John Williams has been awarded an honorary knighthood

[Dzadza 90]

Apparently, one of the final awards approved by the Queen

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-11244771/Queens-final-knight-John-Williams-honoured-creating-music-blockbuster-films.html

[Docteur Qui 1,544]

Well that's pretty great! We can call him Sir Johnny now.

[Drew 590]

Only British nationals can be called Sir, but I will call him that anyway.

[Andy 4,088]

I’m envisioning the turtleneck showing between the pieces of shining armor. 

[King Mark 3,626]

wow, that's more impressive than an Oscar

[Cerebral Cortex 3,357]

 

45 minutes ago, Andy said:

I’m envisioning the turtleneck showing between the pieces of shining armor. 

 

Why choose between fashion and protection when you can just wear a chainmail turtleneck!

 

[Damien F 1,742]

I wonder does this increase the chances that he will make a return trip to London to conduct the LSO after having to cancel previously due to health issues.

[crumbs 14,304]

Wouldn't he travel to London to receive the Knighthood, only receiving it from King Charles instead?

 

Still, what an incredible honour! And perfectly fitting when you consider John's legacy with music recorded in England.

 

Tremendous shame he couldn't receive it from the Queen while she was alive.

 

[crocodile 7,988]

47 minutes ago, Damien F said:

I wonder does this increase the chances that he will make a return trip to London to conduct the LSO after having to cancel previously due to health issues.

One of my first thoughts. 

 

Still, it is Daily Fail as well...

 

In any case, pretty cool if true.

 

Karol

[BB-8 3,461]

If true we can hope for some coronation music, Symphony No. 2, and a return to London.

 

Rise...Sir Towner!

 

 

4 hours ago, Drew said:

Only British nationals can be called Sir, but I will call him that anyway.

Yeah, I think Bill Gates and Spielberg have these kind of knighthoods.

[GlastoEls 558]

5 hours ago, crumbs said:

Wouldn't he travel to London to receive the Knighthood, only receiving it from King Charles instead?

 

Still, what an incredible honour! And perfectly fitting when you consider John's legacy with music recorded in England.

 

Tremendous shame he couldn't receive it from the Queen while she was alive.

 

I don’t think honorary recipients visit the Palace?  Delighted if I’ve remembered that wrongly.

 

Either way, this is terrific news if this gets confirmed.  As others have said, even though not technically correct - Arise, Sir Johnny! 

[Loert 2,510]

Sir Maestro

[Tallguy 3,379]

The Towner of London! 

[Fabulin 3,510]

What a thing to wake up and see as the first news of the day!!! 

 

The fans calling him 'Sir John Williams' will now be seen as a bit less rabid. 

[BB-8 3,461]

43 minutes ago, Tallguy said:

The Towner of London! 

Guy Fawkes

1 hour ago, GlastoEls said:

I don’t think honorary recipients visit the Palace?  Delighted if I’ve remembered that wrongly.

 

Either way, this is terrific news if this gets confirmed.  As others have said, even though not technically correct - Arise, Sir Johnny! 

But he should have got this honor far earlier in his career.

 

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sir_John_Williams,_1st_Baronet,_of_the_City_of_London

[Marian Schedenig 8,176]

If this is indeed true, shouldn't there be some way to get reliable (i.e. non Daily Mail) confirmation for this?

[BB-8 3,461]

That wonderful white bird that delivers the Daily Mail...

[Cindylover1969 26]

14 minutes ago, Marian Schedenig said:

If this is indeed true, shouldn't there be some way to get reliable (i.e. non Daily Mail) confirmation for this?

I'm no fan of The Daily Heil either, so...

Star Wars Composer John Williams ‘Knighted By Queen’ In Final Honours – Deadline

[GerateWohl 4,343]

John Williams can look back at such great achievements. He doesn't rely on an old lady telling him, that he is special. From all the honors, he received in the past years this one probably means the least. But of course it is a nice gesture.

[Marian Schedenig 8,176]

12 minutes ago, Cindylover1969 said:

I'm no fan of The Daily Heil either, so...

Star Wars Composer John Williams ‘Knighted By Queen’ In Final Honours – Deadline

 

I saw that, but it cites the Daily Mail as its source (and nothing else).

[Tom 4,640]

13 minutes ago, GerateWohl said:

John Williams can look back at such great achievements. He doesn't rely on an old lady telling him, that he is special. From all the honors, he received in the past years this one probably means the least. But of course it is a nice gesture.

I can kind of see your point.  However, this "old lady" is the same generation as Williams and has been a part of his political backdrop going back to his youth.  

[bollemanneke 3,338]

20 minutes ago, Marian Schedenig said:

 

I saw that, but it cites the Daily Mail as its source (and nothing else).

Yes, please let some reliable non-toxic newspaper verify this.

[Not Mr. Big 4,639]

Until I see John Williams in the armor, I'm not buying it

[Fabulin 3,510]

[Naïve Old Fart 9,506]

Apparently, JW has been awarded an honorary knighthood.

Can anyone shed any light on this?

[JohnnyD 1,221]

This is phenomenal!

[Luke Skywalker 1,793]

nice, but a shame he cant be officially called 'sir'

 

It is too late for him to ask for british citizenship?

 

 

 

[Jaaaackified 81]

Andre Previn and JW's dear friend Spielberg have been awarded Honorary knighthood before. Though he will not be able to add "Sir" before his name but nonetheless a well deserved recognition on his marvelous career and his achievement in defining pop culture and making great music. 

 

As far as I know, no British composer working primarily in the field of film, TV and visual media has been awarded knighthood. Debbie Wiseman, Rachel Portman and the late John Barry are all recipients of Order of Brisith Empire and hence can add OBE after their names. 

[Tom 4,640]

Edit. I guess I didn't have to be snarky.  

[karelm 2,903]

Queen's final knight John Williams to be honoured after creating music for many blockbuster films | Daily Mail Online

[Fabulin 3,510]

That's the coolest thing. It's not just an OBE, it's a KBE. If it were an OBE, it would mean far less, since so many artists have it.

 

Interesting that Bob Iger also gets it. I wonder whether the two getting honorary knighthood stems from the same behind the scenes conversations.

[Brando 1,857]

One step away from being crowned King!

[bollemanneke 3,338]

He has to come to London now. Then I will too.

[Tom 4,640]

Now he can ride in the bus.  

[JW collector 47]

official source:

 

Honorary awards to foreign nationals in 2022 - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

 

 

[Damien F 1,742]

21 minutes ago, JW collector said:

official source:

 

Honorary awards to foreign nationals in 2022 - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

 

 

Great to get official confirmation. Arise Sir Towner of Boomtish

[bollemanneke 3,338]

How am I the first to post this?

 

[JohnnyD 1,221]

3 hours ago, JW collector said:

official source:

 

Honorary awards to foreign nationals in 2022 - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

 

 

A tremendous and well-deserved honor, made more impactful due to it being the final honors given by the Queen before her passing.

[Damien F 1,742]

It would have been incredible for JW to have met the Queen and the photos from such an event. He probably would have told her the Schindler's List anecdote 

[lairdo 726]

I just found a list of some of the honors bestowed on musicians by the monarchy. 

https://www.heraldica.org/topics/famous/knighthd.htm

 

Can't vouch for the validity of this site, but if accurate, a few observations I can make for it:

Most leading composers of the 20th century do not have KBEs - mostly just CBE or below. Many are knights but not necessarily knights of the the British Empire. The key exception is Benjamin Britten who was made a Baron, and that ranks above KBE.

Examples:

William Walton, CBE

Richard Bennett, CBE

Malcom Arnold, CBE

Ralph Vaughan Williams, OM

 

Some KBEs in the conductor ranks:

Previn (who probably counted as both conductor and composer, as Sir Johnny does.)

Georg Solti

Mstislav Rostropovich

Yehudi Menuhin was made KBE and then a Baron

 

So, indeed this KBE is a pretty rare honorary award and speaks to the impact of Sir Johnny's influence. Really quite cool even if he cannot fashion himself (not that he would) as a Sir. We've been all rising when he walks in or out of the room for years anyway.

 

In terms of any kinds of honors going to composers with film or TV pedigrees, Williams joins Previn (who stopped doing scores in the 60s'), Britten (who composed scores to make ends meet in the 30s), Arnold (who did a few), Bliss (also in the 30s), Andrew Lloyd Webber (stage), Elton John (as a songwriter), Ralph Vaughan Williams (with a few compositions that started as film scores), Bennett (a fair few), and Walton (who worked in film sporadically but over multiple decades- the Olivier/Shakespeare scores being standouts that are still played in concert halls).

 

Long Live (Sir) John Towner Williams!

 

[Brando 1,857]

6 hours ago, Tom said:

Now he can ride in the bus.  

 

[Edmilson 7,394]

Sir John of House Williams, the Master of Musics and Fine Arts and Earl of Tanglewood

[karelm 2,903]

Now in Hollywood Reporter!
Bob Iger, John Williams Named Honorary Knights by Queen Elizabeth II – The Hollywood Reporter

[Fabulin 3,510]

40 minutes ago, Edmilson said:

Sir John of House Williams, the Master of Musics and Fine Arts and Earl of Tanglewood

Right Honourable Lord Hollywood

[Marian Schedenig 8,176]

3 hours ago, Damien F said:

It would have been incredible for JW to have met the Queen and the photos from such an event. He probably would have told her the Schindler's List anecdote 

 

I know, but she's all dead. 

[Tydirium 1,166]

https://variety.com/2022/biz/news/bob-iger-star-wars-john-williams-kbe-qeii-1235382930/amp/

 

https://www.billboard.com/music/music-news/john-williams-bob-iger-knighthood-queen-elizabeth-ii-1235144368/amp/

https://slippedisc.com/2022/09/queen-elizabeth-in-her-last-honours-remembered-john-williams/

 

[Andy 4,088]

She signed the papers and was like “Now I can die.”

[King Mark 3,626]

So these are the ranks according to Wiki

 

The five classes of appointment to the Order are, in descending order of precedence:

1. Knight Grand Cross or Dame Grand Cross of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (GBE)^[b]
2. Knight Commander or Dame Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (KBE or DBE)
3. Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (CBE)
4. Officer of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (OBE)
5. Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (MBE)

 

So Williams is a Knight Commander?

[BB-8 3,461]

Welcome...to the club!

 

Spielberg got his KBE in 2001.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_honorary_British_knights_and_dames

 

Considering JW's impact on the UK film industry with the LSO back in the 70's/80's, I think this KBE is overdue.

[karelm 2,903]

12 hours ago, Andy said:

She signed the papers and was like “Now I can die.”

 

Sounds pretty fishy if you ask me.  Maybe an obsessive fan had her killed so can say her dying words were to make JW a knight.