Queen Elizabeth to make first appearance in months to knight 100-year-old veteran

Captain Tom Moore, who raised over 33 million pounds for Britain’s health care workers is to be knighted by Queen Elizabeth on July 16, Buckingham Palace reportedly said. Moore became a national hero after he completed 100 lapses of his garden to raise money for NHS workers battling the COVID-9 in April. In May, Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced the World War II veteran's nomination for the honour. 

Read: UK's Colonel Tom Moore To Receive A Knighthood

Read: Captain Tom Moore's NHS Appeal Tops £32m On 100th Birthday, Special Wishes From Queen & PM

Even to take place at the Windsor Castle 

Although other investitures are cancelled in Britain, Moore's knighthood ceremony is scheduled for July 17 at Windsor Castle, where the 94-year-old monarch has been isolating with her husband Philip. Spilling details on the event, Buckingham Palace revealed that the ceremony would take place in 'private' in the presence of Moore's and his family.

As per the palace, the queen would be using her father George VI's sword for the granting the knighthood in a traditional way. When the knighthood was announced in May, Moore had joked that he wished that the queen wasn’t very heavy-handed with the sword. Morre, who turned 100 years old in May was awarded honorary 'colonel' and was made a member of England Cricket team on his birthday. 

While announcing his nomination for knighthood, Johnson had  said the centenarian had provided the country with "a beacon of light through the fog of coronavirus." Johnson personally recommended to Queen Elizabeth that Moore should be exceptionally honoured, according to the official press release.

Colonel Tom's fantastic fundraising broke records, inspired the whole country and provided us all with a beacon of light through the fog of coronavirus, said Johnson in the release.

Meanwhile, Moore's 100th birthday was marked with, an RAF flypast. The veteran received almost 140,000 birthday cards from his fans that were kept in the sports hall of a local school. The Queen too sent out a personalised birthday greeting card to the captain and congratulated him for his charity work.

Read: Captain Tom Moore's NHS Appeal Tops £32m On 100th Birthday, Special Wishes From Queen & PM

Read: 100-year-old Captain Tom Moore To Be Knighted After Raising £32m For UK's NHS Amid Covid

(With inputs from agencies)