Pop star Ed Sheeran receives honor from Britain's Prince Charles

LONDON (Reuters) - Grammy-winning singer Ed Sheeran received an MBE - a British state honor - for services to music and charity from Prince Charles in a ceremony at Buckingham Palace on Thursday.

Ed Sheeran poses with his MBE (Member of the Order of the British Empire) medal that was presented to him by Britain's Prince Charles during an Investiture ceremony at Buckingham Palace, London, December 7, 2017. REUTERS/John Stillwell/Pool

The 26-year-old “Shape of You” singer was the most-streamed artist on music service Spotify globally in 2017, and his third album “Divide”, topped the U.S. album charts.

He has also used his celebrity to support several charities, including children’s hospices, anti-poverty campaigns and an AIDS charity.

Speaking to reporters after the ceremony, Sheeran said his late grandfather would have been pleased with his honor.

“My grandfather was a massive royalist,” he told the BBC. “He had all the commemorative plates and stuff, and he died on this day four years ago, so it’s actually quite a nice full circle thing, I guess he’d be pretty proud.”

Writing by Mark Hanrahan in London; Editing by Alison Williams

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