Several famous faces have turned down the prestigious accolades
John Lennon, with wife Yoko Ono, sends his MBE back to The Queen in November 1969(Image: Mirrorpix)
Being recognised on the New Year’s Honours list or receiving a nod for the Monarch’s Birthday Honours is considered a great privilege by many. However, there are those in the spotlight who have refused the accolade, with some stars choosing to decline and others returning their awards later.
These prestigious honours are given to individuals like local heroes, charity advocates, and various professionals as a thank you for their contributions to the nation. The honours typically reflect immense gratitude towards those who’ve dedicated themselves extensively in their respective areas.
Still, not everyone has welcomed this royal recognition, with a number candidly saying “no thank you.” A plethora of notable personalities and intellectuals have spurned these honours due to political views or personal beliefs of being unworthy of such distinctions. Below is a rundown of some well-known figures who have passed up the opportunity for Royal commendation.
George Harrison
George Harrison(Image: Mark and Colleen Hayward/Redferns)
The former Beatle rejected an OBE in 2000. It is believed George turned down the award because his former bandmate Paul McCartney had been knighted earlier in 1997 and he hadn’t previously made the cut.
Friend Ray Connolly, who knew The Beatles well, said: “Whoever it was who decided to offer him the OBE and not the knighthood was extraordinarily insensitive. George would have felt insulted – and with very good reason.”
French and Saunders
Dawn French and Jennifer Saunders(Image: BBC/Gary Moyes)
Dawn French and Jennifer Saunders turned down OBEs “for services to comedy drama” in 2001. It was only later they explained. Saunders 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.”
John Lennon
John Lennon with his wife, Yoko Ono(Image: Getty Images)
Every Beatles member was awarded an MBE in 1965. But John Lennon famously returned his four years later in 1969. After accepting the honour as a band, when he left the group in September 1969 he confessed he felt uneasy about accepting the honour in case it appeared he endorsed the establishment.
Writing in a letter to the Queen he said: “I am returning my MBE as a 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.”
Nigella Lawson
Nigella Lawson(Image: BBC/Jay Brookes)
The celeb chef turned down the offer of an OBE in 2001. She explained: “I’m not saving lives and I’m not doing anything other than something I absolutely love.”
Howard Gayle
Howard Gayle(Image: Colin Lane/Liverpool Echo)
Liverpool FC’s first black player has been very outspoken about his reasons for turning down an MBE in 2016. Howard Gayle, form Toxteth, wrote a column in The Guardian explaining his reasons for refusing the honour.
He said: “I said no. I didn’t even have to think about it because I have always had a very keen sense of Africa and colonialism. The fact is that I felt it would be a slap in the face for so many to be part of that British empire process. When you look at what the empire did to my family and our ancestors, it just doesn’t bear credence.
“I would always have felt uncomfortable writing those letters after my name. I am British, I was born here and my children were born here. There is no argument to be had about my patriotism. But the empire is something that oppressed black people.”
David Bowie
David Bowie(Image: Getty Images North America)
Bowie himself 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 judgement on Jagger, it’s his decision. But it’s just not for me.”
Michael Sheen
Michael Sheen(Image: Adam Gerrard / Daily Mirror)
Welsh actor Michael Sheen, who was awarded an OBE back in 2009, shared that years after he was given the accolade he handed it back. The star, 51, was given the title in the 2009 New Year’s Honours for his services to drama, but has now 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 said: “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.”
Glenda Jackson
Glenda Jackson(Image: PA)
Former politician and Oscar-winning actress Glenda Jackson, who sadly passed away in 2023, accepted a CBE in 1978 but reportedly turned down a Damehood. In an interview with the Evening Standard Glenda, from Birkenhead, said: “‘I’d only want to be a dame if it was in panto.”
During her acting career Glenda achieved the acting ‘Triple Crown’ – winning two academy awards for Best Actress, two Emmy awards and the Tony Award for Best Actress.
George Melly
George Melly(Image: Colin Lane/Liverpool Echo)
Liverpool-born George Melly rejected a CBE in 2001. The musician, writer, critic, artist and raconteur was a life-long anti-establishment figure and seemed unlikely to accept an honour.
In 2003 CNN suggested the timing of Melly’s award was potentially revealing, saying: “Although the honors are bestowed by the Queen, they are usually recommended by the Prime Minister of the day and many of the ‘refuseniks’ are making protests against government policy.
“More than 40 people have refused to accept honors from current PM Tony Blair. Novelist JG Ballard, James Bond leading lady Honor Blackman and jazz musician George Melly have all turned down honours under Blair.”
Bill Nighy
Bill Nighy(Image: WireImage)
Despite being born in Caterham, actor Bill Nighy started his career in the Everyman Theatre in Liverpool. During his time at the Everyman he worked alongside fellow actors Julie Walters and Pete Postlethwaite, and writers Ken Campbell and Willy Russell.
After making a name for himself in Merseyside, he moved on to make his London debut with the Royal National Theatre in 1977. However he is among many other actors who turned down a British Honour including Jim Broadbent, Alan Rickman.
Jon Snow
Jon Snow(Image: Getty Images)
Former Liverpool University student Jon Snow declined an OBE in 2000 and the Channel 4 News presenter went on to make a documentary in 2002 entitled Secrets of the Honours System. He remains critical of the use of the term ‘Empire’ in our honours system.
He said afterwards: “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.”