Reason David Bowie turned down two honours from late | UK News

It’s hardly a shock that the late Queen tried to recognise the legendary David Bowie with two honours. Over a stellar profession spanning more than 5 a long time, the singer pushed boundaries and launched numerous hits that have since gone down in music historical past. One of the most common rock stars that the nation ever produced, he influenced artists such as Lady Gaga and the Arctic Monkeys. He was an inspiration to two of the world’s most famend filmmakers – Christopher Nolan and Martin Scorsese – both of whom solid him in their movies.

He even left his mark on politicians, with former Prime Minister David Cameron hailing him “a master of re-invention, who kept getting it right”. That’s why, the world was left in mourning virtually 10 years in the past to the day, when Bowie succumbed to cancer. The musician had been battling the disease for 18 months, with his death coming just two days after his 69th birthday. 

His sickness did not stop him from releasing an album, Blackstar, on his 69th birthday. But despite his simple dedication to his work, Bowie did not imagine it meant he deserved an honour from Queen Elizabeth II.

He turned down his first honour, a CBE (Commander of the Order of the British Empire), in 2000. The alternative arose three years later, when he was awarded a knighthood, but Bowie respectfully declined. 

Explaining the rationale he turned down the honours, Bowie admitted he did not perceive the aim of such titles and they weren’t what he labored for. 

“I would never have any intention of accepting anything like that,” he told the Sun in 2003, the same 12 months Mick Jagger was given his knighthood. “I seriously don’t know what it’s for. It’s not what I spent my life working for. It’s not my place to make a judgment on Jagger, it’s his decision. But it’s just not for me.”

Bowie was also requested if his was anti-monarchy, to which he responded: “I’d only have a serious answer to that if I was living in this country.”

At the time, Bowie was living in America, the same place he died. The Ziggy Stardust hitmaker was diagnosed with liver cancer in 2014 and he found out it was terminal just three months before his death. 

He kept his 18-month battle with the disease a secret in order to protect his family. Bowie’s close friend, film and theatre producer Robert Fox, who worked with him on the musical Lazarus, revealed that the dad-of-two “needed the minimal of fuss”.

Bowie was survived by his spouse Iman and his two youngsters; son  Duncan Zowie Jones and daughter Alexandria “Lexi” Zahra Jones.