{"id":7867,"date":"2025-12-29T22:36:34","date_gmt":"2025-12-29T22:36:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/microvibenews.com\/?p=7867"},"modified":"2025-12-29T22:36:34","modified_gmt":"2025-12-29T22:36:34","slug":"how-does-the-uk-honours-system-work","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/microvibenews.com\/?p=7867","title":{"rendered":"How does the UK honours system work?"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Strictly Come Dancing presenter Claudia Winkleman received her OBE from King Charles at Windsor Castle <\/figcaption><\/p>\n<\/figure>\n
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Most UK honours are awarded on the monarch’s official birthday in June and at the new year. <\/p>\n

They celebrate the contribution of well-known personalities, government employees and ordinary people who have served their community.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Which celebrities were recognised in the 2026 New Year honours and 2025 King’s Birthday Honours?<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n
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Actor Idris Elba was awarded a knighthood<\/a> for his charity work with young people in the 2026 New Year Honours, while Olympic gold medal-winning ice skaters Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean were made a dame and a knight respectively.<\/p>\n

In football, England’s lionesses were recognised after winning consecutive UEFA Women’s Championships, with an honorary damehood for coach Sabrina Wiegman – a Dutch national – while captain Leah Williamson was appointed CBE. Ella Toone, Keira Walsh, Alex Greenwood and Georgia Stanway also received honours.<\/p>\n

Comedian, actress and writer Meera Syal was made a dame, while Wicked star Cynthia Erivo was appointed MBE.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Idris Elba, pictured at an event for the King’s Trust in 2024, was made a knight in the New Year Honours<\/figcaption><\/p>\n<\/figure>\n
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The 2025 King’s Birthday Honours<\/a> in June, knighthoods went to former England football captain David Beckham, actor Gary Oldman and musician Roger Daltrey, while author Pat Barker and singer Elaine Page were made dames.<\/p>\n

Strictly Come Dancing presenters Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman<\/a> were appointed OBEs, while reality TV personality Georgia Harrison became an MBE for her work on online privacy.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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King Charles knighted Sir David Beckham at Windsor Castle, as his wife Victoria and parents Ted and Sandra Beckham looked on<\/figcaption><\/p>\n<\/figure>\n

What other types of UK honours are given?<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n
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Dissolution honours<\/b> are typically given to politicians when Parliament ends before a general election. <\/p>\n

Outgoing prime ministers can also award resignation honours<\/b>. <\/p>\n

Former Prime Minister Rishi Sunak named 36 people in his resignation honours list<\/a> – most of whom were high-profile former Conservative ministers, and advisors. <\/p>\n

Boris Johnson and Liz Truss both issued resignation honours when they left office in 2022.<\/p>\n

Johnson’s controversial list<\/a> initially contained eight names rejected by the body which approves appointments to the House of Lords. <\/p>\n

Truss was widely criticised<\/a> for submitting an honours list after only 49 days in the job.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

How are people chosen for honours?<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n
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The New Year<\/b> and King’s Birthday honours<\/b> are awarded by the King following recommendations by the prime minister or senior government ministers.<\/p>\n

Members of the public can also recommend people for an award<\/a>. These nominations typically make up about a quarter of all recommendations.<\/p>\n

Honours’ lists include awards for people who:<\/p>\n