Ariana Grande has reportedly turned down the offer of a Damehood from The Queen in a bid to respect the hundreds of fans who were affected by the Manchester Arena bomb attack.
The ‘Thank U, Next’ star was widely praised for her response to the 2017 attack – which saw her returning to Manchester to host a massive charity concert only a fortnight after the initial atrocity had occurred.
However, a source now claims that the singer has “politely” declined the offer of a Damehood as a recognition of her efforts because she believes it’s “too soon.”
Speaking to The Sun, an insider explained: “Ariana was flattered but said it was too soon. She explained she was still grieving. So were scores of families.
“She feared some affected might see it as insensitive. The committee wrote to her but she politely said no.”
Another source explained: “She was deeply moved and honoured. She didn’t decline it as such but explained it was not the right time to accept.”
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The initial concert in June 2017 saw a petition emerging for the singer to receive a Damehood, along with calls from prominent public figures.
Dear Your Majesty, how about a Damehood for @ArianaGrande – in the birthday honors. She has been MAGNIFICENT #OneLoveManchester
— Jon Sopel (@BBCJonSopel) June 4, 2017
“Dear Your Majesty, how about a Damehood for @ArianaGrande – in the birthday honors. She has been MAGNIFICENT”, wrote the BBC’s Jon Sopel on Twitter.
Meanwhile, Grande yesterday announced that she would be cancelling a show in Las Vegas after experiencing unspecified health issues.