London mayor Sadiq Khan, Paris Olympics gold medalist Keely Hodgkinson and former England football coach Gareth Southgate were among hundreds named in King Charles’ published New Year’s honors list on Monday.
The full list includes more than 1,200 people in politics, sport, the arts or community service who will receive honors ranging from Member, Commander or Officer of the Order of the British Empire (MBE, CBE or OBE) to knighthoods and lady.
Sadiq, one of Britain’s most prominent politicians of Asian descent, was honored for his political and public service.
A member of Britain’s ruling Labor Party, Sadiq was elected mayor this year for the third time, although he has faced criticism over crime levels and the housing crisis in the city.
The London mayor joined British writer and television icon Fry, 67, and former England football manager Gareth Southgate in being knighted in the latest list.
Fry, best known for playing his idol Oscar Wilde in the 1997 film. wild and successful British television comedy black viper was recognized for his services to mental health awareness, the environment and charity.
Fry, who suffers from a form of bipolar disorder, has spoken openly about his struggle with manic depression.
he told the Pennsylvania news agency that he was “startled and delighted” after receiving the letter informing him of his knighthood.
“When they recognize you it makes you feel a little ‘triqui’, but I think the most emotional thing is when I think about my childhood, and my terrible unhappiness, misery and stupidity, and everything that led me to so many failures as a child” Fry added.
Southgate led England to two consecutive European Championship finals before stepping down as national team coach in July.
The New Year honours, which have been awarded since at least 1890, aim to recognize not only well-known figures but also people who have contributed to national life through work often unrecognized for many years.
The king or other prominent members of the royal family present the awards at ceremonies throughout the year.
“Every day, ordinary people go out and do extraordinary things for their communities,” said Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
“The New Year Honors List celebrates more of these unsung heroes and I thank them for their incredible contribution,” he added.
Former Director General of Intelligence and former Rolls-Royce boss to be knighted
MI5’s Ken McCallum, who has served as director general of the national intelligence service since 2020, would also receive a knighthood.
Among business executives, former Rolls-Royce boss Warren East and former HSBC chief executive Noel Quinn will be knighted, while Ruth Cairnie, chair of advocacy group Babcock, will be given a dame.
Andy Street, the former boss of retailer John Lewis who failed to win re-election as regional mayor this year, will also receive a knighthood.
Among those to be awarded the Commander of the British Empire (CBE) title are actors Sarah Lancashire and Carey Mulligan and television gardener Alan Titchmarsh.
In sport, Paris 800m gold medalist Hodgkinson was awarded a Member of the British Empire (MBE), while Olympic rowing champion Helen Glover was awarded the Order of the British Empire (OBE).
Children’s author Jacqueline Wilson was awarded the Dame Grand Cross of the Order of the British Empire, while Nobel laureate novelist Kazuo Ishiguro was awarded a Companion of Honour, of which there are only 65 recipients at the moment.
Lee Castleton, Jo Hamilton, Christopher Head and Seema Misra were awarded an OBE for their work campaigning for justice.
Also honored were four victims of the Horizon IT scandal, in which hundreds of subpostmasters were wrongly convicted of fraud, theft and false accounting due to faulty software.
The previous Conservative government unveiled legislation in March to exonerate those wrongfully prosecuted and compensate them after a television drama renewed focus on their plight.
