The New Year’s Honours list has arrived once more, with King Charles III selecting those to receive prestigious accolades.
Honours, which form part of orders of chivalry, have been bestowed by monarchs since medieval times. In modern Britain, the honours system recognises individuals who have “made achievements in public life” and “committed themselves to serving and helping Britain”.
It celebrates long-standing volunteers, pioneers, business leaders, those demonstrating “moral courage”, individuals making an impact in their community or profession, or people enhancing life for those less fortunate.
Honours are awarded to individuals across diverse fields, including sport, health, science and technology, education, business, and the arts and media. Gallantry awards recognising bravery can also be presented to members of the armed forces and emergency services, as well as civilians.
The UK has five distinct honours, beginning with an MBE, followed by an OBE and a CBE. At the highest levels, recipients can receive a KBE or DBE, designating Knight or Dame Commander, and then a GBE signifying Knight or Dame Grand Cross, with the latter two conferring official knighthood or damehood, reports the Manchester Evening News.
Whilst everyday heroes are acknowledged, those in the entertainment, music and sporting worlds also receive recognition. However, some prominent figures have turned down the honour for various reasons.
Some declined due to personal convictions, whilst others felt the award was undeserved. Below are some of the individuals who have turned down honours from the Royal family :.
The Ziggy Stardust icon was open about his reasons for rejecting a knighthood. He stated: “I would never have any intention of accepting anything like that. I seriously don’t know what it’s for. It’s not what I spent my life working for.”
Regarding Sir Mick Jagger’s acceptance, Bowie remained diplomatic, commenting: “It’s not my place to make a judgment on Jagger – it’s his decision. But it’s just not for me.”
The comedy duo were offered OBEs “for services to comedy drama” back in 2001, but turned them down. Explaining the decision, Saunders later told Source magazine: “If I felt I deserved a damehood I’d accept it. At the time we felt that we were being paid very well to have a lot of fun. It didn’t seem right somehow. We didn’t deserve a pat on the back. It felt a bit fake to stand alongside people who devoted their lives to truly worthy causes.”
The celebrated TV chef gave a similar explanation for declining her OBE in 2001. She remarked: “I’m not saving lives and I’m not doing anything other than something I absolutely love.”
The renowned astrophysicist disclosed in 2008 that he had been offered a knighthood in the 1990s, a higher honour than the CBE he held, but refused it. Whilst the precise reasons remain unclear, it was later suggested that government funding cuts to science may have played a role.
John Lennon Initially, Lennon accepted an MBE, but chose to hand it back in 1969 in protest against Britain’s foreign policy. In his letter, he wrote: “Your Majesty, I am returning this in protest against Britain’s involvement in the Nigeria-Biafra thing, against our support of America in Vietnam, and against Cold Turkey slipping down the charts. With Love, John Lennon of Bag.”
The former Beatle turned down an OBE in 2000, shortly after his fellow Beatles member Paul McCartney received a knighthood. Whilst the exact reasoning remains unclear, some have speculated it was linked to McCartney’s elevation to knighthood.
Harrison’s friend Roy Connolly told the Independent: “Whoever it was who decided to offer him the OBE and not the knighthood was extraordinarily insensitive,” adding: “George would have felt insulted – and with very good reason.”
The iconic poet, who passed away in December 2023 aged 65, was explicit about his reasons for publicly turning down an OBE in 2003. He rejected the honour in protest against British government policies and the legacy of the British Empire.
In a Guardian article, he explained how the word ’empire’ in the title “reminds me of slavery, it reminds of thousands of years of brutality, it reminds me of how my foremothers were raped and my forefathers brutalised”. Zephaniah described himself as “profoundly anti-empire”.
Michael Sheen Screen and stage star Michael Sheen received an OBE in 2009, but returned the honour in 2017 following his research into the historical relationship between England and Wales.
Speaking to the Guardian’s Owen Jones in 2020, he explained: “By the time I had finished writing that lecture…I remember sitting there going: ‘Well, I have a choice – I either don’t give this lecture and hold on to my OBE or I give this lecture and I have to give my OBE back,'”.
The Monty Python legend turned down a CBE in 1996, dismissing it as ‘silly’. Three years later, in 1999, Lib Dem leader Paddy Ashdown put forward his name for a peerage.
However, Cleese declined the offer, as becoming a working peer would have meant spending winters in the UK. He considered this “too much of a price to pay”.
The musical icon graciously turned down a CBE in 2006. A statement from his representative explained: “Paul was surprised and flattered but it wasn’t really for him.”
The celebrated children’s author, beloved for magical stories including ‘Charlie and the Chocolate Factory’ and ‘James and the Giant Peach’, rejected a knighthood in the 1986 New Year’s honours. This emerged through a Telegraph freedom of information request, though his reasons for declining were never made public.
The former chief of Formula One Group, who pleaded guilty to fraud relating to undeclared assets valued at £400 million, also declined an honour in the early 2000s. During a 2019 interview, he clarified that whilst he was gratified to have made a positive contribution, his principal drive in business wasn’t to collect awards, therefore he felt undeserving of the recognition.
The veteran broadcaster who formerly presented Channel 4 News, not the Game of Thrones character. He politely declined an OBE in 2000 and subsequently produced an investigative documentary two years later titled Secrets of the Honours System.
Snow revealed: “I tried to find out why I’d been given it and was unable to get a clear answer or, indeed, to find out who had proposed me,”.
Acclaimed director Ken Loach, renowned for his unflinching films tackling challenging topics including poverty, turned down an OBE in 1977. Speaking to the Radio Times in 2001, he outlined his reasoning.
“It’s all the things I think are despicable: patronage, deferring to the monarchy, and the name of the British Empire, which is a monument of exploitation and conquest,” he said. “I turned down the OBE because it’s not a club you want to join when you look at the villains who’ve got it.”
Fellow director Danny Boyle had a distinct reason for declining his award, which he was offered for his role in the London 2012 Olympics opening ceremony. Explaining his decision, Boyle felt it “was wrong” to accept credit for a collective effort, stating that “it’s not just me” and the ceremony was the result of the hard work and contributions of thousands of people.
“You can make these speeches about: ‘This is everybody’s work, blah blah blah’. And you’ve got to mean it, and I did mean it, and it is true, and it’s the only way you can carry on something like that: through the efforts of all the people. I don’t know whether I’ll ever get invited back to the palace.”
The esteemed painter is believed to have declined more honours than anyone else, including a knighthood, a CBE, and an OBE. His friend Harold Riley revealed that Lowry was a private individual who didn’t want the attention or to alter his name, which factored into his decision to reject the honours.
The Welsh trade unionist and Welsh Labour politician was uneasy with honours and refused a knighthood on at least two occasions in subsequent years. He had previously accepted an MBE before later renouncing it.
The esteemed writer and poet declined a knighthood not once, but twice, in 1899 and again in 1903. His wife revealed that Kipling believed he could “do his work better without it”.
The Order of Merit was also turned down by Kipling in 1921 and again in 1924. He expressed his views on the significance of titles and poetry in his poem, The Last Rhyme of True Thomas.
Before her passing in 2020, the Bond actress was an outspoken supporter of Republic, the campaign advocating for an elected head of state in the UK – so it’s hardly surprising that she declined a CBE in 2002. Blackman didn’t shy away from criticising fellow Bond star Sir Sean Connery for his tax evasion practices, stating in 2012: “I don’t think you should accept a title from a country and then pay absolutely no tax towards it,” and “I don’t think his principles are very high.”
The beloved national figure rejected an OBE in 2002, explaining that he couldn’t reconcile with actors receiving Royal accolades. “I think [honours] ought to go to those who really help others,” he shared in a conversation with the Telegraph.
“Besides I like the idea of actors not being part of the Establishment. We’re vagabonds and rogues.”
Broadbent also voiced his discomfort with the honours’ undertones, revealing: “I don’t think the British Empire is something that I particularly want to celebrate.”
He turned down both a CBE in 1980 and a knighthood twenty years afterwards. The Bourne star criticised the honours system, describing knighthoods as evidence of an ailment that “perpetuates snobbery”.
The Welsh screenwriter renowned for House of Cards and his adaptation of Pride and Prejudice is reported to have rejected an honour, although his reasons have not been made public.
The beloved actor is understood to have turned down a CBE whilst alive. He never revealed his reasoning, and following his passing, there has been a campaign calling for him to receive a posthumous knighthood, though nothing has materialised from this.
Better known as Johnny Rotten, the former Sex Pistols frontman was offered an MBE. Considering the band’s back catalogue, which includes ‘God Save the Queen’, his refusal comes as little shock.
