(Credit: Matt Dunham/PA)

The Prince of Wales visited “the jewel in the crown of cultural excellence in the UK” to honor Antonio Pappano, Jonas Kaufmann, Debbie Wiseman and Rachel Portman.

Prince Charles, president of the Royal College of Music, handed out awards at a ceremony where Pappano and Kaufmann were made honorary Doctors of Music, while Wiseman and Portman became fellows of the RCM at the annual ceremony in central London.

Pappano told the press, “I never would have thought from taking my grade 1 music exam as a youngster that I’d one day be receiving a doctorate from a world-renowned institution such as the Royal College of Music. Having this honor bestowed on me is humbling, yet brings such joy.”