Sir Sadiq’s knighthood was announced in the New Year Honours list.

The Mayor said his mother, who was in attendance at the Palace, has been “emotional” since the announcement.

“Today’s just a great day for the family,” the Labour politician said.

“Obviously, from my background, being the son of immigrants, my parents coming here from Pakistan, it’s a big deal for us.”

The petition against Sir Sadiq’s knighthood claimed the “once thriving” London is now “divided and stagnant, and all under his watch”.

It added: “We’ve seen Khan continuously deflect responsibility and accountability, blaming everybody but himself. Our beloved city is in an expensive paralysis, consistently interrupted by strikes.”

In December, after the news Sir Sadiq would be knighted, shadow home secretary Chris Philp said Londoners will “rightly be furious his track record of failure is being rewarded”, citing levels of knife crime in London, missed housing targets and soaring council tax.

He added: “By rewarding the failing Sadiq Khan, Keir Starmer has shown once again that for Labour it is Party first, country second.”

Almost a third of knife crime in England and Wales in 2024 was recorded in London.

London rents increased by an average of 32% in five years from 2019 to 2024, according to analysis of 286,939 samples by rental website SpareRoom.

Foreign Secretary David Lammy congratulated Sir Sadiq, saying he was proud the UK was “a place where you can go from being the son of a bus driver” to being a knight of the realm.

Asked what he is proudest of in his time as the Mayor of London, Sir Sadiq said free school meals for primary school children, “cleaning the air and investing in affordable housing”.

Broadcaster and author Sir Loyd Grossman and Labour MP Dame Emily Thornberry were among the other people recognised in the ceremony at Buckingham Palace on Tuesday.