Queen Elizabeth to knight Captain Tom, the 100-year-old vet who raised millions for COVID-19 relief by walking in his garden
The veteran known as Captain Tom who raised tens of millions of dollars for the British National Health Service during the coronavirus pandemic will receive a knighthood from Queen Elizabeth.
Captain Sir Thomas Moore will receive the honor during an investiture ceremony on Friday at Windsor Castle.
The investiture will be the first that the 94-year-old queen has taken part in since she began following strict stay-at-home orders in March during the pandemic.
Moore issued a tweet about the honor, writing, "I could never have imagined this would happen to me. It is such a huge honour and I am very much looking forward to meeting Her Majesty The Queen. It is going to be the most special of days for me."
The 100-year-old veteran ended his tweet with the hashtag #FridayWillBeAGoodDay.
Moore gained international fame in April when he raised over $37 million for front-line National Health Service workers in the U.K.
Moore originally aimed to raise $1,000 for charity by walking laps in his garden while under lockdown in Buckinghamshire, England. He hoped to complete 100 laps before he turned 100 in late April.
Moore's online campaign exploded and by the time he reached his 100th birthday on April 30, the World War II veteran had raised tens of millions of dollars.
Moore also received a promotion from Queen Elizabeth to the rank of colonel and a special flyover to commemorate his achievements.
U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson issued a special statement to thank Captain Tom and wish him a happy birthday.
"Your heroic efforts have lifted the spirits of the entire nation," Johnson said. "You've created a channel to enable millions to say a heartfelt thank you to the remarkable men and women in our NHS."
ABC News' Guy Davies and Julia MacFarlane contributed to this report.
