England legend James Anderson has received his knighthood from Princess Anne during a ceremony at Windsor Castle.
The 43-year-old was honoured for services to cricket after being named in former Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s resignation honours list earlier this year.
Anderson, England’s all-time leading wicket-taker, bowed his head as the Princess Royal presented him with the insignia of a Knight Bachelor on Tuesday morning.
Lancashire Cricket posted a photo of the occasion on social media with the caption: ‘Arise, Sir James Anderson! A special day for [Jimmy Anderson] as he received his knighthood from Princess Anne at Windsor Castle. The greatest fast bowler to ever do it.’
The ceremony comes 22 years after Anderson’s international debut and just over a year since he played his final Test for England.
The Burnley-born bowler retired from Test cricket in July 2024, ending an extraordinary career in which he claimed 704 wickets across 188 matches.
That figure makes him the most successful fast bowler in the history of the format and places him third overall behind Muttiah Muralitharan and Shane Warne.
Anderson was also the first seamer in Test history to pass 600 wickets, reaching the landmark against Pakistan at the Ageas Bowl in 2020.
According to reports, he remains in talks with Lancashire over a one-year contract extension that could see him play on into the 2026 season, past his 44th birthday.
The right-armer has continued training with the county and remains a mentor for younger bowlers, offering guidance and technical advice at Old Trafford.
His longevity and precision with the ball have long defined his reputation, with Anderson’s ability to move the ball both ways regarded as unmatched among modern fast bowlers.
He made his Test debut against Zimbabwe at Lord’s in May 2003, taking five wickets in his first appearance, before establishing himself as a mainstay of England’s attack.
Anderson formed one of cricket’s great partnerships with Stuart Broad, the pair combining for more than 1,200 Test wickets before Broad’s retirement in 2023.
The pair spearheaded England to four Ashes victories, including the memorable 2005 and 2015 series wins, as well as landmark triumphs in India, South Africa and Australia.
Anderson also played 194 one-day internationals and 19 T20 matches for England before focusing exclusively on the Test format from 2015.
He has spent his entire domestic career with Lancashire, making more than 200 appearances for his home county since his debut in 2002.
