Knighthood comes with ‘a little bit more clout’

LONDON (AP) — Queen guitarist Brian May is now a “Sir.”

May, who additionally has a doctorate in astrophysics and is an animal welfare advocate, obtained a knighthood Friday as a part of the U.Okay.’s annual New Year’s Honors record. The Queen guitarist, who was honored for companies to music and charity, stated he hopes the knighthood will give him “a little bit more clout.”

“Maybe a few more people will listen to me than would otherwise, you know, if it’s Sir Brian on the phone,” stated May, who spoke to The Associated Press by way of Zoom from his home in Windlesham, Surrey.

He was amongst a whole lot of artists, neighborhood leaders and athletes who have been acknowledged on the primary such record to be signed off by King Charles III.

May has campaigned in opposition to badger culling and fox searching by way of an animal welfare group he based in 2010 — named Save Me after the 1980 Queen music. Some animals he’s rescued through the years have been launched onto his land.

“I’ve felt for a long time that we had this false idea that humans are the only important species on the planet, and I don’t think an alien visitor would view it that way. I think every species and every individual has the right to a decent life and a decent death. That’s kind of where I come from,” he stated.

He acknowledged that he already had “a certain amount of power in the world, mainly because of music, obviously,” which allowed him to enter different areas, comparable to astrophysics and do work in stereoscopy, or 3D imaging. He obtained his doctorate from Imperial College, London in 2007.

“I do a lot in that area now, which I think is in its way a great service to mankind,” May said. “I give them stereoscopy and they give me the chance to play in nice observatories all around the world, you know — but also the animals.”

Knights are addressed as “sir” or “dame,” adopted by their title. It additionally means May’s spouse of twenty-two years, Anita Dobson, could use the title of Lady May.

“She’s thrilled to bits. Yes, yes, she’s very happy about that. Yes, Lady Anita will be enjoying it,” stated May, “and it’s a thrill to me to be able to kind of confer that on her. It makes me feel proud that she gets an honor beside me because God knows I wouldn’t be here without her.”

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The story has been corrected to replicate that Queen remains to be lively and May remains to be the band’s guitarist.