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Sir Brian May knighted by King Charles and declares he wants to keep touring

Sir Brian May said he wants to keep on rocking after he was knighted by King Charles credit:Bang Showbiz
Sir Brian May said he wants to keep on rocking after he was knighted by King Charles credit:Bang Showbiz

Sir Brian May said he wants to keep on rocking after he was knighted by King Charles.

The Queen guitarist, 75, received his knighthood at Buckingham Palace on Tuesday (14.03.23) morning for services to music and charity – and was asked by the monarch if his knees would hold up for the kneeling part of the ceremony, in which a sword was laid on his shoulders.

Responsible for the riffs on some of rock’s most popular anthems, including ‘We Will Rock You’ and ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’, Sir Brian – who had three stents fitted after his heart attack in 2020, when he was also left in agony when he tore his buttock muscles during a vigorous gardening session – told Mail Online: “I am very happy, smiling from ear-to-ear, particularly because it was the King, which means a lot.

“(Queen are) thinking about touring, I can say that. I’m hoping I stay in good health – at the moment I seem to be in pretty good health, which is always great.

“It’s not been an easy road and there's been times I thought I would never do it again.

“But we all seem to be OK so we’re looking at doing some touring, and of course, we tour at the top level and it’s very high energy and high demand on your fitness.

“If we don’t go out until October or whatever I’ll be working on my fitness from now on.”

Sir Brian, who is also an astrophysicist and animal welfare advocate – and who performed a solo guitar version of ‘God save the Queen’ during the late monarch’s Golden Jubilee in 2002 from the roof of Buckingham Palace – added about his friendship with the 74-year-old king: “We've had a certain amount of contact over the years and we’re of an age, so I have a strong feeling for him and it was a lovely moment.

“We discussed the fact that we are of an age and he was wondering if my knees were holding out for the kneeling part of the ceremony.

“I said, ‘Yes, just about.’ To receive this award I suppose feels like getting approval, like when you get a gold star at school – perhaps you’ve done something and you know what you’ve achieved and if you get that seal of approbation from above, then it’s a very good feeling, it’s very special.”