr.
The Beatles were all awarded MBEs in 1965. John Lennon later said that the Beatles were so nervous about meeting the Queen they snuck into a bathroom at Buckingham Palace for a cigarette.
But Starr denied the claim and laughed, saying, “I’m not keeping that rumor going.”
Starr also joked that he plans to wear the medal at breakfast, reports the BBC.
