The most Famous British Knighted celebrities

The Most Famous British Knighted celebrities

Being knighted by the Queen is one of the highest individual accolades, awards, and honors anyone can receive in their lifetime. From humanitarian who are striving to change the world to elite footballers who have changed the way their country views sport, hundreds of British people have been knighted in the past decades.

Let’s see who the most famous British knighted celebrities are, spanning contributions to the music, film, theater, sport, or charity work industries.

Lewis Hamilton

Hamilton and Rosberg endured a tense rivalry – By By Thomas Ormston – https://www.flickr.com/photos/thomas_ormston/16815734778/in/photolist-5yXfuM-5z2BMf-5z2yS7-5z2B2j-wq6uHH-DcT39e-kgMSWw-yrvUG8-vAhfMU-vq3fyj-yrxRQb-yHb5Ry-vE7zuV-vBqUYw-vnaejC-ubq4rL-vG4X5J-vEjL8Q-uKKgmr-vGZMyv-rSfEz3-vEjwTd-vEdhqh-rC8y6x-6v7ddF-vvxdHf-vKQZj9-vKTEnq-uRkfnz-uRbVJj-vKTHLj-rUvgkk-qVBrQF-pkPaXi-pkP5Hk-p4iT6R-rC6sA8-rUt8Zx-rSfDxJ-eXWUmV-rBYzLL-rBYPLQ-wF7m6m-rUqrqS-qXxhG7-rAdMeg-rC5Wop-rUsJsx-rBX36G-onbbev, CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=49545130

Hamilton was recently knighted in December of 2020 due to his achievements as a car track star and his activism for the Black Lives Matter moment. Along with kneeling before sporting events, Hamilton was a key figure in speaking out against injustice and urging people to continue pushing for racial equality.

Sean Connery

Connery as Bond while filming Goldfinger in 1964 – By By ETH-Bibliothek Zürich, Bildarchiv / Fotograf: Comet Photo AG (Zürich) / Com_C13-035-007 / CC BY-SA 4.0, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=95540530

Arguably best known for his role as James Bond, this talented Scottish actor is also well known for his roles in The Untouchables, The Rock, and Finding Forrester, earning accolades such as Academy Awards, three Golden Globes, and the Henrietta award. 

After he retired from acting, Connery focused on fighting for Scotland’s independence, being an outspoken member of the Scottish National Party that advocated for independence from the United Kingdom. Connery was knighted in 2000 despite his strong political views that opposed the Queen. 

Bill Gates

Paul Allen and Bill Gates at Lakeside School – By By Bruce Burgess – Original: Ancestry.com (requires free registration)Higher quality: The Bruce Burgess Photo Archive, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=89764229

One of the wealthiest men in the world due to his creation of Microsoft, Bill Gates was knighted by the queen in 2005. Known for being a software developer, philanthropist, and investor, Gates was recognized for his business skills and consistent work fighting poverty. 

Clint Eastwood

As the Man with no Name in a Fistful of Dollars (1964) – By By movie studio – eBay, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=25888150

A talented actor known for his good looks and hardened expression, Eastwood has had an acting career spanning multiple generations. Winning an Academy Award, Best Director Award, and Best Picture Award, Eastwood has shown his prowess in all aspects of the film industry. 

Eastwood earned the Venice Film Festival’s Golden Lion award for lifetime achievements, Commander of the Ordre des Arts et des Letres in 1994 by France, and the Legion of Honour Medal in 2007 for his long-standing work in the industry. 

Michael Caine

Caine in Helsinki Finalnd with Andre de Toth and Ken Russel in filming of Billion Dollar Brain in 1967 – By By Reijo Koskinen / Lehtikuva – http://hs.mediadelivery.io/img/1920/6d3d78b873fd460588db25ba5427fd74.jpg, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=65174097

Caine is known for his distinctive South London accent and bubbly personality on screen, leading him to appear 130 films during a prolific career spanning over 6 decades. Out of all actors and actresses, Michael Caine is agreed to be one of the most iconic British actors of all time.

Adding to his list of accomplishments, Michael Caine is one of only four male actors nominated for an Academy Award in five separate decades. In addition, Caine has appeared in seven films that are included in the 100 greatest British films of the 20th century, along with earning a BAFTA Fellowship in 2000. 

One of his most honorary achievements was being knighted by Queen Elizabeth II in 2000 due to his multi-generational work in the film industry and long-lasting contribution to British cinema. 

Bob Hope

Hope, Bing Crosby and Dorothy Lamour in Road to Bali – By By Film screenshot – Road to Bali film, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=4143671

One of his generation’s most well-known and respected actors, Bob Hope, was a British stand-up comedian, actor, athlete, author, and vaudevillian. Appearing in over 70 films, 54 he was the star, he appeared in stage productions, wrote 14 books, and hosted the Academy Awards show 19 times. 

With his career as a boxer coming to an end in the late 1910s, he switched to acting and became a regular on Broadway. Getting. onstage skyrocketed him to fame, with his new career path taking him to radio and film.

The Queen gave hope an honorary knighthood for his long-term work supporting the film and TV industry with his comedy, entertainment, and vaudevillian career.

Paul McCartney

McCartney with the Beatles during filming for Magical Mystery Tour in 1967 – By By Parlophone Music Sweden – http://www.mynewsdesk.com/se/parlophone-music-sweden/images/the-beatles-magical-mystery-tour-pressbild-1-146055, CC BY 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=74044840

Arguably the most famous member of the infamous The Beatles band, Paul McCartney, went on to have a long career after the band split. 

A world-renowned musician, singer, and songwriter, his writing partnership with John Lennon, while a member of The Beatles, is one of the most respected and successful writing spiels of any band throughout the history of music.

When the band broke up in 1970, McCartney still went on to have a solo career and perform in the band Wings with his wife.  

The Queen knighted McCartney in 1997 for his work of revolutionizing pop music.