The title Queen Elizabeth II bestowed upon Elton John in 1998 was Sir.
Elton John was appointed a Knight Bachelor and knighted by Queen Elizabeth II on 24 February 1998. The honor recognized his services to music and charity, allowing him to use the title “Sir” before his name. His full formal style became Sir Elton Hercules John; he was born Reginald Kenneth Dwight.
The knighthood followed a remarkable career as a singer, pianist, and songwriter, including his long-running creative partnership with lyricist Bernie Taupin. John had already been appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire, or CBE, in 1995. A CBE does not confer the title “Sir,” but a Knight Bachelor does.
His charitable work was especially important to his public reputation. In 1992, he founded the Elton John AIDS Foundation, which supports HIV and AIDS-related programs. In 2020, he received another British honor when he was appointed a Member of the Order of the Companions of Honour, but “Sir” remains the title most closely associated with his 1998 knighthood.