May 2, 2019: Pink Floyd’s Nick Mason Awarded CBE at Palace

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Nick Mason with Prince William at Buckingham Palace, May 2, 2019 (Photo via Press Association)

Nick Mason, a co-founder of Pink Floyd was awarded a CBE on May 2, 2019, at a ceremony at Buckingham Palace in London. The drummer was on the New Year’s Honours list for 2019, which had been announced on December 28, 2018. The annual awards recognizes the “outstanding achievements of people across the United Kingdom.”

At the ceremony, presented by Prince William, the Duke of Cambridge, Mason received his honor for services to music. “Nicholas featured on every album produced by the band since he co-founded them in 1965,” the official statement read.

Mason’s Facebook page quoted him as “honoured and delighted.” He joked that he was “just surprised that the Award is given for services to music rather than to the used car trade!”

From the original December 28, 2018, announcement: “This honours list continues to demonstrate the breadth of service given by people from all backgrounds from all across the U.K.” In June, the annual Queen’s Birthday honours are revealed. For the 2019 New Years list, 1,148 people received an award including 43 for “those involved in the response to the major terrorist incidents of 2017.”

Nick Mason performing with his band, Saucerful of Secrets, May 24, 2018, London (Photo: Jill Furmanovsky; used with permission)

CBE stands for Commander of the Order of the British Empire. It is “awarded for having a prominent but lesser role at national level, or a leading role at regional level.” The honor is below full knighthood or damehood. The types of honors are explained here.

In 2018, classic rock stars Ringo Starr and Barry Gibb received knighthood, at separate events at Buckingham Palace.

Mason was born on January 27, 1944. In recent years has been touring with his new band, Saucerful of Secrets, which celebrates early Pink Floyd repertoire. Tickets are available here and here. Many of his solo albums are being reissued on June 7, 2024. For the first time since their original release, Nick Mason’s Fictitious Sports, Profiles and White of the Eye will be available as individual LPs and CDs. Pre-order is available here.

Among those on the New Year’s Honours list: Lesley Lawson, the model, actress and singer, better known as Twiggy, who received damehood for services to fashion, the arts and charity; and Michael Palin, of Monty Python fame, who received knighthood, for services to travel, culture and geography.

Palin has also had an accomplished career as a travel documentarian.

Watch Palin in a classic Python sketch