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Lennon's Rejected Royal Medal Found

Cheeky Beatle returned honor to Queen in peace protest

By Rob Quinn, Newser Staff

Posted Jan 6, 2009 4:03 AM CST

(Newser) – The symbol of the royal honor John Lennon didn't want has been found forgotten in a royal vault, the Times of London reports. Lennon was awarded the Member of the British Empire honor in 1965—prompting some others to turn in theirs—but sent it back to the palace in 1969 as a peace protest. Beatles fans hope the plaque can now go to a museum.

"We thought John’s MBE must have been melted down or put in a new box and recycled," said the founder of the Liverpool Beatles Appreciation Society. "John’s decision to return the MBE should be respected, but I also believe that showing it to the public would be appropriate since it would raise awareness of John’s campaign for peace.”

[Images (3)]

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John Lennon. (AP Photo, file)

Beatles Paul McCartney, George Harrison, Ringo Starr and John Lennon, are seen at EMI Studios in London in 1967. (AP Photo)

Beatles fans hope a plaque symbolizing John Lennon's knighthood can be displayed in a museum, but the decision will rest with Yoko Ono. (AP Photo/Joerg Sarbach)

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Your Majesty, I am returning my MBE as a protest against Britain’s involvement in the Nigeria-Biafra thing, against our support of America in Vietnam and against ‘Cold Turkey’ slipping down the charts.
- John Lennon

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Lennon's Rejected Royal Medal Found