John Williams, the legendary composer for Jurassic Park and Star Wars, is one of the last people to have been knighted by Queen Elizabeth II. Williams, currently 90 years old, is one of the most prolific film composers of all time, having crafted scores for over 75 films since 1960. Williams has been nominated for 52 Academy Awards, of which he has won five. Narrowly behind Walt Disney, Williams is the second most Academy Award-nominated person in history.
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Williams is particularly known for having composed several incredibly popular and memorable theme songs. Williams wrote the music for most Star Wars films, the 1978 Superman, and the first three Harry Potter films. A favorite composer of director Steven Spielberg, Williams also wrote for Jaws, E.T., Jurassic Park, Schindler's List, and Close Encounters of the Third Kind, among dozens of others. Recently, Williams composed for Spielberg's semi-autobiographical film The Fabelmans, which is set to release in theaters on November 11.
It was recently announced in the British press (via Daily Mail) that Williams has been awarded an honorary knighthood in one of Queen Elizabeth's final acts before her death earlier this month. Williams is being awarded for services to film music, with his name recently being added to a list of honorary awards for foreign nationals. Honorary awards for foreign nationals recognize achievements of those who are not UK citizens, but have made an "outstanding contribution" to the UK.
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The newly-updated list of honorary awards for foreign nationals also includes former Disney CEO Bob Iger, for services to UK/US relations, as well as dozens of others who have largely contributed to science and humanitarian efforts. Former recipients of this award include Spielberg, Angelina Jolie, and Bob Hope. Unlike British citizens who are knighted, such as Sir Patrick Stewart and Dame Judi Dench, foreign nationals are not permitted to use 'sir' or 'dame' in their title. Nevertheless, this demonstrates how far Williams' work has stretched. His music has gone beyond cinema to reach people all across the globe.
With an incredibly storied career, it's only fitting that Williams should be getting such a prestigious award. There's no question that Williams has had an immense impact on film music over the past 70 years, with how many iconic and memorable scores he has created. This comes at a time when Williams might be nearing retirement, with composer recently hinting that next year's Indiana Jones 5 could be his last score. If that is the end for Williams, it's safe to say he's going out on a high note. His contributions to cinema will never be forgotten, even if some of his biggest franchises continue on without him. Though the Queen has passed away and will not be able to bestow the award upon Williams herself, the Star Wars composer will forever be remembered with this honor.