Bono Knighted, But Don’t Call Him ‘Sir’
Posted March 30, 2007 12:00 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
It’s one of the most prestigious honours the British empire can bestow – but newly-knighted rock star Bono admits his son wasn’t terribly impressed when he learned his dad had become a British knight as opposed to a Jedi knight.
The Irish musician and humanitarian was named a Knight Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire on Thursday in a ceremony at British Ambassador David Reddaway’s Dublin home.
But there’s one catch – the 46-year-old can’t be called ‘Sir’, since that titular honour is reserved for citizens of the United Kingdom or British Commonwealth countries.
“You have permission to call me anything you want – except sir, all right? Lord of lords, your demigodness, that’ll do,” Bono joked afterward.
In bestowing the honour, Reddaway cited the singer’s work fighting poverty and sickness in Africa.
The singer’s wife, Ali, and four children – 17-year-old Jordan, 15-year-old Eve, 7-year-old Elijah, and 5-year-old John – attended the ceremony. Bandmates The Edge and Adam Clayton were also there.
The couple’s youngest, John, apparently thought his dad was being made a Jedi, in reference to the heroes of the Star Wars films, and was disappointed he wasn’t going to get a light saber.
Bono, whose real name is Paul Hewson, also wore pins signifying two previous awards – the French Legion d’Honneur and the Portuguese Order of Liberty.
Bono admitted such distinctions “really help me get through a few doors I wouldn’t get through. And that’s the truth, that’s the way the world is.”
