In what year was Paul McCartney knighted?

Paul McCartney was knighted in 1997 for his services to music. Queen Elizabeth II conferred the honour during a period when McCartney was being recognised not only as a former Beatle, but also as a major songwriter, performer, and cultural figure in his own right.

The knighthood made him Sir Paul McCartney, granting him the formal title Knight Bachelor. It followed an earlier national honour: he had been appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire, or MBE, in 1965 along with the other Beatles. The two honours are separate, so the often-remembered 1965 date is not the year of his knighthood.

McCartney’s 1997 recognition came after decades of influential work with the Beatles, Wings, and as a solo artist. His songwriting partnership with John Lennon produced many of popular music’s most enduring songs, while Wings gave him a successful post-Beatles career. The honour is also distinct from his later appointments to other organisations and awards. In a common mix-up, being knighted is not the same as receiving an honorary degree or an MBE; those are different forms of recognition.