When I first received the email about receiving an honour, I genuinely thought it had been sent in error and had to read it twice before believing it was for real and not a hoax either! I then had a cup of tea and read the email again!

Being extremely patriotic, very British and very much a Royalist, I will admit to feeling very proud but am also acutely aware that it is the musical gift that I am lucky enough to have, that has enabled me to reach out through music in so many ways and that is something that almost certainly, most people would like to be able to do… so I am extremely grateful for that.

I can't help but think how proud my Mum and Dad would have been, (they would have been 103 and 105 respectively if they were still bodily here… thankfully they are here in spirit)!

I would like to thank everybody the hundreds of message I have received when the announcement was made, and it was really hard not telling anybody for the last 2 weeks!!!… but there is a strict code of silence you have to adhere to!

Once again I have to say how gobsmacked I am and probably will be for some time!!

Rick Wakeman - June 12th 2021