He's back... but this time it's to pick up an OBE! A 'deeply proud' Gary Barlow returns to Buckingham Palace to receive honour from the Queen

By Lucy Buckland

PUBLISHED: 07:38 EST, 21 November 2012 | UPDATED: 10:48 EST, 21 November 2012


Take That star Gary Barlow said he was 'deeply proud' after returning to Buckingham Palace on Wednesday to be awarded his OBE by the Queen.

The 41-year-old X Factor judge, who has spent more than 20 years in the public eye, was given the title for services to the entertainment industry and to charity.

Barlow masterminded the triumphant Diamond Jubilee concert - staged at the Palace during a special bank holiday weekend in June - which featured a host of stars including Stevie Wonder and Sir Paul McCartney who played to a televised audience of millions.

Honoured: Gary Barlow receives his OBE from the Queen on Wednesday for services to the entertainment industry and for charity

Honoured: Gary Barlow receives his OBE from the Queen on Wednesday for services to the entertainment industry and for charity

The anthem Sing, co-written with Andrew Lloyd Webber, and featured at the Jubilee concert, topped the singles charts during the summer and his OBE was announced days later in the Queen's Birthday Honours.

As the creative force behind Take That between 1990 and 1996 and since they reformed in 2005, plus his solo success, Barlow, who wore a Gieves & Hawkes suit to collect his OBE, has topped the singles charts 14 times and received five Ivor Novello awards for his song-writing.

Barlow declined to talk to reporters after his investiture, but in a statement said he had been surprised by the award of his OBE and that it 'hadn't seemed real until today'.

Treasured moment: Gary Barlow's organisation of the Diamond Jubilee concert in June is thought to have played a part in getting the honour

Treasured moment: Gary Barlow's organisation of the Diamond Jubilee concert in June is thought to have played a part in getting the honour

Dapper: Gary looked very smart in his pale grey suit with blue shirt and grey tie

Dapper: Gary looked very smart in his pale grey suit with blue shirt and grey tie

Hugely successful: Gary Barlow masterminded the Diamond Jubilee concert and co-wrote the anthem Sing

Hugely successful: Gary Barlow masterminded the Diamond Jubilee concert and co-wrote the anthem Sing

Last year, Barlow replaced Simon Cowell as a judge on the X factor.

His charity work includes gathering a team of celebrities to climb Mount Kilimanjaro in 2009 for Comic Relief and organising charity concerts for Children in Need in 2009 and 2011.

Earlier this month, Sir Elton John presented Barlow with the Music Industry Trust Award.

A huge boost: Gary Barlow was credited with improving the image of the country with the spectacular Jubilee Concert

A huge boost: Gary Barlow was credited with improving the image of the country with the spectacular Jubilee Concert

It wasn't an easy road for Barlow as just after the OBE announcement the Take That star faced a backlash after it emerged he and two former bandmates invested £26million in a scheme allegedly designed to avoid paying tax.

Labour MP Stephen Pound criticised Barlow and called for his OBE to be retracted.

He said 'It's less Take That and more like Take That And All The Rest. Gary Barlow needs to do his patriotic duty and show he is not a part-time patriot off-shoring his wealth through this shelter while keeping his OBE on-shore.'

He'll be the judge: Gary Barlow is now on the panel of X Factor judges, a move which has brought him back into the public eye

He'll be the judge: Gary Barlow is now on the panel of X Factor judges, a move which has brought him back into the public eye

Lawyers for Mr Barlow and the other band mates involved - Howard Donald and Mark Owen - said they paid significant tax, and that they believed the schemes were not for tax avoidance purposes but were legitimate commercial enterprises.

Both Downing Street and Buckingham Palace agreed, saying: 'The Diamond Jubilee celebrations were a great success and Gary Barlow played a big part.'

Previous winners of the award, which raised funds for Nordoff Robbins and TheBRIT Performing Arts & Technology School, include Sir Elton and Kylie Minogue.

In the old days: Gary Barlow started his career in boy band Take That, pictured here in 1996

In the old days: Gary Barlow started his career in boy band Take That, pictured here in 1996

Take That went on to have 54 number ones, mostly penned by Gary Barlow

Take That went on to have 54 number ones, mostly penned by Gary Barlow

Today was not the first time the singer had been back to the palace since the Jubilee.

Last month, he joined celebrity chef Heston Blumenthal and hundreds of others at a glittering Buckingham Palace reception hosted by the Queen and Duke of Edinburgh for those who made the regional, national and international celebrations events to remember.

Oscar-winning actress Kate Winslet said she talked with the Queen about the joys of being a mother as she collected her CBE.

Thanks ma'am: Actress and charity worker Kate Winslet also received an OBE

Thanks ma'am: Actress and charity worker Kate Winslet also received an OBE

Winslet, 37, who achieved worldwide fame for her role in the 1997 blockbuster Titanic, was honoured at Buckingham Palace for services to drama, 100 years after the sinking of the 'unsinkable' ship.

The actress who won a Best Actress Oscar for post-war romantic drama The Reader, was dressed in an outfit by Alexander McQueen for today's ceremony, with a hat by Natalie Ellner for Ellsewhere.

Winslet said the Queen congratulated her and asked how much she enjoyed acting.
'I said yes I liked it but not as much as being a mother. She said, 'it is the best job'.'

 


 

 
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'54 number ones'? He's good but he's not THAT good! :)

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Well done Gary!!!

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Yet again, one of these awards handed out to celebrities. There are countless of other social and charity workers who work 1000 times more harder than him but would never get the recognition that he gets. - Muath, London, 21/11/2012 13:21______I agree. I suppose it's difficult because a normal person would never have the opportunity to plan the things that he gets to, like the Jubilee concert, so will never be able to achieve the same recognition. I like Gary but he has so much and probably doesn't work every day as well as fitting in his charity work, it is not the same hardship for him as it is for somebody who works full time but still manages to volunteer somewhere, or even somebody who donates as much as they can every month. Good on him for using his fame to raise money but in all honesty I am not very aware of his charity work and do not immediately connect him with any specific charities, and from this article it seems he has done 3 or 4 big events and that's it.

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The people should vote for who get Honours.

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I sneezed in bed and headbutted the wall at the same time this morning...do i get a medal for that?

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He should get an award for being able to talk like someone on valium

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He grovelled really hard for that title. Bet he´s gutted he wasn´t made a Sir.

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he's in danger of becoming mega-smug and mega-egregious - what is the UK coming to?

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he is not the worst to get it and won't be the last undeserving.

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Well deserved Gary. You are a true artist.

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