Celebrities who've snubbed royalty as Birthday Honours list is announced
Being honoured by the Royal Family is a privilege few can describe, but there have been plenty who have turned it down - or even handed back the gong at a later date.
Tonight the King's Birthday Honours List 2023 has been announced, which recognises the outstanding achievements of our homegrown stars.
Footballer Ian Wright, fashion editor Dame Anna Wintour and author Ian McEwan are among the celebrities recognised in this year's list.
But as exceptional stars and extraordinary people are named, we've taken a look at the famous faces who declined the opportunity when they were presented with it by the late Queen in the years gone by.
From TV chef Nigella Lawson to Skepta and Jon Snow, here are the stars who said 'no thank-you' when awarded the accolade...
Inside De Vries' long road to F1 including pressure after Hamilton example set
Michael Sheen
Michael Sheen, who was awarded an OBE back in 2009, recently shared that years after he was given the accolade he handed it back (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".
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."
Nigella Lawson
Nigella Lawson declined the honour (BBC/Jay Brookes)The celeb 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."
Skepta
Skepta sang about declining an MBE (Getty)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 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."
Wolff urged to help "weaker child" in Hamilton vs Russell Mercedes F1 battle
French and Saunders
Dawn French and Jennifer Saunders turned down the honour in 2001 (Getty Images Europe)Dawn French and Jennifer Saunders turned down OBEs "for services to comedy drama" in 2001. It was only later they explained. Saunders said: "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
David Bowie declined the titleBowie 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."
Paul Weller
Paul Weller rejected his honour (Getty)The musician rejected his CBE in 2006. In a statement, his spokesperson said: "Paul was surprised and flattered, but it wasn't really for him."
John Cleese
John Cleese said it was "silly" for him to get the title in 1996 (PA)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".
George Harrison
Former Beatle George Harrison turned an OBE down in 2000 (PA)The former Beatle turned an OBE down in 2000 - after Paul McCartnery 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."
Stephen Hawking
In 2008 Stephen Hawking said he had been approached with an offer of a knighthood in the late 1990s, but had turned it down (Getty Images)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
Journalist Jon Snow declined an OBE in 2000 (SWNS)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.
Danny Boyle
Danny Boyle thought it "was wrong" for him to get an honour (SIPA USA/PA Images)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."
Roald Dahl
Roald Dahl rejected an OBE in 1986 (SWNS - Scotland +44 (0)117906655)Charlie and the Chocolate Factory author Roald Dahl rejected an OBE in the 1986 New Year's Honours.
John Lennon
John Lennon famously sent his MBE back in protest at British involvement in the Nigerian civil war in 1966 (Getty)John Lennon famously sent his MBE back in protest at British involvement in the Nigerian civil war in 1966.
He included a note to the Queen saying: "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."
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
Read more similar news:
Comments:
comments powered by Disqus
