Many famous faces wish for the day they receive a royal honor – but there were a number of celebrities who turned down the opportunity when it was presented to them.
The 2023 New Year Honors List has been announced, recognizing the outstanding achievements of our homegrown stars from the world of sport, stage and screen.
However, over the years, many celebrities have actually turned down the chance to receive an honor from the Queen – and now King Charles – and shared their reasons for not wanting to be honored by the British establishment.
From TV chef Nigella Lawson to Skepta and Jon Snow, here's a look at the stars who said “no thanks” when receiving the award – and even some who changed their mind after accepting it and gave their medal to the sent back to Buckingham Palace.
Michael Sheen
The actor said he would be “a hypocrite” if he didn’t hand back his OBE(
Welsh actor Michael Sheen, who was awarded an OBE in 2009, returned it years later. The 51-year-old star received the title at the 2009 New Year's Honors for his contributions to the drama, but told how he gave it back a few years later as he didn't want to be a “hypocrite”.
During an interview with journalist Owen Jones, the Underworld actor said he changed his mind about the award when he started researching Welsh history when he was invited to speak at Learning and Work's annual Raymond Williams Memorial Lecture Institute to speak, organized in collaboration with The Open University in Wales – on 16 November 2017.
Mr Sheen said he meant “absolutely no disrespect” by returning the OBE, adding that he felt “incredibly honored” to have received it at the time. He added: “I just realized that I would be a hypocrite if I said the things I wanted to say in the lecture about the nature of the relationship between Wales and the British state.”
Alan Cumming
Goldeneye actor Alan Cumming said at the time that he was “delighted” to be awarded an OBE, but explained that conversations about the role of the monarchy after the Queen's death last year had opened his eyes.
The Scottish actor received an OBE at the Queen's Birthday celebrations in 2009, recognizing his acting achievements and his work fighting for LGBTQ+ rights in the US. But in January this year, Alan told his fans he had since turned down the honor as he celebrated his 58th birthday online.
“The death of the Queen and the subsequent conversations about the role of the monarchy and in particular the way the British Empire profited at the expense (and death) of indigenous peoples around the world really opened my eyes,” Alan began, as he wrote his lengthy Instagram caption.
“Now I’m plain old Alan Cumming again.”(
“Fourteen years ago I was incredibly grateful to be included in the 2009 Queen's Birthday Honors List, because it was awarded not only for my work as an actor, but also for 'activism for equal rights for the gay and lesbian community in the USA'.” Back Then the “Defense of Marriage Act” ensured that same-sex couples could not marry or enjoy the same basic rights as heterosexual people, and “Don't Ask, Don't Tell” ensured that openly gay, Lesbian or bisexual people were denied entry to military service.”
He added: “Fortunately, times and laws have changed in the US, and the great benefit that the 2009 award brought to the LGBTQ+ cause is now less strong than the concerns I had with the toxicity of the empire Connect (OBE stands for Officer). So I returned my award, explained my reasons, and reiterated my deep gratitude for receiving it in the first place. Now I'm plain old Alan Cumming again. Happy Birthday!”
Nigella Lawson
The celebrity chef turned down the offer of an OBE in 2001, declaring: “I don't save lives or do anything other than something I absolutely love.” At the end of 2020, a Guardian analysis found that the number of people turning down Queen's honors had increased , had more than doubled in the last nine years.
Skepta
Tottenham native Skepta – real name Joseph Junior Adenuga – says he turned down an MBE for the 2017 New Year Honours. He dropped the bomb with his song Hypocrisy.
In the second verse of Hypocrisy, the Mercury Prize-winning grime artist raps: “Just got back from the Ivors/And look at what we've collected/The MBE's been rejected/I'm not trying to be accepted.”
French and Saunders
The comedy duo has no desire to receive a medal from Buckingham Palace (
Dawn French and Jennifer Saunders declined OBEs in 2001 “for services to comedy-drama”. Only later did they explain their reasons for rejecting the offer, with Saunders saying it “didn't feel right” to accept the offer after her own father Robert accepted a CBE for his work as a Royal Air Force pilot.
“If I felt that I deserved the dignity of a lady, I would accept it,” she told Source magazine. “At the time we felt like we were being paid very well to have a lot of fun. That didn't seem right to us somehow. We didn’t deserve a pat on the back, we really dedicated our lives to good causes.”
David Bowie
Bowie himself later explained his decision not to join the list of musical knights, including Sir Mick Jagger, Sir Paul McCartney and Sir Elton John.
He said: “I would never have any intention of accepting something like that. I seriously don't know what it's for. It's not what I've worked for all my life.” When asked if Jagger accepted the honor, he said: “It's not my job to pass judgment on Jagger, it's his decision.” But it is It’s just not for me.”
Bowie was also asked if he was against the monarchy, to which Bowie replied: “I would only have a serious answer to that if I lived in this country.” The singer, who died in 2016, was living in America at the time.
Paul Weller
The jam musician was offered the chance to become Commander of the British Empire at the 2006 birthday party, but turned down his CBE. In a statement, his spokesman said: “Paul was surprised and flattered, but it wasn't really for him.”
John Cleese
The Fawlty Towers actor explained his reasons for his 2018 snub(
The Monty Python star was offered a CBE in 1996 but said they were “silly”. He was offered a peerage in 1999 by Liberal Democrat leader Paddy Ashdown – he declined because he felt that remaining in England during the winter months was “too high a price” to pay for his role as a working peer to fulfill.
In 2018, he explained his reasons for declining the honor, saying: “I said, 'Can I call myself Commander Cleese, like Commander Bond?' And they said, “No.” I said, “What is this British Empire?” Well, there isn't one anymore. So it's not worth it.
George Harrison
The former Beatle turned down an OBE in 2000 – after Paul McCartney was knighted. Each Beatles member received an MBE in 1965, but Lennon returned his.
It is believed he was nominated for his contribution to music, but there was speculation that Harrison may have been insulted because McCartney had been knighted three years earlier. “Whoever decided to offer him an OBE rather than a knighthood was extraordinarily insensitive,” friend Roy Connolly told the Independent. “George would have felt insulted – and with good reason.”
The Beatles with their MBEs in front of Buckingham Palace on October 26, 1965(
Stephen Hawking
In 2008, Hawking said he was approached in the late 1990s with an offer to be knighted but declined. It was later said that this was due to the government's handling of science funding and cuts.
Jon Snow
After turning down an OBE in 2000, Channel 4 News presenter Jon Snow made a documentary in 2002 called Secrets of the Honors System.
He remains critical of the use of “Empire” in our honor system. “I tried to figure out why I got it but couldn't get a clear answer or figure out who suggested me,” he said afterwards.
The broadcaster is not a fan of the British honor system(
Danny Boyle
Danny Boyle, director and man behind the opening ceremony of the London 2012 Olympics, turned down an honor because he thought it was “wrong”.
“That’s just not me,” he said. He added that thousands were involved in conducting the ceremony. “You can give these speeches about, 'It's everyone's business, blah blah blah,'” he said. “And you have to mean it, and I meant it, and it's true, and that's the only way.” To continue something like that: through the efforts of all people. I don’t know if I’ll ever be invited to the palace again.”
John Lennon
All four members of the legendary band, Paul McCartney, John Lennon, George Harrison and Ringo Starr, received an MBE in 1965. They were nominated by then Prime Minister Harold Wilson, but controversy arose as the award was mainly given to military veterans and heads of state at the time.
Some conservative MBE recipients even returned their badges because they felt that awarding it to a mere “pop group” trivialized the honor. In response, John said, “They got them because they killed people. We got them to entertain. I would say we deserve ours more.”
Lennon famously sent back his MBE in protest at British involvement in the Nigerian Civil War in 1966. Along with the medal, he sent a note to the Queen that read: “Your Majesty, I am sending this back in protest against Britain's involvement in the Nigerian Civil War, the Biafra cause, against our support of America in Vietnam, and against the slide into Cold Turkey.” in the charts. With love, John Lennon from Bag.”
His MBE medal remained in the vault of the Chancery Department of the Royal Household, but his title continued until his tragic death in 1980.
Other famous faces who turned down birthday honors
- CS Lewis, writer (d. 1963), declined CBE in 1952
- Graham Greene, writer (d. 1991), declined CBE in 1956
- JB Priestley, writer (d. 1984), declined the peerage in 1965 and became a Companion of Honor in 1969
- Francis Bacon, artist (d. 1992), declined CBE in 1960
- Robert Graves, poet (d. 1985), declined CBE in 1957 and CH in 1984
- CS Forester, writer (d. 1966), declined a CBE in 1953
- Eleanor Farjeon, author (d. 1965), declined OBE in 1959
- John Ireland, composer (d. 1962), declined CBE in 1959
- Major Derek Allhusen, Olympic equestrian medalist (d. 2000), declined the MBE in 1969
- Albert Finney declined a CBE in 1980 and a knighthood in 2000
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