While Ozzy Osbourne is known the world over as the prince of darkness he lacks an official title, and fans are hoping to change that. Over the last decade fans have petitioned to help Osbourne, now 70, became a Knight, but their most recent effort seems to be the one that is picking up the most steam. The Change.org petition has over 7,000 signature with a tentative goal of 10,000. While there seems to be plenty of fans that think the rocker deserves the honor of k
Who decides
who becomes a knight?
Fans might be busy at work trying to get Osbourne a nomination for knighthood, but at the end of the day, the monarch makes the final call. In theory, Queen Elizabeth II is the person who makes the decision regarding who to knight. She is also the individual who bestows the honor upon recipients, but several government agencies are involved in nominations. According to Mental Floss, the Secretary of State for Defence and the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs are heavily involved in the process, offering the queen
Roughly 300 people each year are nominated to become Knights or Dames, but not everyone accepts the honor. Allegedly, approximately 2% of nominees decline the honor every year, either because they take issue with the British realm, or they just don’t want to go through the hassle associated with the honor. David Bowie and Keith Richards have both allegedly turned down the honor in the past.
What do you
have to do to become a knight?
Knighthood is offered to individuals who have been extraordinary contributors to the British realm, either through military service, charity work, or as contributors in the creative arts. Several musicians have been knighted thanks to their musical talents and efforts to give back to the British realm. Sir Paul McCartney and Sir Elton John have both been knighted for this reason. Prince Harry was famously knighted for his military service in a private ceremony.
Individuals who are nominated for the honor are knighted during a ceremony at Buckingham Palace. Traditionally, the order is handed down around the new year, and recipients can choose to accept or decline the honor. While only British citizens can be officially knighted, several
Does Ozzy
Osbourne qualify for knighthood?
In theory,
the prince of darkness would qualify for the nomination. Over several decades,
the rocker has helped establish other musicians, launched a wildly popular
music festival, received a star on the walk of fame both in Britain and in the
United States, and has contributed to a wide array of charities.
Osbourne has been heavily involved in the Small Steps Project, a UK-based charity that auctions off celebrity-donated shoes to aid humanitarian efforts around the world. He has also worked with several cancer charities to help garner donations.
Osbourne’s politics don’t seem to come into play when deciding if he deserves a knighthood. In fact, the outspoken rocker has been mostly neutral on the topic, although he was vocal about his disapproval of the war in Iraq, as was his wife, Sharon Osbourne. The 70-year-old California-based rocker is not affiliated with any political party.
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