On This Day in Music History: Queen Elizabeth II Knighted One of the Most Famous Musicians Alive

On March 11, 1997, Paul McCartney was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II at Buckingham Palace in London, receiving the honor for his services to music. The former Beatle, who was 54 at the time, became Sir Paul in a ceremony that drew fans to the palace gates in scenes reminiscent of Beatlemania.

McCartney dedicated the knighthood to his fellow Beatles — John Lennon, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr — as well as to the people of Liverpool, where he grew up. Lennon had been assassinated in New York in 1980...