UNITED KINGDOM: Seven times F1 World Champion, Lewis Hamilton was made a Knight Bachelor by Britain’s Prince Charles at Windsor Castle’s Waterloo Chamber on December 15, 2021, in a Windsor Castle investiture ceremony.
Donning a Wales Bonner suit, Sir Lewis Hamilton was joined by his mother, Carmen Larbalestier for the investiture ceremony. Hamilton’s knighthood was awarded for his services to motorsport in the “overseas” section of the honors list because he lives in low-tax Monaco.
Hamilton Awarded with MBE in 2009
In 2009 at a ceremony with Queen Elizabeth, Hamilton was made a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE). A Member of the Order of the British Empire, the third-highest award is given to those who have immensely contributed to making a difference in their line of work. Hamilton received the award one year after his first world championship win.
The Government of the United Kingdom website mentions that the Knight or Dame is awarded for having a major contribution in any activity, usually at the national level. Other people working in the nominee’s area will see their contribution as inspirational and significant, requiring commitment over a long period.
The Socially Mobile Sir Lewis Hamilton
In the last couple of years, Sir Lewis Hamilton has been very active in the social scene and the world also got to witness his humanitarian works. In 2020, Sir Lewis Hamilton launched the Hamilton Commission. He did this to improve the Black representation and diversity within the UK motorsport scene.
Moreover, he has been passionately campaigning to support Black Lives Matter and LGBTQ+ issues in sports. Along with this, he was also seen showing solidarity by wearing anti-racism slogans during the season.
In 2021, Hamilton launched Mission 44, a charity that aims to empower young people from under-represented groups in the UK and support organizations in narrowing gaps in education and employment. He also made a personal pledge of £20 million to the charity.
How the Honours System Works
The Government of the United Kingdom website mentions that the honors system recognizes people who have made achievements in public life and committed themselves to serve and helping Britain.
The honors are decided by an honors committee that first recommends to the British Prime Minister and then to the Queen, who awards the honor.
Honors are given to people for impacting their community or field of work. They also receive honors for enhancing Britain’s reputation, long-term voluntary service, innovation and entrepreneurship, improving life for people less able to help themselves, and displaying moral courage in fields like community, voluntary and local services, arts and media, health, sport, education, science and technology, business and the economy, and civil or political service.
Watch Sir Lewis Hamilton’s Knighthood ceremony on the YouTube Channel of The Independent.
Some of the significant achievements of Sir Lewis Hamilton to date
- Sir Lewis Hamilton has the record of winning a race in every season he has competed between 2007 and 2021.
- Hamilton achieved 17 podium finishes in a season and shares the record with Michael Schumacher and Sebastian Vettel
- He also has the record of achieving 17 podium finishes in a single season four times i.e. in 2015, 2016, 2018, and 2019.
- He holds the record for most consecutive wins at the same Grand Prix. He won the Spanish GP every year from 2017 till 2021 and shares the record with Ayrton Senna (Monaco GP)
- Hamilton won the Hungaroring and the Silverstone Circuit eight times each. He shares the record with Schumacher
- He holds the record of most wins in the first championship season and shares the record with Jacques Villeneuve.
- Sir Lewis Hamilton is the only driver to win a race in every season completed
- He holds the record of Total pole and wins in the same race amounting to 61
- Sir Lewis Hamilton has led over a third of 15,495 laps he’s completed.
- He holds the credit of 182 podium finishes
- He took 103 pole positions to date
- Sir Lewis Hamilton has to his credit 4165.5 points in Formula 1
- He also has to his credit of 103 wins in Formula 1
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