Duran Duran frontman Simon Le Bon was honored with an MBE (Member of the Order of the British Empire) for his contributions to music and charity at a ceremony held at Windsor Castle on Nov. 12.
The award, presented by William, Prince of Wales, recognizes Le Bon’s lasting influence on music as well as his dedication to charitable causes.
Le Bon shared his excitement and gratitude for the award, calling it “incredible and totally unexpected.” Reflecting on the honor back in June, he stated, “It is fitting that the honour has been awarded not just for my role in music, but also for the work I’ve been fortunate to be involved with outside the band for some of the causes I believe in.”
After receiving the prestigious accolade, Le Bon told the Press Association: “It’s the most immediate and essential aspect of our job, getting up and singing a song or making some music in front of a crowd.”
“I used to be a very nervous performer. I was terrified, and slowly I’ve been able to overcome that fear and I don’t get it anymore. I just walk out there and it feels natural to me.”
Beyond his musical achievements, Le Bon has been an active advocate for several organizations, including the Blue Marine Foundation, which focuses on ocean conservation, and the Tall Ships Youth Trust, providing seafaring opportunities to disadvantaged youth across the U.K. Le Bon’s love of sailing also led him to support the Air Ambulance Service.
Known for Billboard Hot 100 hits like “Hungry Like the Wolf,” “Rio,” and “Girls on Film,” Duran Duran’s journey spans the glam and grit of the 1980s New Romantic scene to present-day stardom.
Their career has seen them earn numerous accolades, including a Brit Award for Lifetime Achievement, two Ivor Novello Awards, two Grammys, and a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. In 2022, the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame finally inducted Duran Duran.
In 2023, the band’s Halloween-themed album Danse Macabre became a top 10 hit on the Top Album Sales chart and peaked at No. 4 on the U.K. charts, marking another high point for the band. This Halloween, they followed up with a sold-out show at Madison Square Garden in New York and released an extended edition of Danse Macabre, accompanied by the concert film Secret Oktober.
From the early ’80s through today, Duran Duran has amassed a legion of fans with hits like “The Reflex,” “A View to a Kill,” and ’90s staples “Ordinary World” and “Come Undone.”
Their presence in pop culture remains undeniable—William’s late mother, Princess Diana, famously adored the band and was able to meet them at Prince’s Trust concert in 1983 and again at the 1985 premiere of the James Bond movie A View to a Kill.
“She and I used to go to the same fitness club — Chelsea Harbour in London,” Simon Le Bon once told The Times of the late princess.
“One day I was on the running machine. I jumped off because one of my shoelaces had come undone, and she wolf-whistled at me across the room, and yelled, like a brickie, ‘Nice legs! I’d recognize that bum anywhere!’ I was quite taken aback, actually, and quietly got back on the machine with a red face.”
On the 10th anniversary of Diana’s death in 2007, Prince William and Prince Harry staged a memorial concert for her at Wembley Stadium, booking artists like Elton John, Kanye West, Lily Allen, Tom Jones, Bryan Ferry, Rod Stewart, Pharrell, and Duran Duran.
