Apple Design Chief Jonathan Ive Knighted in Buckingham Palace, Says 'Best Work' is Underway Now - MacRumors
Skip to Content

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

apple pro tell logo

Apple Launching Five New Products This Friday

Monday November 2, 2026 1:22 am PST by
Apple is releasing five new products this Friday, November 6, following pre-orders that opened last week, including its first touchscreen MacBook Pro models. The following new products will be available from Friday: iPad mini with OLED display and A20 Pro chip iMac with M6 chip 14-inch MacBook Pro with M6 chip 14-inch MacBook Pro with OLED touchscreen 16-inch MacBook Pro with OLED...
iPhone Duo Display Cracking

Apple Alerts Stores to iPhone Duo's Display Cracking Issue

Friday October 30, 2026 3:20 pm PDT by
In a memo shared with Apple Stores and Apple Authorized Service Providers this week, and later obtained by MacRumors, Apple provided technicians with guidance on how to diagnose and address the iPhone Duo's inner display cracking issue. If a customer reports the issue, Apple advised technicians to inspect the iPhone Duo and repair or replace it in accordance with their standard procedures....
Apple Logo Gradient 16x9 1

Apple Isn't Done With 2026: Here's What's Still Coming

Monday November 2, 2026 7:27 am PST by
Apple's busiest season isn't over yet. Far from it. With two hardware launch dates still to come in November, plus software updates and new smart home accessories running into December, there's more on the way from Apple before the end of 2026, so be sure to stick around. Below, we've rounded up what's still coming, along with one date in particular that's worth watching if you're a holiday...

Top Rated Comments

parish Avatar
189 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
189 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
189 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)
189 months ago
After Steve, he is the most important person for Apple success :)
Score: 24 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Winni Avatar
189 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
189 months ago
Score: 18 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Latest Stories
iPhone Jailbreak Gets Past Lockdown Mode and Survives an Update
iPhone Jailbreak Gets Past Lockdown Mode and Survives an Update
46 minutes ago
iPadOS 27.3 Expands Siri Mode to Camera App
iPadOS 27.3 Expands Siri Mode to Camera App
2 hours ago
Veterans Day Apple Watch Activity Challenge Launches November 11
Veterans Day Apple Watch Activity Challenge Launches November 11
3 hours ago
Best Early Black Friday Mac Deals: Save Hundreds on MacBook Air, Mac Mini, and More
Best Early Black Friday Mac Deals: Save Hundreds on MacBook Air, Mac Mini, and More
3 hours ago
Apple Fitness+ Gets Gym Strength Plans in iOS 27.3
Apple Fitness+ Gets Gym Strength Plans in iOS 27.3
4 hours ago
iOS 27.3 Adding New StandBy Mode Features to iPhone 11 and Newer
iOS 27.3 Adding New StandBy Mode Features to iPhone 11 and Newer
4 hours ago
Apple Releases New AirPods Beta Firmware
Apple Releases New AirPods Beta Firmware
4 hours ago
iOS 27.3 Beta Brings Apple Intelligence to China
iOS 27.3 Beta Brings Apple Intelligence to China
4 hours ago
iPhone Duo Gets Reachability in iOS 27.3 Beta
iPhone Duo Gets Reachability in iOS 27.3 Beta
4 hours ago
Siri AI Gets More Capable in iOS 27.3
Siri AI Gets More Capable in iOS 27.3
4 hours ago
iOS 27.3 Adds Vertical Tabs and Adaptive Dark Mode to Safari
iOS 27.3 Adds Vertical Tabs and Adaptive Dark Mode to Safari
4 hours ago
watchOS 27.3 Brings Live Rewind and Siri Recap to Apple Watch
watchOS 27.3 Brings Live Rewind and Siri Recap to Apple Watch
5 hours ago
iOS 27.3 Beta Brings Back Apple's Redesigned Health App
iOS 27.3 Beta Brings Back Apple's Redesigned Health App
5 hours ago
Apple Releases First macOS Golden Gate 27.3 Beta
Apple Releases First macOS Golden Gate 27.3 Beta
5 hours ago
Apple Seeds First iOS 27.3 Beta
Apple Seeds First iOS 27.3 Beta
5 hours ago
Apple Releases First watchOS 27.3, tvOS 27.3 and visionOS 27.3 Betas
Apple Releases First watchOS 27.3, tvOS 27.3 and visionOS 27.3 Betas
5 hours ago
iPad Mini 8 Reviewer Dissatisfied With Apple's Excuse for Lack of 120Hz Display
iPad Mini 8 Reviewer Dissatisfied With Apple's Excuse for Lack of 120Hz Display
5 hours ago
iPad Mini 8 Review Claims Battery Life is Way Better Than Apple Says
iPad Mini 8 Review Claims Battery Life is Way Better Than Apple Says
6 hours ago
B&H Photo Launches Early Black Friday Sale With Discounts on Macs and Accessories
B&H Photo Launches Early Black Friday Sale With Discounts on Macs and Accessories
6 hours ago
iPhone Duo Could Take Nearly 30% of Foldable Market in 2027
iPhone Duo Could Take Nearly 30% of Foldable Market in 2027
6 hours ago
Apple Watch Automatically Identifies Songs Playing Around You
Apple Watch Automatically Identifies Songs Playing Around You
7 hours ago
iPhone 18 Rumored to Get Larger Battery and Potential Price Increase
iPhone 18 Rumored to Get Larger Battery and Potential Price Increase
7 hours ago
Apple Store in UK Permanently Closing Later This Month
Apple Store in UK Permanently Closing Later This Month
8 hours ago
Apple's Annual R&D Spending Jumps by More Than $11 Billion
Apple's Annual R&D Spending Jumps by More Than $11 Billion
9 hours ago
Will Apple Ever Merge iPadOS and macOS? John Ternus Responds
Will Apple Ever Merge iPadOS and macOS? John Ternus Responds
9 hours ago
MacBook Neo Gets Rare $30 Amazon Discount
MacBook Neo Gets Rare $30 Amazon Discount
9 hours ago
Hands-On: The OLED iPad Mini is Almost an iPad Pro Mini
Hands-On: The OLED iPad Mini is Almost an iPad Pro Mini
9 hours ago
tvOS 27.2.1 and macOS 27.2.1 Likely Coming Soon
tvOS 27.2.1 and macOS 27.2.1 Likely Coming Soon
10 hours ago
MKBHD Switches Back to iPhone 18 Pro After Testing iPhone Duo
MKBHD Switches Back to iPhone 18 Pro After Testing iPhone Duo
10 hours ago
Apple Explores Cheaper Way to Make New MacBook Pro's OLED Tech
Apple Explores Cheaper Way to Make New MacBook Pro's OLED Tech
11 hours ago