Celebrities who have snubbed NY Honours and those that have handed them back
Many famous faces wish for the day they receive a royal honour - but there have been a number of celebrities who have declined the opportunity when presented with it.
The New Year’s Honours List 2023 has been announced, and it recognises the outstanding achievements of our homegrown stars from the world of sport, stage and screen recognised.
However, over the years many celebs have actually turned down the chance to receive an honour from the Queen - and now King Charles - and shared their reasons why for not wanting to be honoured by the British establishment.
From TV chef Nigella Lawson to Skepta and Jon Snow, here is a look at the stars who said 'no thank-you' when awarded the accolade - and even some who changed their mind after accepting and sent their medal back to Buckingham Palace.
Michael Sheen
The actor said he would be 'a hypocrite' if he didn't return his OBE (Getty Images)Welsh actor Michael Sheen, who was awarded an OBE back in 2009, handed it back years later. The star, 51, was given the title in the 2009 New Year's Honours for his services to drama, but has told how he gave it back a few years after as he did not want to be a "hypocrite".
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During an interview with journalist Owen Jones, the Underworld actor told that he changed his mind about the accolade when he began researching Welsh history when he was invited to speak at the Learning and Work Institute’s Annual Raymond Williams Memorial Lecture - which was organised in partnership with The Open University in Wales - on November 16, 2017.
Mr Sheen said he meant "absolutely no disrespect" in returning the OBE, and added he was at the time "incredibly honoured" to have received it. He added: "I just realised I'd be a hypocrite if I said the things I was going 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 following Queen's death last year, his eyes were opened by conversations about the role of the monarchy.
The Scottish actor made an OBE in 2009 as part of the Queen's birthday honours, being recognised for acting, as well as the work he does to campaign for LGBTQ+ rights in the US. But in January this year, Alan told his fans he had since rejected the honour as he celebrated his 58th birthday online.
"The Queen's death and the ensuing conversations about the role of monarchy and especially the way the British Empire profited at the expense (and death) of indigenous peoples across the world really opened my eyes," Alan began when penning his lengthy Instagram caption.
'I'm now back to being plain old Alan Cumming again' (Nils Jorgensen / Rex Features)"Fourteen years ago, I was incredibly grateful to receive it in the 2009 Queen's birthday honours list, for it was awarded not just for my job as an actor but 'for activism for equal rights for the gay and lesbian community, USA'. Back then the Defence of Marriage Act ensured that same-sex couples couldn't get married or enjoy the same basic legal rights as straight people, and Don't Ask, Don't Tell ensured that openly gay, lesbian or bisexual people were barred from serving in the military."
He added: "Thankfully, times and laws in the US have changed, and the great good the award brought to the LGBTQ+ cause back in 2009 is now less potent than the misgivings I have being associated with the toxicity of empire (OBE stands for Officer of the British Empire). So, I returned my award, explained my reasons and reiterated my great gratitude for being given it in the first place. I'm now back to being plain old Alan Cumming again. Happy birthday to me!"
Nigella Lawson
The celebrity chef turned down the offer of an OBE in 2001, explaining: “I’m not saving lives and I’m not doing anything other than something I absolutely love.” At the close of 2020, Guardian analysis revealed the number of people turning down honours from the Queen had more than doubled over the previous nine years.
Skepta
Tottenham native Skepta - real name Joseph Junior Adenuga - says he had turned down an MBE for the 2017 New Year's Honours. He dropped the bombshell on his song Hypocrisy.
In the second verse of Hypocrisy, the Mercury Prize winning grime artist raps: “Just came back from the Ivors/ And look at what we collected/ The MBE got rejected/I'm not trying to be accepted.”
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French and Saunders
The comedy duo don't fancy receiving a medal from Buckingham Palace (FILE)Dawn French and Jennifer Saunders turned down OBEs "for services to comedy drama" in 2001. It was only later they explained their reasons for rejecting the offer, with Saunders saying it "didn't feel right" to accept after her own father Robert received a CBE for his work as a Royal Air Force pilot.
“If I felt I deserved a Damehood I’d accept it,” she told Source magazine. "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.”
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 anything like that. I seriously don’t know what it’s for. It’s not what I spent my life working for.” When asked about Jagger accepting the honour, he said: “It’s not my place to make a judgment on Jagger, it’s his decision. But it’s just not for me.”
Bowie was also asked if he was anti-monarchy, to which Bowie replied: “I’d only have a serious answer to that if I was living in this country.” The late singer, who died in 2016, had been living in America at the time.
Paul Weller
The Jam musician was offered a chance to become Commander of the British Empire during the 2006 birthday honours but rejected his CBE. In a statement, his spokesperson said: “Paul was surprised and flattered, but it wasn’t really for him.”
John Cleese
The Fawlty Towers actor explained his reasons for his snub in 2018 (NurPhoto via Getty Images)The Monty Python star was offered a CBE in 1996 but said they were "silly". He was offered a peerage by Lib Dem leader Paddy Ashdown in 1999 - he declined because he felt staying in England during the winter months to fulfil his role as a working peer was "too much of a price to pay".
In 2018, explained his reasons for turning down the honour, saying: ""I said, 'Can I call myself Commander Cleese, like Commander Bond?' And they said, 'No'. I said, 'Well what is this British Empire?'. Well there isn't one any more. So that is not worth it."
George Harrison
The former Beatle turned an OBE down in 2000 - after Paul McCartney was awarded a knighthood. Every Beatles member was awarded an MBE in 1965, though Lennon returned his.
It's thought he was put forward for his contribution to music, but there was speculation that Harrison would have been insulted that McCartney got his knighthood three years before. “Whoever it was who decided to offer him the OBE and not the knighthood was extraordinarily insensitive,” friend Roy Connolly told the Independent. “George would have felt insulted – and with very good reason.”
The Beatles outside Buckingham Palace with their MBEs on October 26, 1965 (Getty)Stephen Hawking
In 2008 Hawking said he had been approached with an offer of a knighthood in the late 1990s, but had turned it down. It was later said it was down to the government's dealing with science funding and cuts.
Jon Snow
Having declined an OBE in 2000, Channel 4 News presenter Jon Snow went on to make a documentary in 2002 entitled ‘Secrets of the Honours System’.
He remains critical of the use of ‘Empire’ in our honours system. “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," he said afterwards.
The broadcaster isn't a fan of the British honours system (Channel 4)Danny Boyle
Danny Boyle, director and man behind the London 2012 Olympics opening ceremony, turned down an honour because he thought it was "was wrong".
"It's just not me", he said. He added thousands were involved in executing the ceremony. “You can make these speeches about ‘this is everybody’s work, blah blah blah’," he said. “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.”
John Lennon
All four members of the legendary band, Paul McCartney, John Lennon, George Harrison and Ringo Starr, were awarded an MBE in 1965. They were nominated by then Prime Minister Harold Wilson, but controversy erupted due to the honour primarily being bestowed on military veterans and civic leaders at the time.
Some Conservative MBE recipients even returned their insignia because they believed awarding it to a mere 'pop group' trivialised the honour. In response, John said: "They got them for killing people. We got ours for entertaining. I’d say we deserve ours more."
Lennon famously sent his MBE back in protest at British involvement in the Nigerian civil war in 1966. Along with the medal, he sent The Queen a note which read: "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."
His MBE medal remained in the vault of the Chancery Department of the Royal Household, but his title remained until his tragic death in 1980.
Other famous faces who have refused the Birthday Honours
- CS Lewis, writer (d 1963), turned down CBE in 1952
- Graham Greene, writer (d 1991) turned down CBE in 1956
- JB Priestley, writer (d 1984), rejected peerage in 1965 and Companion of Honour in 1969
- Francis Bacon, artist (d 1992) turned down CBE in 1960
- Robert Graves, poet (d 1985) rejected CBE in 1957, and CH 1984
- CS Forester, writer (d 1966) turned down a CBE in 1953
- Eleanor Farjeon, author (d 1965) turned down OBE in 1959
- John Ireland, composer (d 1962), turned down CBE in 1959
- Major Derek Allhusen, Equestrian Olympic medallist (d 2000), turned down MBE in 1969
- Albert Finney turned down a CBE in 1980 and a knighthood in 2000
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