Sir Brian May has paid a heartfelt tribute to his wife, Anita Dobson, following the announcement that she has been awarded an OBE in the King’s Birthday Honours list.
The Queen guitarist took to Instagram to express his pride and admiration for Dobson, who received the honour not only for her iconic acting career but also for her long-standing philanthropic work.
In a short but emotional message to his followers, May wrote: “Anita, Lady May OBE !!! Some recognition, so well-deserved, for my amazing missus – who never even pauses in her missions to bring smiles into people’s lives. Very proud! Bri.”
Dobson, now 76, is best known for her unforgettable role as Angie Watts in EastEnders, a character that left a lasting impression on British television history.
Fans quickly took to the comments to echo May’s heartfelt praise, with one writing: “WOW, how cool is that?!!! I’m so happy for you two! Congratulations!!”
A second added: “Congratulations to your wonderful lady wife Anita, this was long overdue, love her.”
A third wrote: “What wonderful news – I’m so happy for her! And happy for you too of course,” while a fourth said: “Congratulations to Lady May. So well deserved.”
The honour comes during a challenging time for the couple, as May continues to recover from a serious health scare.
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Last September, the legendary guitarist revealed he had suffered a “minor stroke,” an event that left him temporarily unable to control his arm – a frightening experience for the musician.
At the time, May shared candidly with fans: “All of a sudden, out of the blue, I didn’t have any control over this arm, so it was a little scary. I had the most fantastic care and attention from Frimley Hospital; blue lights flashing the lot, very exciting.”
He added: “It was scary. I couldn’t get a fork from the table to my mouth without it all going all over the place. But after only a few days, it’s amazing what you can get back. By sheer willpower, you just start retraining your muscle.”
In a recent appearance on Love Your Weekend with Alan Titchmarsh, Dobson gave an update on May’s progress: “Yeah, he’s good,” she said.
“He’s good and he’s still exercising and taking his tablets. He played at [the] Coachella festival in America and you wouldn’t know he’d been ill. He was top of his game – brilliant.”
May’s surprise performance at Coachella in April alongside rising star Benson Boone marked the star’s first major performance since his health scare.
The couple, who met in 1986 and married in 2000, have long been admired for their strong partnership, both personally and professionally.
During the interview, Dobson also revealed that despite their differing musical roots – “He’s heavy metal and I’m theatre” – they share a love for blues and great songwriting.
“He’s got a collective taste,” she said. “He likes a bit of opera, classical, really heavy metal and everything in between. A good song and a good riff.”