King Charles’s 2026 UK New Year Honours list has finally been unveiled.
On Monday, December 29, the official website of the British government released the esteemed list of the upcoming year’s honorees, which included many notably figures across various fields, set to receive the prestigious awards for their outstanding efforts.
The UK New Year Honours are awards given each year to recognise people for their exceptional work or service to the country in areas like community service, arts, sports, charity, and public service.
The honours include titles like MBE, OBE, CBE, and knighthoods, and are officially approved by the reigning British monarch, with recipients later receiving their awards at a formal ceremony.
In the 2026 list, over 1,157 people in politics, sport, the arts or community service have been named the recipients for the honourable titles.
Notably figures in the list include actor Idris Elba, singer-actor Cynthia Erivo, figure skating duo Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean, and England women's football coach Sarina Wiegman, among many others.
"This year's honours list celebrates the very best of Britain – people who put the common good ahead of themselves to strengthen communities and change lives," Prime Minister Keir Starmer said in a statement.
Idris Elba, famous for his performances in Luther and The Wire, received a knighthood in recognition of his anti-knife crime campaigning with youth.
Meanwhile, Cynthia Erivo, an A-list actor and recipient of Oscar, Emmy, Grammy, and Tony nominations, was honoured with an Order of the British Empire.
The high-profile ceremony for the UK New Year Honours 2026 will take place at King Charles’ official royal residence, Buckingham Palace.
