Captain Tom Moore, the 100-year-old who became a national hero in Britain by raising millions of pounds for health workers during the COVID-19 pandemic, will become “Sir Tom” on Friday when he is knighted by Queen Elizabeth.
The Second World War veteran raised a record sum of 33 million pounds ($56.2 million Cdn) by walking 100 laps of his garden with the aid of a walking frame in April in the run-up to his landmark birthday.
His endeavour touched the hearts of people in Britain and beyond as they faced the adversity of the coronavirus crisis, prompting Prime Minister Boris Johnson to nominate Moore for the award.
Moore, who has been made an honorary colonel and an honorary member of the England cricket team, will receive the ancient accolade at Windsor Castle, where the 94-year-old monarch has been sheltering since March.
Other investitures have been postponed because of the coronavirus and it will be one of the first official duties the Queen has carried out since the coronavirus lockdown.
Buckingham Palace said the ceremony would take place in private with Moore accompanied by members of his family.
Good Morning! Ready and raring to go for what is a very special day. Thank you for all the well wishes, as ever, overwhelmed by your support.<a href=”https://twitter.com/hashtag/todaywillbeagoodday?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>#todaywillbeagoodday</a> <a href=”https://t.co/JgLD0O0suI”>pic.twitter.com/JgLD0O0suI</a>
—@captaintommoore
“I could never have imagined this would happen to me,” Moore said in a message posted on Twitter.
“It is such a huge honour and I am very much looking forward to meeting Her Majesty The Queen. It is going to be the most special of days for me.”
The palace said the queen would be using a sword that belonged to her father, George VI, for the ceremony.
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