London - Auto-racing legend Stirling Moss received his knighthood on Tuesday in recognition of his status as one of Britain's most beloved sportsmen.
Moss, 70, who often refers to himself as the "best racer never to have won a Formula One drivers' title", was knighted by Prince Charles in an investiture at Buckingham Palace. Queen Elizabeth II was on an official trip to Australia.
Moss finished No 2 in the drivers' standings four times - three times behind his close friend Juan Manuel Fangio of Argentina.
Moss, who won 16 Grand Prix races, and retired from the sport in 1961 as F1's highest paid driver, having earned about £30 000 (about R312 000) annually.
Michael Schumacher, the highest paid driver of today's generation, earns about £25-million annually.
"I would like to race today, obviously, because it would mean I was younger," said Moss, who was accompanied by his wife, Susie, daughter, Allison, and son Elliot.
"But I wouldn't swap now for before, no," he added. "Because it was a sport then, and it's a very important business now. I'm very interested in it technically. But no, I wouldn't have swapped."
As Moss drove his Mercedes away from Buckingham Palace after the ceremony, he was stopped by a palace guard who joked: "Who do you thing your are? Stirling Moss?"
Moss smiled and replied.
"Sir Stirling Moss, actually." - Sapa-AP