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Elton John becomes 'Sir Elton'

Elton John

Others connected with Diana are honored

December 30, 1997
Web posted at: 11:04 p.m. EST (0404 GMT)

LONDON (CNN) -- Elton John captured a nation's sadness when he sang "Candle in the Wind" at Princess Diana's funeral.

Now, Queen Elizabeth II is recognizing him -- both for his services to music and for his charity -- by giving him a knighthood. The 50-year-old singer and songwriter who was born Reginald Dwight can now be called "Sir Elton John."

At Diana's funeral, John performed the reworked version of the song he and Bernie Taupin first wrote for Marilyn Monroe. Since then, the song has sold more than 35 million copies, making it the world's biggest-selling single ever.

Proceeds have been donated to a memorial fund for charities favored by Princess Diana, who died August 31 in a Paris car crash. The first payment to the fund, which was made in December, totaled $32 million.

John is among almost 1,000 people getting titles or other awards in the queen's New Year Honors list. The others include Sidney Clarke, the chauffeur who drove Diana's hearse 70 miles from London to Althorp Park and who received the Royal Victoria Medal.

He used windscreen wipers to move aside the bouquets thrown by the thousands who lived the route. Several times, Clarke stopped, removed flowers and piled them carefully at the side of the road.

A knighthood went to actor Michael Gambon, who won a Tony nomination for his recent Broadway debut in David Hare's play "Skylight." Gambon also starred in the British TV mini-series, "The Singing Detective."

Arthur C. Clarke

An honorary knighthood, which does not carry the title "Sir," went to Arthur C. Clarke, the science fiction author who wrote "2001: A Space Odyssey" and 80 other books. Clarke was born in Britain but moved to Sri Lanka in 1956.

Honors also went to also went to singer Petula Clarke, 64, whose career spans almost 50 years; Andy Green, who captured the world's landspeed record in the Nevada desert; actress Deborah Kerr; Chris Patten, the last British governor of Hong Kong; and Jenny Pitman, the only woman to train winners of the Grand National, Britain's premier horse race.

Others connected with Diana -- including her most senior aide, Michael Gibbins; funeral organist Martin Neary; and police Inspector Ken Wharfe, a former bodyguard for Diana and her young sons -- received honors.

The honors list, which is announced every June and each New Year, was absent of politicians by order of Prime Minister Tony Blair, on whose recommendations the queen awards them.

However, the list included hundreds of people who have spent their lives at works that don't make headlines, such as Marleen Dolman, a secretary for 40 years at an elementary school in Nottinghamshire, central England. She was made a member of the Order of the British Empire.

Correspondent Tim Lister and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Related stories:

• Princess Diana tribute album on sale Monday - November 30, 1997
• Elton John delivers proceeds to Diana charity - Novembert 19, 1997
• Elton John receives award for AIDS work - November 18, 1997

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• The Britisn Monarchy Web Site

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