Nine years ago today: Rod Stewart is knighted

On 11 October 2016, Rod Stewart received what was probably the greatest honour of his life to date. The singer was knighted by Prince William, the current heir to the throne, and thus elevated to the peerage.
The sword descends. Once on the left, once on the right, and it is done. Rod Stewart had knelt down, but as Sir Roderick Stewart he was allowed to rise again. A ceremony that lasted only a few seconds, but which was a moment for eternity for the now 80-year-old Stewart.
Sir Rod was awarded this high honour for his services to music and charity. After the ceremony, Prince William congratulated the newly knighted Sir Rod on his long career and paid tribute to the fact that he is still touring the world. Stewart responded to these wishes with his usual humour. ‘I have to, I have eight children,’ he joked with the prince.
Sir Rod's knighthood was announced around Queen Elizabeth II's birthday in April 2016. Stewart, who would have liked his parents to have been able to witness this moment, promised the late Queen of England at the time: ‘I thank Her Majesty for this and promise to wear it with honour!’
Rod himself announced the news of his knighthood to the public in June 2016 at a concert in Southampton, England. "It's 10:30 p.m., and I have the great pleasure of informing you at this hour that your old mate up here has been knighted by Her Majesty, the Queen. It's all thanks to you, thank you very much, you have made me what I am, no doubt about it. I got a funny text message from Elton (Elton John, editor's note) today, he wrote: Congratulations, darling, who would have thought that a couple of old geezers from North London would be knighted... Be blessed and thank you!"
Rod was accompanied to the ceremony at Buckingham Palace by his wife Penny and his sons Alaistair and Aiden.