Yes, Bono received an honorary Knight Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (KBE) in 2007 for his music and humanitarian work but, as an Irish citizen, he is not officially a "Sir" and jokingly told people to call him anything else, like "Lord of Lords" or "Demi-god".
Geldof was granted an honorary knighthood (KBE) by Queen Elizabeth II in 1986 for his charity work in Africa. It was an honorary award as Geldof is an Irish citizen, but he is often referred to as 'Sir Bob'.
Bono most certainly did not grow up a devoted Catholic. His father was Catholic, but his mother was Protestant and he attended Protestant schools and church.
Springsteen is arguably rock and roll's leading Catholic songwriter. “Once you're Catholic, there is no getting out,” the Irish-Italian (his father the former, his mother the latter) has often said.
In German, "Achtung Baby" translates to "Attention, baby!" or "Watch out, baby!," with Achtung meaning "attention," "caution," or "watch out," often used as an alert or warning, famously popularized by the U2 album of the same name, which was recorded in Germany during a time of cultural transition.
And through it all, he never lost his faith. Not in some vague spiritual sense — but in God. A Protestant in a Catholic-dominated country, Bono's belief has always been somewhat of an anomaly.
In 2003, he was knighted for his services to popular music. Jagger is credited with being a trailblazer in pop music and with bringing a style and sex appeal to rock and roll that have been imitated and proven influential with subsequent generations of musicians.
He said he refuses to use "Sir Paul" and doesn't use the headed notepaper with his title bought for him by his wife Linda. "To me the problem was how much it would change my life, not whether it was a royalist gesture. I don't take it that seriously," he said.
1️⃣ David Bowie – Politely declined both a CBE and a knighthood, saying such titles weren't what his work was about. 2️⃣ John Lennon – Famously returned his MBE in protest against British involvement in war and other political issues.
David Bowie rejected a knighthood (and a CBE before it) because he felt it wasn't what he worked for, didn't understand its purpose, and preferred to remain outside the establishment, viewing such honors as irrelevant to his artistic path and a form of institutional recognition he didn't value. He stated he had "no intention of accepting anything like that" and wasn't motivated by titles or formal status.
Examples include Sir Fred Goodwin, the former chief executive of the Royal Bank of Scotland, who lost his knighthood in 2012 over his role in the bank's near-collapse in 2008 and Sir James Crosby, the former chief executive of HBOS.
For instance, Bloomberg L.P. valued Selena Gomez at US$1.3 billion in 2024, while Forbes estimated her net worth at only $700 million by 2025. U2 singer Bono has been described as a billionaire, and Paul McCartney is listed as one by the Sunday Times Rich List, though neither have been accorded such status by Forbes.
The phrase “Ich liebe dich,” works exactly like the English expression “I love you.” In German, there is the same sentence structure: Subject - Verb - Object. Here, the word “Ich” (I) is the subject, followed by the verb “liebe” (love) in the first person singular and the object “dich” (you).
Bono has had glaucoma, a build-up of pressure in the eyeball, which can damage the optic nerve and potentially lead to blindness if untreated—for over two decades now. The real reason he wears his trademark shades is due to this progressive, sight-robbing eye disease, to protect his sensitive eyes from light and glare.
Gray Eyes: Topping the list with its scarcity, gray eyes are found in less than 1% of the global population. This rare shade is even more uncommon than green, making it the rarest eye color. Gray eyes possess just enough melanin to dim blue wavelengths of light, creating their distinct appearance.
Bono and Alison live in Killiney, Ireland, in a posh seaside neighborhood called Dalkey. Bono bought Temple Hill in the 1980s and has renovated the home substantially over the years. They even bought the small house adjacent to Temple Hill and connected the two homes via a corridor.
Bono was advised to give up smoking by doctors in the late 90s following a bad sinus infection, but he was seen smoking again in 2003 before quitting again for a healthier lifestyle.
"Diets don't work. You just have to change what you eat, and I have." For Bono, that has meant "I really avoid grains and starches, so meats and vegetables and fruits are my diet. I make them all different ways to keep it interesting."
When Bono announced he had glaucoma, he revealed that he has had the condition for many years. He serves as a great example of how many people with glaucoma can keep their sight and still lead very active lives if treated early enough.
