Ringo Starr receives knighthood for his services to music

Beatles drummer Ringo Starr received a knighthood at a ceremony at Buckingham Palace today for his contributions to music.

The Duke of Cambridge bestowed the honour on the Liverpool-born musician.

“It means a lot actually,” Starr told the BBC. “It means recognition for the things we've done. I was really pleased to accept this.”

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Starr will join his bandmate Sir Paul McCartney as a knight, 53 years after all four Beatles members received an MBE.

“I was a bit shaky today on my own,” he said.

The 77-year-old joked that he knew exactly what he'd do with his medal, saying he’d “be wearing it at breakfast.”

McCartney was knighted in 1997, but Starr was said to “have given up all hope” of his own knighthood until he received a letter from the Palace last year, says The Sun.

George Harrison and John Lennon will never be able to receive knighthoods because recipients have to be alive to accept the honour according to current rules.

Other people receiving honours at Tuesday's ceremony included former Scottish rugby player John “Ian” McLauchlan, authors Jilly Cooper and Michael Morpurgo, Welsh rugby player Sam Warburton and foster carer Anne Shaw.