The frontman of The Who, Roger Daltrey, now Sir Roger Daltrey, has been knighted on the King's Birthday Honour List. Sir Roger has received knighthood for his charity work and music contributions.
Sir Roger, 81, has said that he is "very humbled" and pleased to be honoured for his charity work with Teenage Cancer Trust. He has been a significant patron of the charity Teenage Cancer Trust, and has raised $50 million for the charity from concerts and events that he has held. Most notably his events at the Royal Albert Hall, have raised a considerable amount of funds for the charity. The first show at the Royal Albert Hall for Teenage Cancer Trust in 2001 raised more than £12 million in tickets sales and CD copies of the show. Sir Roger held these events for more than two decades before stepping back in 2024, although he still remains an honorary patron of the charity.
Sir Roger states this is not a personal achievement, but an achievement that relfects onto the entire charity and the work that they do, as he says "It is a wonderful honour for me and especially for Teenage Cancer Trust." Sir Roger expresses that he is deeply honoured to recieve knighthood from the King and that he accepts it on behalf of the charity and those at Teenage Cancer Trust, as he says "this honour is really for all unsung heroes.” Over the past 25 years, his efforts and contributions to the charity has helped build 28 specialist cancer units in NHS hospital's across the UK, these are units that are providing crucial aid and support to young cancer patients across the UK.
The official Instagram of The Who stated that "It’s richly deserved not just for his remarkable contribution to British music and culture for over half a century, but for the tens of millions of pounds that his relentless fundraising and brilliant live performances have generated for Teenage Cancer Trust among other causes." They continue to say "Sir Roger is a true inspiration and we salute him and all the other honourees from the worlds of music and the creative arts for enriching our lives with their brilliant human artistry and achievements."
Most honours in the UK are awarded twice a year, they are first selected by the government and then signed off by the King. The honours are awarded in the new year and on the King's birthday in June. Gary Oldman and David Beckham were among some of the other prominent figures who recieved knighthood in this years King's Honours list. Oldman received his knighthood for his services to drama, as he is most known for his roles as Sirius Black in the Harry Potter series and his portrayal of Winston Churchill in the film Darkest Hour. Beckham was knighted for his services to sport and charity.
