Just weeks before his 75th birthday, comedy legend Billy Connolly finally receives the knighthood he deserves after a long and successful career on stage and in cinema. While he lamented that certain members of his family were not alive to witness the achievement, he couldn't be happier.

Billy Connolly at the National TV AwardsBilly Connolly at the National TV Awards

The Scottish comedian received his knighthood for services to Entertainment and Charity from the Duke of Cambridge at Buckingham Palace this week, as announced in the 2017 Queen's Birthday Honours list back in June. His only regret is that his older sister Florence had passed too late to see it.

'I am a little embarrassed but deep within me, I'm very pleased to have it', he told the BBC. 'I wish my sister was here. My sister Flo died last year and she would have loved that, and my parents are both dead, so I wish they were here to see it.'

On the other hand, Billy isn't so sure his new title quite has the right ring to it. 'I feel as if I should be called Lancelot or something', he mused. 'Sir Lancelot, that would be nice. Sir Billy doesn't quite have the same ring.'

A Knight of the Round Table he is not, but he has had roles in films the likes of 'The Last Samurai', 'The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies', 'A Series of Unfortunate Events', 'Brave' and 'What We Did on Our Holiday'. In 2012 he won an Outstanding Achievement Award at the BAFTAs, while nine years previously he landed the BAFTA for Lifetime Achievement.

More: Billy Connolly announced to be knighted

His knighthood, meanwhile, comes fifteen years after he was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in 2003. Among his most recent television ventures are the documentaries 'Billy Connolly's Tracks Across America', 'Dying Laughing' and 'Billy Connolly: High Horse Tour Live'.