Kings Birthday Honours: How does the UK honours system work?

Former England football captain David Beckham, actor Gary Oldman, and musician Roger Daltrey have all been honored with knighthoods in the King’s Birthday Honours. These honors recognize the contributions of well-known personalities, government employees, and ordinary individuals who have made a positive impact on their communities.

The UK Honours are typically awarded on the monarch’s official birthday in June and at the start of the new year. The 2025 Birthday Honours list included Dames for author Pat Barker and singer Elaine Page, as well as OBEs for Strictly Come Dancing presenters Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman. Additionally, reality TV personality Georgia Harrison received an MBE for her work in online privacy advocacy.

Former Prime Minister Rishi Sunak recently released a list of 36 individuals in his resignation honours, which mainly consisted of high-profile former Conservative ministers and advisors. Both Boris Johnson and Liz Truss issued resignation honours when they stepped down from office in 2022. Johnson’s honours list initially faced controversy, while Truss was criticized for recommending honors after only being in office for 49 days.

The New Year and King’s Birthday Honours are chosen by the King based on recommendations from the prime minister or senior government officials. Members of the public also have the opportunity to nominate individuals for awards, with these recommendations accounting for about a quarter of all honours bestowed. Recipients of honours are typically recognized for their significant achievements in public life and commitment to serving Britain.

Honours are traditionally kept confidential until the official announcement, and they are usually presented by the King, Prince of Wales, or Princess Royal at Buckingham Palace, Windsor Castle, or the Palace of Holyroodhouse. Recipients have the opportunity to select the date and location of their investiture ceremony, but they do not have control over which member of the Royal Family will preside over the event

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