Apple Design Chief Jonathan Ive Knighted in Buckingham Palace, Says 'Best Work' is Underway Now

BBC reports that Apple's design chief Jonathan Ive was knighted today in Buckingham Palace, with Princess Anne performing the honors. Ive's knighthood was announced in December, but the official ceremony was not held until today.

jonathan ive knighted
Ive's knighthood was accompanied by a rare extensive profile and interview with The Telegraph in which he shares details on his background and philosophy.

“All I’ve ever wanted to do is design and make; it’s what I love doing. It’s great if you can find what you love to do. Finding it is one thing but then to be able to practise that and be preoccupied with that is another,” he says. “I’m very aware of an incredible tradition in the UK of designing and making, and so to be recognised in this way is really wonderful.”

The humble Ive, who notably almost always uses "we" rather than "I" in discussion of Apple's design process, emphasizing the team aspect of the industrial design division's work, also discusses the care that Apple takes in designing every single aspect of each product.

“We’re keenly aware that when we develop and make something and bring it to market that it really does speak to a set of values. And what preoccupies us is that sense of care, and what our products will not speak to is a schedule, what our products will not speak to is trying to respond to some corporate or competitive agenda. We’re very genuinely designing the best products that we can for people.”

Asked which of his designs is most important to him and for which he would like to be remembered most, Ive notes that his team's current projects are "the most important and the best work we’ve done" but that he of course can't disclose details on that work.

Popular Stories

M3 iPad Air

Apple's Next Two Products Are Coming Soon

Thursday February 12, 2026 11:17 am PST by
Apple plans to release an iPhone 17e and an iPad Air with an M4 chip "in the coming weeks," according to the latest word from Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. "Apple retail employees say that inventory of the iPhone 16e has basically dried out and the iPad Air is seeing shortages as well," said Gurman. "I've been expecting new versions of both (iPhone 17e and M4 iPad Air) in the coming weeks."...
Apple Sales Coach App

Apple Launching New 'Sales Coach' App

Friday February 13, 2026 2:01 pm PST by
Apple plans to launch a rebranded "Sales Coach" app on the iPhone and iPad later this month, according to a source familiar with the matter. "Sales Coach" will arrive as an update to Apple's existing "SEED" app, and it will continue to provide sales tips and training resources to Apple Store and Apple Authorized Reseller employees around the world. For example, there are articles and videos...
Coffee Burgundy and Purple iPhone 18 Pro Mock

Five iPhone 18 Pro Features Revealed in New Report

Friday February 13, 2026 8:43 am PST by
While the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max are still seven months away, an analyst has revealed five new features the devices will allegedly have. Rumored color options for the iPhone 18 Pro models In a research note with investment firm GF Securities on Thursday, analyst Jeff Pu outlined the following upgrades for the iPhone 18 Pro models: Smaller Dynamic Island: It has been rumored...
iOS 26 Home Feature

Three New Apple Home Products Rumored for 2026

Friday February 13, 2026 4:18 pm PST by
Apple has a long list of new products rumored for 2026, including a series of home products that will see the company establishing more of a presence in the smart home space. Robots are on the horizon for 2027, but the 2026 releases will be a little tamer. HomePod mini We're expecting a new HomePod mini 2 to launch at any time. Apple isn't going to update the device's design, but we could...
m5 macbook pro deal

Why You Shouldn't Buy the Next MacBook Pro

Tuesday February 10, 2026 4:27 pm PST by
Apple is planning to launch new MacBook Pro models as soon as early March, but if you can, this is one generation you should skip because there's something much better in the works. We're waiting on 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models with M5 Pro and M5 Max chips, with few changes other than the processor upgrade. There won't be any tweaks to the design or the display, but later this...

Top Rated Comments

parish Avatar
179 months ago
I thought the Queen knighted people?

She does, but she's currently camped outside the Covent Garden Apple Store waiting for the new MBPs to be released :p
Score: 82 Votes (Like | Disagree)
tigres Avatar
179 months ago
I find this to be the most interesting quote of the article.

From The Telegraph (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/apple/9283486/Jonathan-Ive-interview-Apples-design-genius-is-British-to-the-core.html)
"Ive has achieved an awful lot and still has a long career ahead of him. Even so, a knighthood is a good time to take stock. If he was to be remembered for just one of his Apple designs, I ask, which one would he pick?

There is the long pause. “It’s a really tough one. A lot does seem to come back to the fact that what we’re working on now feels like the most important and the best work we’ve done, and so it would be what we’re working on right now, which of course I can’t tell you about.”
Score: 33 Votes (Like | Disagree)
QCassidy352 Avatar
179 months ago
Is it just me or does he look like the chubby boy from Willy Wonka in that picture? An older version...

It's just you.
Score: 28 Votes (Like | Disagree)
179 months ago
After Steve, he is the most important person for Apple success :)
Score: 24 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Winni Avatar
179 months ago
I find this to be the most interesting quote of the article.

From The Telegraph (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/apple/9283486/Jonathan-Ive-interview-Apples-design-genius-is-British-to-the-core.html)
"Ive has achieved an awful lot and still has a long career ahead of him. Even so, a knighthood is a good time to take stock. If he was to be remembered for just one of his Apple designs, I ask, which one would he pick?

There is the long pause. “It’s a really tough one. A lot does seem to come back to the fact that what we’re working on now feels like the most important and the best work we’ve done, and so it would be what we’re working on right now, which of course I can’t tell you about.”

Creative persons will ALWAYS say that what they're working on right at that moment is the best work they've ever done.

----------

Didn't Tim Cook mention that 2012 was going to be a big year?

Did any CEO of any company ever say that the current year was not going to be a big year for the company?

----------


Congrats to Jony.

This. He's doing awesome work and deserves all the credit for it - including this well earned knighthood.
Score: 20 Votes (Like | Disagree)
MonkeySee.... Avatar
179 months ago
Score: 18 Votes (Like | Disagree)