# Dr. Brian May of Queen adds"Sir" to his list of titles **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** music\ **Created:** [December 31, 2022, 8:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dr-brian-may-of-queen-adds-sir-to-his-list-of-titles/977396 "2022-12-31T08:18:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2022, 8:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dr-brian-may-of-queen-adds-sir-to-his-list-of-titles/977396/1 "2022-12-31T08:18:09Z")
Dr. Brian Harold May, lead guitarist of the rock group Queen has been knighted. The King’s Honors list for 2023 cites May as “Dr. Brian Harold May CBE, Musician, Astrophysicist and animal welfare advocate for services to music and to charity.” May said in response to the honor, "I’m happy and grateful to receive this honor. I will regard the knighthood not so much as a reward, but more as a charge, a commission, for me to continue to fight for justice, to be a voice for those who have no voice. I will endeavor to be worthy, to be that knight in shining armor.” > **[Queen's Brian May Becomes “Sir Brian Harold May” with Knighthood Honor](https://americansongwriter.com/queens-brian-may-becomes-sir-brian-harold-with-knighthood-honor/)** > > Queen guitarist Brian May has been given the title of “Sir” as he received the honor of knighthood. Officially published on Dec. 31, the New Year Honors list for 2023, and the first issued by King Charles III since the death of Queen Elizabeth... May received his Ph.D. from Imperial College, London in Astrophysics in 2007. As an activist for animal welfare, May also serves as vice president of the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals in the U.K. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2022, 9:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dr-brian-may-of-queen-adds-sir-to-his-list-of-titles/977396/2 "2022-12-31T09:23:17Z")
King honours Queen. [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/VEJ8lpCQbyw/hqdefault.jpg "Queen - Princes Of The Universe (Official Video)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VEJ8lpCQbyw) ---
**Author:** ![solost](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/solost/32/11776_2.png) [@solost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/solost)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2022, 2:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dr-brian-may-of-queen-adds-sir-to-his-list-of-titles/977396/3 "2022-12-31T14:04:08Z")
So what does one call him now: ‘Sir Dr. Brian May’? ‘Dr. Sir Brian May’? Or does the ‘Sir’ now take precedence and he’s ‘Sir Brian May’ without the Dr.? ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2022, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dr-brian-may-of-queen-adds-sir-to-his-list-of-titles/977396/4 "2022-12-31T15:44:13Z")
And where does Rock God fit into the list? ---
**Author:** ![Riemann](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/riemann/32/3133_2.png) [@Riemann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Riemann)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2022, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dr-brian-may-of-queen-adds-sir-to-his-list-of-titles/977396/5 "2022-12-31T15:51:05Z")
> [@solost](#): > > ‘Sir Dr. Brian May’? ‘Dr. Sir Brian May’ This is one of those weird language things where I’m almost certain I’ve never encountered this before, yet (a) I have a strong intuition that “Dr. Sir Brian May” sounds right, “Sir Dr. Brian May” sounds wrong; (b) This really makes no _logical_ sense. Is my brain unconsciously following an analogy with something else? I can’t figure it out. Also, Brian May pisses me off. How can one human being be so fucking awesome? He’s like a young kid’s ridiculous fantasy of “what I want to be when I grow up”. ---
**Author:** ![Lord\_Feldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lord_feldon/32/341_2.png) [@Lord\_Feldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Feldon)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2022, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dr-brian-may-of-queen-adds-sir-to-his-list-of-titles/977396/6 "2022-12-31T15:54:56Z")
> [@Riemann](#): > > Is my brain unconsciously following an analogy with something else? That’s how military ranks work. The head of the army, for example, is General Sir Patrick Sanders. But I’m pretty sure “Dr.” just vanishes, and “PhD” can be tacked on wherever his degree is essential information. ---
**Author:** ![Riemann](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/riemann/32/3133_2.png) [@Riemann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Riemann)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2022, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dr-brian-may-of-queen-adds-sir-to-his-list-of-titles/977396/7 "2022-12-31T15:55:38Z")
> [@Lord\_Feldon](#): > > General Sir Patrick Sanders I think you nailed it, that’s the analogy I was unconsciously following. ---
**Author:** ![Riemann](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/riemann/32/3133_2.png) [@Riemann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Riemann)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2022, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dr-brian-may-of-queen-adds-sir-to-his-list-of-titles/977396/8 "2022-12-31T16:01:12Z")
> [@GuanoLad](#): > > King honours Queen. So is there a conspiracy theory that QE2 didn’t give him the knighthood because she was secretly jealous that _they_ were the more famous Queen? ---
**Author:** ![pjd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pjd/32/3009_2.png) [@pjd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pjd)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2022, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dr-brian-may-of-queen-adds-sir-to-his-list-of-titles/977396/9 "2022-12-31T16:02:46Z")
> [@Riemann](#): > > So is there a conspiracy theory that QE2 didn’t give him the knighthood because she was secretly jealous that _they_ were the more famous Queen? There is now ! From [wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sir#:~:text=However%2C%20the%20title%20of%20'Doctor,letters%20associated%20with%20their%20degrees.) > ### Combinations with other titles and styles > > #### Military > > In the case of a military officer who is also a knight, the appropriate form of address puts the professional military rank first, then the correct manner of address for the individual, then his name. Examples include: > … > > #### Academic > > This is also the case with academic ranks and titles, such as ‘[Professor](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Professor)’. For example, [Patrick Bateson](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patrick_Bateson) was both a professor[[note 2]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sir#cite_note-24) and a knight bachelor; his correct title would be Professor Sir Patrick Bateson. However, the title of ‘[Doctor](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doctor_(title))’ (Dr.) is not used in combination with ‘Sir’, with the knighthood taking precedence. Knighted doctors are addressed as knights, though they may still use any post-nominal letters associated with their degrees. ---
**Author:** ![pjd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pjd/32/3009_2.png) [@pjd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pjd)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2022, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dr-brian-may-of-queen-adds-sir-to-his-list-of-titles/977396/10 "2022-12-31T16:03:58Z")
> [@Lord\_Feldon](#): > > General Sir Patrick I used to know a General Sir Patrick !! (Not that one) ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2022, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dr-brian-may-of-queen-adds-sir-to-his-list-of-titles/977396/11 "2022-12-31T16:05:43Z")
> [@Riemann](#): > > Also, Brian May pisses me off. How can one human being be so fucking awesome? He’s like a young kid’s ridiculous fantasy of “what I want to be when I grow up”. - With the help of his father, he designed and built the guitar he played through his career. > **[Red Special](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_Special)** > > The Red Special is the electric guitar designed and built by Queen's guitarist Brian May and his father, Harold, when Brian was a teenager in the early 1960s. The Red Special is sometimes referred to as the Fireplace or the Old Lady by May and by others. The name Red Special came from the reddish-brown colour the guitar attained after being stained and painted with numerous layers of Rustins Plastic Coating. The name Fireplace is a reference to the fact that the wood used to make the A guitar... ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2022, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dr-brian-may-of-queen-adds-sir-to-his-list-of-titles/977396/12 "2022-12-31T16:24:36Z")
Well-deserved, and bravo, May. > [@Happy\_Lendervedder](#): > > And where does Rock God fit into the list? Presumably that’s encompassed by “Musician”. ---
**Author:** ![PatrickLondon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/patricklondon/32/4422_2.png) [@PatrickLondon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PatrickLondon)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2022, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dr-brian-may-of-queen-adds-sir-to-his-list-of-titles/977396/13 "2022-12-31T16:40:01Z")
And [Angie from the Queen Vic](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anita_Dobson) ipso facto becomes a Lady ---
**Author:** ![outlierrn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/outlierrn/32/3005_2.png) [@outlierrn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/outlierrn)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2023, 11:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dr-brian-may-of-queen-adds-sir-to-his-list-of-titles/977396/14 "2023-01-01T11:37:30Z")
> [@Riemann](#): > > He’s like a young kid’s ridiculous fantasy of “what I want to be when I grow up”. Are you kidding? He’s this old guys’ ridiculous fantasy of what I want to be when I grow up. Gin and tonics all around, Sir Brian, you have done well. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2023, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dr-brian-may-of-queen-adds-sir-to-his-list-of-titles/977396/15 "2023-01-01T19:31:12Z")
To celebrate: [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/J-UptzjhGSA/hqdefault.jpg "39' Queen (Official Video)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J-UptzjhGSA) (aside: If that’s due to time dilation in a constant-acceleration ship, it must be pulling at least 800 gs. And yes, I did calculate that.) ---
**Author:** ![Riemann](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/riemann/32/3133_2.png) [@Riemann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Riemann)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2023, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dr-brian-may-of-queen-adds-sir-to-his-list-of-titles/977396/16 "2023-01-01T20:24:24Z")
Well, we can’t let this pass without linking to a strong contender for the greatest live performance in the history of… well, history. I’ve cued it up to just before Hammer To Fall, written by Brian May. It’s hard to get noticed when Freddie’s on stage. It’s pretty funny - Freddie is so charismatic that even when Brian is playing his solo, the camera is still mostly on Freddie playing air guitar with his mic stand. We Will Rock You at 17:39 is also a May composition. [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/TkFHYODzRTs/hqdefault.jpg?sqp=-oaymwEmCOADEOgC8quKqQMa8AEB-AH-BIAC4AOKAgwIABABGHIgTyhCMA8=&rs=AOn4CLCzG5eu47IDzqYhhgTiZNXbqKqJ6Q "Live Aid- Queen- Full Set HQ") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TkFHYODzRTs) ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2023, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dr-brian-may-of-queen-adds-sir-to-his-list-of-titles/977396/17 "2023-01-01T20:28:53Z")
Congratulations to Sir Brian, who’s been my favorite guitarist for over 40 years. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2023, 10:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dr-brian-may-of-queen-adds-sir-to-his-list-of-titles/977396/18 "2023-01-01T22:43:52Z")
> [@Riemann](#): > > This is one of those weird language things where I’m almost certain I’ve never encountered this before, yet > (a) I have a strong intuition that “Dr. Sir Brian May” sounds right, “Sir Dr. Brian May” sounds wrong; > (b) This really makes no _logical_ sense. I have the same intuition, and I think it has to do with Sir always attaching to the given name. ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2023, 10:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dr-brian-may-of-queen-adds-sir-to-his-list-of-titles/977396/19 "2023-01-01T22:53:44Z")
I hope this means people will stop badgering him 🙃. On a more serious note, besides his music, I’m a big fan of his stereoscopic efforts. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/dDYfEM03abA/maxresdefault.jpg "Brian May - Stereoscopy #1 - An introduction") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dDYfEM03abA) ---
**Author:** ![peedin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peedin/32/14095_2.png) [@peedin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/peedin)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2023, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dr-brian-may-of-queen-adds-sir-to-his-list-of-titles/977396/20 "2023-01-08T19:41:04Z")
Additional proof of his coolness. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dr-brian-may-of-queen-adds-sir-to-his-list-of-titles/977396.md?page=2)