Murray To Be Honored At Buckingham Palace Thursday

Written by: Bob Larson Tennis on 16th October 2013

Murray To Be Honored At Buckingham Palace Thursday

epa03137609 Andy Murray of Great Britain responds to questions during a press conference at the BNP Paribas Open tennis in Indian Wells, California, USA 08 March 2012. EPA/JOHN G. MABANGLO |

Wimbledon champion Andy Murray will receive his Officer of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire medal at Buckingham Palace tomorrow…. and he will be among the first batch of people to have their investiture conducted by Prince William.

The Duke of Cambridge, to give the second in line to British throne, is taking his first major step towards being a working royal. It is understood that his grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II, asked him several months ago if he would begin conducting investitures it’s apt Murray should become one of his first as the 26 year-old Scot was cheered on by Prince William and his wife Kate at Wimbledon.

Hello magazine quoted a Royal Source who said: “William has been practicing using the sword and pinning the medals on a servant so that he gets it right.

“He obviously doesn’t want to slice anyone’s ear off or stick a pin into their chest. He realizes this is the biggest day in the lives of some people who are being honored, and he wants it to go well for them.

“His biggest challenge is being tall – it’s not easy to stoop down and talk to some of the smaller recipients and to pin the honors on.”

Murray is one of several honor recipients scheduled for tomorrow with two new knighthoods and a similar medal for a famed BBC television producer. Other British tennis stars to be honored with the OBE are 1977 Wimbledon ladies champion Virginia Wade and four times Wimbledon semi-finalist Tim Henman.

The world no.3 was named an OBE the New Year’s Honours list, after he won the US Open title but before he won Wimbledon. Murray had just ended a 76 years wait for a British male Grand Slam singles champion and he said at the time: “Being recognized in such a way at the end of such a great season is the finishing touch on a great year.

“This has been an amazing year for British sport and I am proud to have been able to play my part. I reached my first Wimbledon final, competed and won gold at the London 2012 Olympics with Team GB at Wimbledon, and then won my first Grand Slam title at the US Open.”

Strict Buckingham Palace protocol decrees Prince William must keep to the allotted time of 30 seconds conversing with each recipient to avoid the ceremony overrunning.

Topics: 10sballs.com, Andy Murray, Buckingham Palace, Prince William, Tennis, Tennis News, Wimbledon