Wednesday, June 2, award-winning actor Patrick Stewart was knighted at Buckingham Palace by Queen Elizabeth II. Earning knighthood is a huge honor, and with such a long and amazing career under his belt, it is no small wonder Stewart received it.

Many of us know him as Enterprise captain Jean-Luc Picard of the Star Trek franchise, but 69-year-old Stewart has been acting for over forty years.

The actor joined the Royal Shakespeare Company in the 1960s, and has appeared in numerous theatre productions both on and off-screen in the last four decades. In 2008, he was nominated for a Tony Award for his performance as MacBeth.

Sir Patrick Stewart noted that he did not expect to receive such an honor, but was amazed and grateful to find himself among such greats as Sir Laurence Olivier and Sir John Gielgud.

Stewart said, “To find myself, to my astonishment, in that company is the grandest thing that has professionally happened to me.”

Stewart attributes his love of theatre and acting to the English teacher who set Shakespeare before him and encouraged him as a boy. Stating he owed everything to that one teacher, Stewart noted without his influence many of his greatest achievements would never have come to pass.

Congratulations, Sir Patrick. I’m going to watch The Lion in Winter in your honor!