King Charles has been issued a stern warning by 70s music icon Elvis Costello, who urged the monarch to end a 109-year royal tradition. The Irish singer and songwriter described the continued use of the word 'empire' in the OBE Honours as a 'big mistake' and an 'unforgivable' error.
Elvis Costello's Call for Change
Elvis Costello, who received an OBE in 2019 from the then Prince of Wales for his contributions to music, suggested that the Royal Family should rename the honour. 'Why don't they just change the name in OBE to excellence? Then everybody could be happy,' the 71-year-old musician said in an interview with The Sunday Times.
The OBE (Officer of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire) was first established in 1917 by King George V to recognise non-combative service during World War I. Over time, it has evolved to honour national and local achievements. However, Costello argues that the term 'empire' is outdated and problematic.
Costello's Experience with the Honour
Despite his criticism, Costello accepted the OBE and attended the ceremony at Buckingham Palace. He explained that he went 'out of curiosity, sceptical and cynical,' and wanted to 'look them in the eye.' He described the palace as 'tatty' and joked that he didn't lean on any pillars because he thought they might be 'papier mâché.'
However, the experience changed his perspective somewhat. 'When I saw how much it meant to people in education, charity, medicine, I thought I could do with being less cynical. A marine behind me fainted from emotion,' he recalled. He also shared a personal note about his father, musician Ross McManus, who used to play at the staff ball at Buckingham Palace. 'My dad used to play the staff ball at Buckingham Palace when I was a kid, and we had to go in the back door with the help. So I thought, this time I'm going in the front door.'
Other Celebrities Who Rejected Honours
Costello is not alone in his disapproval. In 1969, John Lennon famously returned his MBE as a protest against the UK's involvement in the Nigeria-Biafra conflict and its support of American military action in Vietnam. George Harrison turned down an OBE in 2000, and David Bowie declined a knighthood three years later. Bowie told The Sun at the time: 'It's not what I spent my life working for.'
Elvis Costello rose to international stardom in 1977 with hits like 'Oliver's Army' and has remained a prominent figure in music. His call for the Royal Family to update the honours system has reignited debate about the relevance of imperial terminology in modern Britain.
