"Arise Sir @LewisHamilton!" the royals tweeted following the ceremony.
Mercedes F1 driver and seven-time World Champion Lewis Hamilton has been knighted.
The ceremony took place at Windsor Castle Wednesday and was presided over by Prince Charles.
The Royal Family tweeted the news that the British racecar driver will now be referred to as Sir Lewis Hamilton.
The F1 driver joins the ranks of many others, including Paul McCartney, Helen Mirren, Judy Dench and Bobby Charlton, who have been honored for their contributions to British culture, arts and sports.
Hamilton is the fourth grand prix driver to be knighted, following Sir Jack Brabham, Sir Stirling Moss and Sir Jackie Stewart. However, he is the first to be awarded the honor while still competing, The Guardian reported.
Hamilton was joined by his mother, Carmen Lockhart, for the prestigious event.
The 36-year-old has won more races and scored more pole positions than any other F1 driver in history and is the first and only Black driver in the competition’s 70-year history, according to ESPN.
The event comes days after Hamilton lost his eighth world title to Red Bull driver Max Verstappen in what some say was a controversial finish to the race in Abu Dhabi over the weekend.
Hamilton was recorded on his car radio saying, “This has been manipulated, man,” over loosing to Verstappen, according to The Guardian.
Hamilton later congratulated Verstappen and Red Bull, telling Sky Sports, “Congratulations to Max and his team. I think we did an amazing job this year. Everyone back at the factory and here worked so hard in this most difficult of seasons.”
