The Beatles - MBEs Awarded By The Queen


The Beatles visited Buckingham Palace to receive their MBE medals from the Queen on October 26, 1965; two years later they wore them for the album cover photograph of Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. Four years later John returned his in protest at British involvement in the Biafran war, Vietnam and "against Cold Turkey slipping down the charts."

'Well, how long have you been together as a band?' [The Queen asked]...Paul and I said, 'We've been together now for forty years and it don't seem a day too much.' She had this strange, quizzical look on her face, like either she wanted to laugh or she was thinking 'Off with their heads!'.


Congratulations from all NME readers on the honour bestowed on you by the Queen, who saw fit to make you Members of the British Empire for your unprecedented achievement in the history of world show business and winning for Britain the interest of millions of teenagers all over the world.

The Prime Minister, the member of Parliament for Huyton, Liverpool, recommended you for this honour. And as you admitted on television, you were sent the forms to fill in six weeks ago to sat if you wanted an honour. We're glad you accepted it.

This means that your teenage fans, who made you, can share in the honour. And these days, when teenagers seem only to get bad publicity, how pleasant to have something good happen.

NME, Friday, June 18, 1965

"Your Majesty, I am returning my MBE as a protest against Britain's involvement in the Nigeria-Biafra thing, against our support of America in Vietnam and against 'Cold Turkey' slipping down the charts. With Love, John Lennon."

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