Ellie Goulding Receives MBE from Prince William for Services to Biodiversity and Climate – 15 Years After Performing at Royal Wedding 🌍✨
Ellie Goulding, the acclaimed British singer and environmental advocate, has been appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) for her outstanding contributions to biodiversity and climate action. The 39-year-old singer was presented with the honour by Prince William at Windsor Castle on Wednesday, 15 years after she famously performed at his wedding to Kate Middleton.
Goulding, who welcomed her second child, Iris Edaline, in March, wore a white peplum blazer with brown detailing at the waist, completing the ensemble with a netted hat. She beamed as the MBE was pinned to her jacket, later proudly displaying it outside the castle.
The award recognises Ellie’s decades-long commitment to environmental activism. She has served as a global environmental ambassador for the UN and participated in numerous international initiatives, including speaking at the UN, addressing world leaders alongside former US Vice President Kamala Harris, and collaborating with Sir David Attenborough on the Our Planet series. Ellie has consistently used her platform to champion climate awareness, biodiversity, and sustainability.
Reflecting on the accolade, Goulding shared on Instagram, “It is such a great honour to receive an MBE for services to biodiversity and climate. From the get-go, I have been guided and helped by women in this space. Last year, we truly saw how much the climate and nature crisis is intensifying. But we continue to be carried forward by the incredible women holding the line – scientists, activists, lawyers, communicators, teachers, farmers, mothers, aunties, Indigenous leaders, and youth voices. I am lifted on the shoulders of giants. Extremely proud. Thank you for the tremendous amount of love and congratulations I’ve received this past week.”
Ellie’s connection to the royal family is long-standing. She performed a cover of Elton John’s Your Song for Prince William and Kate Middleton’s first dance at their wedding reception in 2011 and later reunited with them at the Earthshot Prize Awards in Boston in 2022. Over the years, Goulding has also been a patron of The Marylebone Project, supporting homeless women, and took part in the Chime For Change concert in 2013, promoting global female empowerment.
A celebrated musician, Ellie has achieved multiple UK number-one albums, including Lights (2010), Halcyon (2012), Brightest Blue (2020), and Higher Than Heaven (2023). She has released four UK number-one singles and collaborated with notable artists such as Tinie Tempah, Calvin Harris, and Major Lazer. Her cover of Joni Mitchell’s River in 2020 featured a music video highlighting environmentalism, while her earlier cover of Your Song featured in the 2010 John Lewis Christmas advert.
Goulding’s career spans more than 15 years, earning her awards such as the Critics’ Choice Brit Award, multiple Brit Awards, and Grammy nominations. Through her music and activism, she has consistently championed the environment, inspiring global audiences while maintaining a flourishing career in the music industry.
