Sir Elton John received one of the United Kingdom’s highest honors from Prince Charles on Wednesday for his contributions to music and charity.
A special committee selected John to receive the Companion of Honour award, adding him to a list that can comprise only 65 members at any given time, according to the Associated Press. Other people currently in the club include athlete Sebastian Coe, novelists Margaret Atwood and J.K. Rowling, and environmentalist Sir David Attenborough. Queen Elizabeth II is also a member.
“I’ve had an amazing life, music has been my life, and I got this for music and for work for charity,” John said of his new honor. “So this is just a reminder that there’s more to do. More work to do for music, more work to do for charity and life is great — I’m so lucky.”
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Prior to their deaths, Stephen Hawking and Sir Winston Churchill were also a part of the elite order.
The award was introduced in 1917 by King George V, the queen’s grandfather, to honor those who have made “a major contribution to the arts, science, medicine, or government lasting over a long period of time,” according to the website of the United Kingdom’s royal family.
After decades in the music business, John was knighted in 1998, giving him the official title of “Sir Elton John.” Those who are a member of the companions also get an additional honor in their name, with the initials “CH” following their names.
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John’s farewell tour, called “Farewell Yellow Brick Road,” began in 2018, however the pandemic and a hip injury made the tour take a hiatus. It is slated to resume in the United States in January 2022 and will end in Finland toward the end of 2023. According to Sky News, John said once the tour is complete, he wants to spend more time working on his AIDS foundation. John said he hopes to have a cure for AIDS by 2030.
