Lockdown hero Captain Tom Moore is set to receive the honour of a knighthood this week.
The Queen will recognise the 100-year-old WWII veteran’s achievements at Windsor Castle on Friday, July 17. Our captain raised a staggering £33 million for the NHS to help those suffering with COVID-19 by walking laps of his garden.
This is a particularly special invitation for Captain Tom Moore. All other planned knighthoods scheduled for June and July had been postponed, but the Queen decided to make a special exception for Tom, for the spirit he brought to the nation during this tough time.
After initially aiming to raise £1,000, this must be beyond the captain’s dreams. Queen Elizabeth II will use the sword that belonged to her father George VI. It will take place at Windsor Castle, but will have no public viewing.
This is the cherry on the top of a beautiful cake of Tom’s achievements. He now has a book deal and an ITV documentary, as well as a big birthday tribute on the Piccadilly Circus billboards and a school full of cards, to name just a few things to come out of this wonderful story.
A message from Tom 'I could never have imagined this would happen to me. 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'#FridayWillBeAGoodDay pic.twitter.com/zha2bCIMzi
— Captain Sir Tom Moore (@captaintommoore) July 15, 2020
Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer said Captain Tom Moore had been an “inspiration to millions and helped all of us to celebrate the extraordinary achievements of our NHS”.
“In his actions, Tom embodied the national solidarity which has grown throughout this crisis, and showed us that everyone can play their part in helping build a better future.”
Congratulations, Sir Tom Moore!