The King's Birthday Honours list for 2026 has been unveiled, recognising a wide array of individuals from sports, entertainment, public service, and everyday heroism. Among the highest-profile recipients are rugby league legend Kevin Sinfield, actress Dame Helen Mirren, and television personality Anneka Rice.
Sports Honours
Kevin Sinfield, the former Leeds Rhinos star and current England rugby union coach, has been knighted for his services to rugby league, rugby union, and the motor neurone disease (MND) community. Sinfield has completed six ultra-running challenges inspired by his former teammate Rob Burrow, who died from MND in 2024. Prime Minister Keir Starmer praised Sinfield and other honourees, stating they represent the "decent, hopeful country we are proud to be."
Six members of the England women's football team, winners of the European Championship, have been made Members of the Order of the British Empire (MBE). These include Chloe Kelly, who scored the winning penalty in the Euros final, as well as Alessia Russo, Lauren James, Hannah Hampton, Jess Carter, and rising star Michelle Agyemang, who at 20 is the youngest recipient on the list. England under-21 head coach Lee Carsley also received an MBE. Former footballer Lou Macari was awarded an MBE for his services to the sport and his work fighting homelessness in Stoke-on-Trent through the Macari Foundation.
Emily Scarratt, recently retired England rugby union player and third-highest capped player in history, received an OBE. Golfer Luke Donald, former world number one, ex-Arsenal co-owner David Dein, and snooker player Shaun Murphy also received OBEs.
Entertainment and Arts
Dame Helen Mirren, who won an Oscar for her portrayal of Queen Elizabeth II, was made a Member of the Order of the Companions of Honour. The honour comes days after footage circulated on social media showing her being verbally abused. The creators of Wallace and Gromit, David Sproxton and Peter Lord, co-founders of Aardman Animations, were both knighted. Black Sabbath guitarist Tony Iommi received an MBE for his music and charity work. Television stars Anneka Rice and Lisa Riley (Emmerdale) were made MBEs. The Gruffalo writer Julia Donaldson and Noughts and Crosses author Malorie Blackman both received damehoods for services to literature. Businessman Dave Fishwick, who inspired the Netflix film Bank Of Dave, was made an OBE. DJ Judge Jules received an MBE, while broadcaster Cerys Matthews and DJ Carl Cox were honoured with OBEs. Actor and director Dexter Fletcher also received an OBE.
Everyday Heroes
A woman who founded a company that loans prom dresses and suits to disadvantaged pupils for free received a British Empire Medal (BEM). Ally Outten, 31, of Llandudno, North Wales, started the scheme after hearing about a girl who could not afford a dress for her school celebrations. A surgeon who treated children injured in the Southport knife attack, Vittoria Bucknall, also received a BEM for her crucial work.
Political Honours
Long-serving Labour MP and ally of Keir Starmer, Jessica Morden, was made a dame. Former Tory MPs David Gauke and Greg Hands both received knighthoods. Former Labour minister Chris Mullin also received a knighthood.
Full List of Honours
Order of the Companions of Honour
Sir Donald McCullin CBE – Photojournalist. For services to Photojournalism. (Shepton Mallet, Somerset)
Dame Helen Lydia Mirren DBE – Actor. For services to Drama. (London, Greater London)
Knights Grand Cross of the Order of the British Empire (GBE)
Sir Jonathan Stephen Cunliffe CB – Chair, Independent Water Commission. For Public Service. (London, Greater London)
Professor Dame Parveen June Kumar DBE – Professor Emerita of Medicine and Education, Barts and the London School of Medicine and Dentistry, Queen Mary University of London. For services to Global Medical Education and Health. (London, Greater London)
Knights Commander of the Order of the Bath (KCB)
Simon Peter Burton – Clerk of the Parliaments, House of Lords. For services to Parliament. (London, Greater London)
Dames Commander of the Order of the Bath (DCB)
Susanna Justine McGibbon KC – Lately HM Procurator General, Treasury Solicitor and Permanent Secretary, Government Legal Department. For Public Service. (London, Greater London)
Dames Commander of the Order of the British Empire (DBE)
Professor Sheila Macdonald Bird OBE FMedSci FRSE – For services to Statistics. (Kettering, Northamptonshire)
Malorie Blackman OBE – Writer. For services to Literature. (London, Greater London)
Professor Carol Elspeth Goodeve Brayne CBE – Professor Emeritus and Senior Visiting Fellow, Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge. For services to Medicine, Medical Research and Public Health. (Cambridge, Cambridgeshire)
Professor Melanie Jane Davies CBE – Professor of Diabetes Medicine, University of Leicester. For services to Global Diabetes, Research, Policy and Care Management. (Leicester, Leicestershire)
Julia Catherine Donaldson CBE – Writer. For services to Literature. (Horsham, West Sussex)
Jane Fraser – Chief Executive Officer and Chair, Citigroup. For services to the Financial Sector
Helen Christine Gordon – Chief Executive Officer, Grainger plc. For services to the Property Industry. (London, Greater London)
Professor Sarah Lucina Hackman – Chair of Forensic Anthropology and Head of Discipline, Centre for Anatomy and Human Identification, University of Dundee. For services to Forensic Anthropology and Disaster Victim Identification. (Dundee, Dundee)
Serena Margaret Kennedy KPM DL – Lately Chief Constable, Merseyside Police. For services to Policing. (Wigan, Greater Manchester)
Shelagh Jane Legrave CBE DL – Further Education Commissioner. For services to Education. (Chichester, West Sussex)
Dr Beverly Isadore Lindsay OBE DL – Chair, Association of Jamaican Nationals UK. For services to the West Midlands and to Charity. (Birmingham, West Midlands)
Jessica Elizabeth Morden MP – Member of Parliament for Newport East and lately General Secretary, Welsh Labour. For Political and Public Service. (Newport, Gwent)
Dr Crystal Elizabeth Oldman CBE – Lately Chief Executive, The Queen's Institute of Community Nursing. For services to Nursing. (Crowborough, East Sussex)
Dr Hayaatun Sillem CBE – Lately Chief Executive Officer, Royal Academy of Engineering. For services to Engineering. (London, Greater London)
Professor Heather Vivienne Stevens CBE – For services to the Environment, to Young People and to Philanthropy in Wales. (Vale of Glamorgan, South Glamorgan)
Anna Kim Taylor OBE – Executive Director, The Food Foundation. For services to Reforming the Food System. (Canterbury, Kent)
Sumeshni Tranka – Chief Nursing Officer, Welsh Government. For services to Nursing. (Ross-on-Wye, Herefordshire)
Knights Bachelor
Professor Glen Warren Burley – Chief Executive, The Foundation Group and Deputy Chief Executive, NHS England. For services to the NHS. (Warwick, Warwickshire)
Professor Carlos Silvestre Frenk CBE FRS – Ogden Professor of Fundamental Physics, Durham University. For services to Astrophysics and Cosmology. (Durham, County Durham)
The Right Honourable David Michael Gauke – Chair of the Independent Sentencing Review. For services to the Justice System. (Rickmansworth, Hertfordshire)
The Right Honourable Gregory William Hands – Lately Member of Parliament for Chelsea and Fulham. For Parliamentary and Political Service. (London, Greater London)
Alastair John Naisbitt King DL – Lately Lord Mayor, City of London Corporation. For services to Pensions Reform, to the Promotion of International Business and Voluntary and Charitable Service. (London, Greater London)
Peter Duncan Fraser Lord CBE – Co-Founder and Trustee, Aardman Animations. For services to the Animation Industry, the Creative Industries and to Charity. (Bristol, Bristol)
Professor Richard Brabazon Macrory CBE KC (Hon) – Lately Board Member, The Office for Environmental Protection. For services to Environmental Law. (Kidlington, Oxfordshire)
Andrew Harold Mitchell CBE FREng – Chief Executive Officer, Tideway. For services to the Construction Industry. (Saffron Walden, Essex)
Professor Andrew David Morris CBE FRSE FMedSci – Director of Health Data Research UK and Vice-Principal, University of Edinburgh. For services to Medical Sciences, to Public Health and to Patient Care. (Perth, Perth and Kinross)
Christopher John Mullin – For Political and Public Service. (Alnwick, Northumberland)
Professor Stephen Thurston Munby CBE – Visiting Professor, University College London. For services to Education. (Kendal, Cumbria)
Kevin Sinfield CBE – Coach, England National Rugby Union Team and Fundraiser. For services to Rugby League, Rugby Union and the MND Community. (Oldham, Greater Manchester)
David Alan Sproxton CBE – Co-Founder and Trustee, Aardman Animations. For services to the Animation Industry, the Creative Industries and to Charity. (Bristol, Bristol)
Professor Patrick Philip Vernon OBE – Campaigner for Racial Equality and Social Justice. For services to Racial Equality. (London, Greater London)
The full list continues with hundreds of recipients across all categories, including Commanders of the Order of the British Empire (CBE), Officers (OBE), Members (MBE), and Medallists (BEM), as well as honours for the armed forces, police, fire services, and diplomatic service.
