Everybody needs a dream in life. Some want to visit every country on Earth, while others aspire to become professional athletes. If you’re enamored with the British royals, then being knighted might be the perfect goal for you. It might not be an easy task, but even a failed effort would bring plenty of benefits along the way.
There’s a lot that’s appealing about being knighted. Visiting the queen is an amazing opportunity in itself, and to meet her while receiving such a special honor would be even more exciting. Adding the prefix “Sir” or “Dame” to your name is also nothing to scoff at. What’s more, you’ll enjoy all sorts of privileges after being knighted.
But how is one to go about receiving this incredible honor? It’s certainly not a simple task. If you were to set your sights on a future knighthood, here’s how you would go about it.
Step One: Be British
While you don’t technically have to be from the U.K. to be knighted, the whole thing is an unquestionably British institution. Non-Brits can be awarded a spot in the “Most Excellent Order of the British Empire”, which denotes a knighted status, but they can’t add “Sir” or “Dame” to their names. With this main perk missing, getting knighted wouldn’t hold the same charm. If you’re not a British citizen now, it’s high time you started trying to become one.
Step Two: Be Amazing
Queen Elizabeth might have knighted her own grandson Harry, but she certainly won’t knight any Tom, Dick, or Harry. If you want to receive this highest level of royal recognition, you’re going to have to live a seriously impressive life. That means a career as a shopkeeper or accountant won’t cut it. You’re going to have to think big and do whatever it takes to stand out from the pack.
All sorts of people have been knighted, from singers like Sir Elton John to football managers like Sir Alex Ferguson. The pure variety of past recipients suggests that there are infinite avenues to receiving the honor yourself. The one thing all knights have in common is a track record of being truly exceptional. Whatever field you decide to enter, you’ll have to be among the best of the best.
Step Three: Wait For The Queen’s Announcement
Once you’ve become wildly famous and universally acclaimed for your remarkable talent, kindness, and grace, all you have to do is sit around and wait for the queen to announce your coming knighthood. In the interest of maximizing your chances, you should keep your foot on the gas and maintain high levels of awesomeness even after gaining international renown. The queen typically announces future knighthoods around New Years Day, but she could surprise you during some other time of the year.
Step Four: Attend Your Ceremony
This is your big day, the moment you’ve spent your entire life working toward so make sure you’re prepared. Once you’ve arrived for the ceremony, you’ll have to shake a lot of people’s hands and accept their congratulations. Then, you’ll take a knee and let the queen do her thing. By the time you stand back up, your life’s goal will have finally been achieved.
Step Five: Enjoy The Perks Of Knighthood
After the ceremony, you should waste no time getting on with the most exciting part of the entire process: actually being a knight. As you would imagine, the title brings a lot of privileges, from the prefix added before your name to the badge and mantle you can wear on your chest. Rocking these accouterments is a sure-fire way to gain positive attention at a cocktail party.
So you want to be a knight, do you? Well, there are certainly sillier dreams out there. Let this be your definitive guide to achieving knighthood.
Daryl started his wood crafting business in his garage. With perseverance, he managed to expand it and now has his own place and has international customers with his online expansion.