The Prince meets Poirot! David Suchet is finally knighted by William at Windsor Castle investiture ceremony – one month after being forced to miss event due to positive COVID-19 test

• The outing comes after Sir David revealed on Twitter last month that he had tested positive for COVID-19 with a lateral flow test in a now-deleted tweet 
• David is one of Britain’s most beloved actors and is best known for playing the moustachioed detective Hercule Poirot in the TV series Agatha Christie’s Poirot
• His knighthood, announced in October 2020 as part of the Queen’s Birthday Honours list, comes after a career spanning more than 50 years 
• Born in London in 1946, he joined the National Youth Theatre at 16 and later trained at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art (Lamda)

David Suchet was finally knighted at Windsor Castle on Tuesday – after being forced to miss the original event due to a positive COVID-19 test.

The iconic actor, 75, looked dapper as he stepped out with wife Sheila Ferris for his investiture, before he was knighted by Prince William in recognition of his services to drama and charity.

The Poirot star wore a black morning suit and pink patterned tie for the prestigious day, while actress Sheila wowed in a pink jacket, a black top and velvet skirt.

Arise, Sir David! David Suchet was finally knighted at Windsor Castle on Tuesday – after being forced to miss the original event due to a positive COVID-19 test (pictured with Prince William)

Special moments: The iconic actor, 75, looked dapper as he stepped out with wife Sheila Ferris for his investiture

The outing comes after Sir David revealed on Twitter last month that he had tested positive for COVID-19 with a lateral flow test  in a now-deleted tweet.

He revealed he would be taking a PCR test on Wednesday, December 15 – his original investiture date – to confirm the result.

He wrote: ‘I have sad news. I have tested positive for Covid via a lateral flow test this evening. So no investiture for me at Windsor Castle tomorrow. I am getting a PCR test in the morning.’

He later tweeted: ‘So many thanks for all your kind messages about me having COVID and missing my K investiture. Getting a new date soon.

Iconic: The star kneeled as he was knighted while his beloved wife watched on

Legendary: David is one of Britain’s most beloved actors and is best known for playing the moustachioed detective Hercule Poirot in the TV series Agatha Christie’s Poirot (pictured in 2013 in the show)

‘Hi everyone. Thanks so much for your caring messages. My Covid symptoms have been mild. Still isolating til 23rd. Sheila til 25th. We have been fortunate. But still being very cautious. I beg everyone else to be also.’

David is one of Britain’s most beloved actors and is best known for playing the moustachioed detective Hercule Poirot in the TV series Agatha Christie’s Poirot.

Ahead of his original date for receiving his knighthood, Sir David had expressed his excitement after collecting a suit for the event.

In a tweet in December, he wrote: “Well! I have just picked up my morning suit for my Knighthood investiture at Windsor Castle tomorrow!!! I still think I am dreaming!!”

His knighthood, announced in October 2020 as part of the Queen’s Birthday Honours list, comes after a career spanning more than 50 years.

Born in London in 1946, he joined the National Youth Theatre at 16 and later trained at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art (Lamda).

Well deserved: The star looked delighted as he marked his incredible career

Devastating: The outing comes after Sir David revealed on Twitter last month that he had tested positive for COVID-19

He portrayed Sigmund Freud in the BBC mini-series Freud in 1984 before he first appeared as Poirot on ITV in 1989 and received international acclaim, reprising the role for more than 70 episodes until 2013.

His interpretation of the Belgian super-sleuth is considered by many to be the definitive one. In his book, Poirot And Me, he mentions that Sir Peter Ustinov, who also famously played the detective, once told him he would be good at taking on the role.

Sir David was made a CBE in 2011 for services to drama.

Last month  David said he believes he ‘might be too old now’ to play iconic detective Poirot again. 

Suchet ruled out a possible reprisal of the role in a chat on This Morning. 

He said: ‘I have to say, I don’t know because of my age whether I might be too old now. If the silver screen did come along, I might be tempted.’ 

Icon: David is pictured with Halle Berry in 1996 film, Executive Decision

Kenneth Branagh played Poirot in the star-studded 2017 film adaptation of Murder On The Orient Express.   

David was approached to play Poirot in the late Eighties, by the trustees of Agatha Christie’s estate – her daughter Rosalind and son-in-law Anthony Hicks. 

They had watched him as Sigmund Freud in a TV mini-series, as the blackmailing gardener Blott in a Tom Sharpe comedy, and in the Poirot movie Thirteen At Dinner – playing Inspector Japp, opposite Peter Ustinov’s Poirot.     

The star also revealed how he was never offered a long-term contract to play the role, saying: ‘It was a six-month offer of ten Poirot short stories. We filmed those in 1988 and that was the end of my contract.   

‘After that I thought I was going to finish. A lot of people are surprised about this, I never had a running contract over those 25 years. 

‘I never knew when I was going to come back. It always depended on audience figures and advertising and money. 

‘In retrospect, I’m grateful for it because it allowed me to go into the theatre and play many wonderful roles which I probably wouldn’t have been able to on a 25-year contract on television.

‘Taking over the role wasn’t the problem, it was the nature of the role. I found myself introduced to a little man I’d never seen played before on screen. I played the role as Dame Agatha Christie wrote it.’

Star: David is seen with Geraldine James in 1998’s Seesaw

Actor: David played Dr Fagan in 2017’s Decline and Fall alongside Jack Whitehall

The Oppenheimer star said he now prioritises time with loved ones over acting, due to reaching ‘a certain age.’  

He said: ‘I don’t know what parts there are available for me at the moment. I’m talking a lot of time out and spending much more time with my family now that I’ve reached a certain age. I’m not sure I’m ready for a long West End run anymore.’

His last film role was in 2018’s Dinner with Edward and his most recent TV role was in 2019’s His Dark Material’s as the voice of Kaisa.

Suchet has now begun his one-man show, David Suchet – Poirot And More, A Retrospective, at London’s Harold Pinter Theatre – which will run until January 22.     

He said: ‘It’s been a terrible time and people have missed coming to the theatre and I want to welcome them back, not to a serious play but to a fun evening.

Discussing his initial career prospects before entering the world of drama, he said: ‘I wanted to be a doctor. My father was a surgeon and I realised I didn’t have the science knowledge for that. 

 ‘Then I wanted to be a documentary filmmaker. I was in the National Youth Theatre at the time and something happened that made me want to spend the rest of my life at that.’

 Last year, David revealed that filming Poirot’s death for his final episode in 2013 was one of the most emotional days of his life. 

Speaking to Radio Times he said: ‘My saddest day as an actor was filming Poirot’s death. I miss him in my life because… I’ve lost my best friend.’  

The actor revealed that the final farewell to his longterm character was so painful that he specifically requested the detective’s death was not the last scene he shot. 

David explained: ‘As a human being, losing your real family is always painful, but my saddest day as an actor was filming Poirot’s death.

 ‘I miss him in my life because he was my life for 25 years and I’ve lost my best friend.’

Headhunted: David was approached to play Poirot in the late Eighties, by the trustees of Agatha Christie’s estate – her daughter Rosalind and son-in-law Anthony Hicks (pictured 2010 in The Clocks)

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