No, My Majesty: 5 British Celebrities who Turned down the Queen’s Honour

Her Majesty, the great Queen of England is among the most dignified and revered names in the whole wide world. But to the rest of the world, she may be an ageing head of the state and yet among the most powerful and influential figures on the globe. But to her home, England, she’s nothing shy of a demi-god.

There’s this cult-like persona attached to inarguably among the most widely-followed and keenly-admired personality in the whole world. Even as the United States has its own Hollywood and England, tons and tons of stars and celebs, the Queen is an iconic figure.

But perhaps, not everyone who knows or has met the Queen may consider so. Even as there may not be a detraction or dissonance from the usual beat the world dances to, there may be some personalities for whom facets like receiving an honour from the Queen may not actually hold that great an importance. It could be that whilst being honoured by the Queen- a phenomenon nothing shy of a sky-rocketing adulation- may not exactly signal something important or precious for some people.

How else can one possibly describe these key 5 personalities who did not care to receive the Queen’s honour and in some cases, simply returned it?

Roald Dahl

His words were magic and were, quite simply, intoxicating. Yet, when Roald Dahl was awarded the prestigious OBE- Order of the British Empire- back in 1986, the Briton quite simply snubbed it. He cared, instead, to focus his time on other assignments in life. We know Roald Dahl for writing some exceptionally witty and glittering pieces of work among them, the fanciful fiction- Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.

British Prime Ministers

While at the outset, it could’ve been simply humbling for many a Briton PM to be recognised by none other than the Queen, there have been not 1 but 3 Prime Ministers who have declined the Queen’s honour. Did you know who these men are?

Well, as it turns out, there are the likes of Sir John Major, Tony Blair and, Gordon Brown have all declined life peerages.

Aldous Huxley

Often, when one speaks of modern pop culture and particularly about Rock music, then the name of Jim Morrison is heard commonly. The co-founder of the mega-successful and iconic 60s psychedelic rock band The Doors named his group after a remarkable novel penned by British writer- Aldous Huxley. Huxley’s book- The Doors of Perception- fetched him worldwide fame and therefore, it wasn’t too surprising that he’d be considered for a knighthood.

Although, his book, Brave New World popularised him around the world and made him a famous Briton back in the decade. Although, surprisingly when a call for a Knighthood came in 1959, he simply snubbed it.

George Harrison

If there were a musical group that united the world ever so beautifully, bringing it closer thanks to a shared love for the beats and songs and lyrics, then few would match the feat of The Beatles. While, inarguably speaking, the most famous Beatles members have always been Paul McCartney and John Lennon, there was a certain George Harrison, who was picked for the Order of the British Empire by the Queen back in 2000.

This recommendation came to Harrison only after Paul McCartney had been knighted. But, to one’s utter surprise George Harrison turned down the OBE that he was elected for. Earlier, it had been widely discussed that Harrison should have been given the Knighthood and not recommended for an OBE. Perhaps, this may have irked the legendary artist and hence the response.

Stephen Hawking

In simple words, Stephen Hawking was to England what the Sun is to the universe, his name and image respected widely like a demi-god in the realm of science. Stephen Hawking’s name was elected back in the late 1990s for an offer of Knighthood, but the late great simply declined it.

While there’s no confirmation on it yet, but it is widely believed that Stephen Hawking hadn’t been too happy about the treatment the spheres of Science and research received from the British government, that often was scathed for not doing ‘enough’ to support research and hence, initiating cuts in funds that could’ve been attributed toward science funding and studies.