The British Honours System recognises people who've made significant contributions to society and specific fields. It is hundreds of years old and has undergone several overhauls to make it more inclusive. The MBE honours people who've made a significant, lasting beneficial impact in their local region.
Famous people with an MBE include Ed Sheeran, Adele, Harry Kane, Emma Raducanu, Jamie Oliver, Paul Hollywood, Claudia Winkleman and Luke Littler. They share the honour with around 1,000 people a year – most of them volunteers, carers, teachers and community workers whose names never make the headlines.
Below you'll find some of the best-known MBE holders, profiles of the most famous names in each field, the youngest MBE in history, the newest recipients from the 2026 honours lists, and the stars who started with an MBE and went on to become Sirs and Dames.
MBE Award Fast Facts
- MBE stands for Member of the Order of the British Empire. It recognises outstanding achievement or service with a lasting impact, usually at local level or within a particular field.
- It is the most common honour: around 1,000 MBEs are awarded each year, just over 40% of the honours on each list.
- New recipients are announced twice a year, in the New Year Honours (late December) and the King's Birthday Honours (June).
- Anyone can nominate a candidate, but no one can nominate themselves.
- An MBE brings no title. Holders can put the letters "MBE" after their name.
- Famous MBE Recipients: The Full List
Famous MBE Recipients
Of the ranking lists, the MBE is the most populous, comprising roughly 800 awards each year - about 40% of all honours bestowed5.
| 😇 Honouree | 🎭 Field | 🏢 Position | 🥇 Their works/deeds | 📅 When awarded |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carol Vorderman | Film & TV | TV presenter, Countdown | For services to Broadcasting | Birthday Honours, 2000 |
| Jamie Oliver | Food | TV chef and restaurateur, The Naked Chef | For services to the Hospitality Industry | Birthday Honours, 2003 |
| Beverley Knight | Music | Soul singer and West End star | For services to Music | Birthday Honours, 2006 |
| Steven Gerrard | Sport | Former Liverpool and England captain | For services to Sport | New Year Honours, 2007 |
| Teddy Sheringham | Sport | Former Manchester United and England striker | For services to Football | Birthday Honours, 2007 |
| Jenson Button | Sport | 2009 Formula One world champion | For services to Motorsport | New Year Honours, 2010 |
| Rory McIlroy | Sport | Golfer and career Grand Slam winner | For services to Sport | New Year Honours, 2012 |
| Adele | Music | Singer-songwriter | For services to Music | Birthday Honours, 2013 |
| Aled Jones | Music | Singer and broadcaster | For services to Music and Broadcasting and for charitable services | Birthday Honours, 2013 |
| Justin Rose | Sport | Golfer and 2016 Olympic champion | For services to Golf | New Year Honours, 2017 |
| Ed Sheeran | Music | Singer-songwriter | For services to Music and Charity | Birthday Honours, 2017 |
| Emeli Sandé | Music | Singer-songwriter | For services to Music | Birthday Honours, 2017 |
| Gugu Mbatha-Raw | Film & TV | Actor, Belle and Loki | For services to Drama | Birthday Honours, 2017 |
| Stacey Dooley | Film & TV | Journalist and documentary presenter | For services to Broadcasting | Birthday Honours, 2018 |
| Ms. Dynamite | Music | Rapper, songwriter and producer | For services to Music | Birthday Honours, 2018 |
| Harry Kane | Sport | England captain and all-time top scorer | For services to Football | New Year Honours, 2019 |
| Nisha Katona | Food | Founder, Mowgli Street Food | For services to the Food Industry | New Year Honours, 2019 |
| Joe Root | Sport | England Test batter | For services to Cricket | New Year Honours, 2020 |
| Jos Buttler | Sport | England cricketer and 2019 World Cup winner | For services to Cricket | New Year Honours, 2020 |
| Nadiya Hussain | Food | Bake Off winner and TV cook | For services to Broadcasting and to the Culinary Arts | New Year Honours, 2020 |
| Ainsley Harriott | Food | TV chef, Ready Steady Cook | For services to Broadcasting and to the Culinary Arts | New Year Honours, 2020 |
| Gok Wan | Film & TV | Fashion presenter | For services to Fashion and to Social Awareness | New Year Honours, 2020 |
| Sheku Kanneh-Mason | Music | Cellist | For services to Music | New Year Honours, 2020 |
| Marcus Rashford | Sport | Footballer and child food poverty campaigner | For services to Vulnerable Children in the UK during Covid-19 | Birthday Honours, 2020 |
| Joe Wicks | Film & TV | Fitness coach, The Body Coach | For services to Fitness and Charity in the UK and Abroad particularly during Covid-19 | Birthday Honours, 2020 |
| Cressida Cowell | Books | Author, How to Train Your Dragon | For services to Children's Literature | Birthday Honours, 2020 |
| Craig David | Music | Singer-songwriter and producer | For services to Music | New Year Honours, 2021 |
| Raheem Sterling | Sport | England winger | For services to Racial Equality in Sport | Birthday Honours, 2021 |
| Jordan Henderson | Sport | Former Liverpool captain | For services to Football and Charity, particularly during the Covid-19 Pandemic | Birthday Honours, 2021 |
| Emma Raducanu | Sport | 2021 US Open tennis champion | For services to Tennis | New Year Honours, 2022 |
| Melanie Brown (Mel B) | Music | Spice Girls singer and Women's Aid patron | For services to Charitable Causes and Vulnerable Women | New Year Honours, 2022 |
| Kate Garraway | Film & TV | Presenter, Good Morning Britain | For services to Broadcasting, to Journalism and to Charity | New Year Honours, 2022 |
| Bonnie Tyler | Music | Singer, Total Eclipse of the Heart | For services to Music | Birthday Honours, 2022 |
| Lucy Bronze | Sport | England Lionesses defender | For services to Association Football | New Year Honours, 2023 |
| Beth Mead | Sport | England Lionesses forward | For services to Association Football | New Year Honours, 2023 |
| Paul Hollywood | Food | Great British Bake Off judge | For services to Baking and to Broadcasting | New Year Honours, 2024 |
| Emilia Clarke | Film & TV | Actor, Game of Thrones; co-founder of SameYou | For services to People with Brain Injuries | New Year Honours, 2024 |
| Mary Earps | Sport | England goalkeeper | For services to Association Football | New Year Honours, 2024 |
| Simon Le Bon | Music | Frontman, Duran Duran | For services to Music and to Charity | Birthday Honours, 2024 |
| Rebecca Ferguson | Music | Singer and music industry campaigner | For services to the Music Industry | Birthday Honours, 2024 |
| Susie Dent | Books | Lexicographer, Countdown's Dictionary Corner | For services to Literature and to Language | Birthday Honours, 2024 |
| Rose Ayling-Ellis | Film & TV | Actor, EastEnders; Strictly Come Dancing winner | For voluntary services to the Deaf Community | Birthday Honours, 2024 |
| Keely Hodgkinson | Sport | Olympic 800m champion | For services to Athletics | New Year Honours, 2025 |
| Dina Asher-Smith | Sport | Sprinter, 2019 world 200m champion | For services to Athletics | New Year Honours, 2025 |
| Katarina Johnson-Thompson | Sport | Heptathlete, two-time world champion | For services to Athletics | New Year Honours, 2025 |
| Tom Baker | Film & TV | Actor, the Fourth Doctor in Doctor Who | For services to Television | New Year Honours, 2025 |
| Myleene Klass | Music | Singer and presenter | For services to Women's Health, Miscarriage Awareness and to Charity | New Year Honours, 2025 |
| Claudia Winkleman | Film & TV | Presenter, Strictly Come Dancing and The Traitors | For services to Broadcasting | Birthday Honours, 2025 |
| Tess Daly | Film & TV | Presenter, Strictly Come Dancing | For services to Broadcasting | Birthday Honours, 2025 |
| Steve Winwood | Music | Musician, Traffic and The Spencer Davis Group | For services to Music | Birthday Honours, 2025 |
| Adjoa Andoh | Film & TV | Actor, Lady Danbury in Bridgerton | For services to Drama | Birthday Honours, 2025 |
| Luke Littler | Sport | Darts world champion | For services to Darts | Birthday Honours, 2025 |
| Luke Humphries | Sport | 2024 PDC darts world champion | For services to Darts | Birthday Honours, 2025 |
| Carmela Chillery-Watson | Charity | Fundraiser, Muscular Dystrophy UK; youngest-ever MBE | For services to Charitable Fundraising for Muscular Dystrophy UK to Support its Work for the Disabled Community | Birthday Honours, 2025 |
| Cynthia Erivo | Film & TV | Actor and singer, Wicked | For services to Music and Drama | New Year Honours, 2026 |
| Ellie Goulding | Music | Singer-songwriter | For services to Biodiversity and the Climate | New Year Honours, 2026 |
| Bill Bailey | Film & TV | Comedian and musician | For services to Entertainment | New Year Honours, 2026 |
| Marcus Wareing | Food | Chef, MasterChef: The Professionals | For services to the Culinary Arts and to Broadcasting | New Year Honours, 2026 |
| Phil Spencer | Film & TV | Presenter, Location, Location, Location; St Mungo's patron | For Charitable Service | New Year Honours, 2026 |
| Ella Toone | Sport | England Lionesses midfielder | For services to Association Football | New Year Honours, 2026 |
| Ellie Kildunne | Sport | England Red Roses full-back, 2025 Rugby World Cup winner | For services to Rugby Union Football | New Year Honours, 2026 |
| Tony Iommi | Music | Guitarist and co-founder, Black Sabbath | For services to Music and to Charity | Birthday Honours, 2026 |
| Lisa Riley | Film & TV | Actor, Emmerdale | For services to Drama and to Charity | Birthday Honours, 2026 |
| Chloe Kelly | Sport | England Lionesses forward | For services to Association Football | Birthday Honours, 2026 |
| Alessia Russo | Sport | England Lionesses striker | For services to Association Football | Birthday Honours, 2026 |
| Hannah Hampton | Sport | England goalkeeper | For services to Association Football | Birthday Honours, 2026 |
That being the case, we can safely say that, were we to publish a full honourees list, you would be reading for a long while. Besides, why would we repeat the efforts of outlets that publish full honours recipients lists twice each year? This article's final chapter details where you can find those lists. Here, we mention just a few famous recipients.
Musicians With An MBE
17 February 1991 in West Yorkshire
Songs - Perfect, The Shape of You, Castle on the Hill, Galway Girl, I Don't Care, Beautiful People, and many others.
Tattoo (Hilary Duff) Dark Times (The Weeknd) Make it Right (BTS) Parallel Line (Keith Urban) Love Yourself (Justin Bieber)
British Artist of the Year (2014), Favourite pop/rock male artist (U$, 2015, 2021), Most Performed International Work of the Year (Australia, 2018), and many more.
5 May 1988 in Tottenham, London
The chart-topping albums 21, 25 and 30, and the Oscar-winning Bond theme Skyfall.
Birthday Honours 2013, "For services to Music". Prince Charles presented it in December 2013.
29 May 1975 in Leeds
"Scary Spice" in the Spice Girls, and her long-running work as a patron of the domestic abuse charity Women's Aid.
New Year Honours 2022, "For services to Charitable Causes and Vulnerable Women".
30 December 1986 in Hereford
Hits including Burn, Love Me Like You Do and Lights, and her role as a UN Environment Programme Goodwill Ambassador.
New Year Honours 2026, "For services to Biodiversity and the Climate", recognising her environmental campaigning rather than her music.
Actors and TV Presenters With An MBE
23 October 1986 in London
Daenerys Targaryen in Game of Thrones. After surviving two brain aneurysms, she co-founded the charity SameYou to support people recovering from brain injuries.
New Year Honours 2024, "For services to People with Brain Injuries". Her mother, Jennifer, was made an MBE in the same list.
15 January 1972 in London
Presenting Strictly Come Dancing and the BBC hit The Traitors.
Birthday Honours 2025, "For services to Broadcasting". Her Strictly co-host, Tess Daly, was honoured in the same list.
21 April 1983 in Oxford
Belle, Beyond the Lights and Marvel's Loki.
Birthday Honours 2017, "For services to Drama".
8 January 1987 in London
A Tony Award-winning performance in The Color Purple on Broadway, and Elphaba in the Wicked films.
New Year Honours 2026, "For services to Music and Drama".
Sports Stars With An MBE
28 July 1993 in Leytonstone, London
England captain and the national team's all-time top scorer, with club spells at Tottenham Hotspur and Bayern Munich.
New Year Honours 2019, "For services to Football", after winning the Golden Boot at the 2018 World Cup.
31 October 1997 in Manchester
Forward for Manchester United and England, and his 2020 campaign that persuaded the government to extend free school meals during the pandemic.
Birthday Honours 2020, "For services to Vulnerable Children in the UK during Covid-19".
13 November 2002 in Toronto, Canada
Winning the 2021 US Open as a qualifier, without dropping a set.
New Year Honours 2022, "For services to Tennis".
30 May 1980 in Whiston, Merseyside
Captaining Liverpool to the 2005 Champions League title in the "Miracle of Istanbul", and captaining England.
New Year Honours 2007, "For services to Sport".
3 March 2002 in Atherton, Greater Manchester
Olympic 800m gold at Paris 2024, followed by BBC Sports Personality of the Year.
New Year Honours 2025, "For services to Athletics".
21 January 2007 in Warrington
Reaching the PDC World Darts Championship final at 16, then winning the title in 2025.
Birthday Honours 2025, "For services to Darts".
Chefs and Food Stars With an MBE
27 May 1975 in Clavering, Essex
The Naked Chef, dozens of best-selling cookbooks, and his campaign to improve school dinners.
Birthday Honours 2003, "For services to the Hospitality Industry".
1 March 1966 in Wallasey, Merseyside
Judge on The Great British Bake Off since the show began in 2010.
New Year Honours 2024, "For services to Baking and to Broadcasting".
25 December 1984 in Luton
Winning The Great British Bake Off in 2015, then becoming a TV cook and author. She baked Queen Elizabeth II's 90th birthday cake.
New Year Honours 2020, "For services to Broadcasting and to the Culinary Arts".
The Youngest MBE Ever: Carmela Chillery-Watson
At just 11 years old, Carmela Chillery-Watson became the youngest person ever to receive an MBE, recognised for her charitable fundraising for Muscular Dystrophy UK. Carmela has lived with a rare progressive muscle-wasting condition since she was four, but has dedicated much of her time to raising money and awareness for others living with similar conditions.
Her fundraising has included a range of challenges, including a 24-hour hospital walk, while she has also worked to promote greater inclusion and accessibility for disabled children. In June 2025, she was named a Young Ambassador for Muscular Dystrophy UK, and in December that year she received her MBE from Prince William at Windsor Castle.
The Newest MBEs: 2025 and 2026 Honours
Ed Sheeran may be one of Britain's most important cultural exports ever. People around the world know and love his music, and he has contributed both songs and inspiration to artists everywhere. In 2017, Prince Charles appointed him MBE, a mere six years after his breakout hit, The A Team. However, these famous MBE recipients rival his accomplishments.
New Year Honours 2025
- Keely Hodgkinson, Olympic 800m champion: "For services to Athletics"
- Dina Asher-Smith and Katarina Johnson-Thompson, athletes: "For services to Athletics"
- Tom Baker, the Fourth Doctor in Doctor Who: "For services to Television"
- Myleene Klass, singer and presenter: "For services to Women's Health, Miscarriage Awareness and to Charity"
Birthday Honours 2025
- Claudia Winkleman and Tess Daly, Strictly presenters: "For services to Broadcasting"
- Luke Littler and Luke Humphries, darts world champions: "For services to Darts"
- Steve Winwood, musician: "For services to Music"
- Adjoa Andoh, actor (Bridgerton): "For services to Drama"
- Carmela Chillery-Watson, fundraiser and youngest-ever MBE
New Year Honours 2026
- Cynthia Erivo, actor and singer: "For services to Music and Drama"
- Ellie Goulding, singer: "For services to Biodiversity and the Climate"
- Bill Bailey, comedian: "For services to Entertainment"
- Marcus Wareing, chef: "For services to the Culinary Arts and to Broadcasting"
- Phil Spencer, presenter: "For Charitable Service"
- Ella Toone, Lionesses midfielder, and Ellie Kildunne, Red Roses full-back
Birthday Honours 2026
- Tony Iommi, Black Sabbath guitarist: "For services to Music and to Charity"
- Lisa Riley, actor (Emmerdale): "For services to Drama and to Charity"
- Chloe Kelly, Alessia Russo, Hannah Hampton and fellow Euro 2025-winning Lionesses: "For services to Association Football"
Note that James Corden had been reported as an MBE honouree in 2015. However, the record was eventually cleared to state that he is an OBE - an Officer of the British Empire honouree. But there is no mistaking Carmela Chillery-Watson's MBE for her charity initiatives. She's the youngest person ever to receive one.
Famous People Who Returned or Refused an MBE
What Is an MBE?
MBE stands for Member of the Order of the British Empire. This honour is given to people for their outstanding service and/or achievement at the local, regional, or sector-specific level.
The MBE is the lowest award within the British Empire honours system, which includes six Orders of Chivalry. The Order of the British Empire is a separate award category, which spans five ranks. An award recipient doesn't have to work their way up the rank system, though they may, if their contributions warrant it. Attending the investiture ceremony is an integral part of receiving one's honour, as this clip demonstrates.
MBE, OBE, and CBE: What Are the Differences?
These three are the lowest of the five ranks in this honour system branch. The Commander of the Order of the British Empire, the CBE, sits at the midpoint between the lower ranks and the higher ones. In all cases, recipients must demonstrate consistent efforts towards bettering British society and culture. However, how they do so - the levels - vary.
| 🏆 Honour | 📊 Level | 📜 Full title | 😇 Standard recognition level |
|---|---|---|---|
| MBE | lowest level | Member of the Order of the British Empire | Significant service or achievement at a local, regional, or field-specific level. |
| OBE | lower level | Officer of the Order of the British Empire | Major contribution or wider impact at the local level that gains national prominence. |
| CBE | senior level | Commander of the Order of the British Empire | Prominent national or sector-level contribution. |
None of these award recipients may preface their name with 'Sir' or 'Dame'. That title is reserved for the two highest honours in the Order of the British Empire system, the Knight/Dame Commander and Grand Cross (KBE/DBE and GBE, respectively).
Who Can Become an MBE?
Any UK citizen or citizen of a Commonwealth nation may become an MBE. Furthermore, foreign nationals who've had an outsized impact on British society, culture or endeavour may receive an honorary award. For instance, Angelina Jolie received an honorary Dame of the Order of the British Empire (DBE) in 20141.
Otherwise, it's ordinary citizens who've dedicated themselves to serving their community who receive this honour. How they do so varies, but the unifying quality is persistent, ongoing efforts that benefit their community. These are just some of the sectors nominees apply themselves to.
Typical areas of recognition
- community service
- public service
- arts
- education
- sport
- business
- science
- healthcare
- volunteer work
- charity work
Examples of effort
- elderly care; animal welfare
- healthcare; education
- literature; music
- teaching; coaching sport
- exemplary athletics
- benefiting the community
- groundbreaking research
- exemplary service
- social care; environment
- homelessness support; food distribution
One cannot simply point to someone and declare, "Hey, that person is doing great work! They deserve an award!" Any consideration for an MBE honour must have a reason and plenty of evidence to back it up. Such includes testimonials of works achieved, proof of the impact they made, and obligatory background checks.
No person may nominate themselves for an MBE honour, regardless of how deserving they may be of such an award.
How to Nominate Someone for an MBE
Two sources populate the twice-yearly nominees list: the general public and public officials. Just as any UK citizen may receive an MBE award, they may also nominate a worthy candidate. Otherwise, public officials cast their nominations for potential recipients3.
You can find the MBE nomination form on the UK government website. You'll also find tips for filling out your nomination form and instructions on how to do it.
The honours system offers three ways to submit your nomination package: by post, online (through the government portal), and via email. Once you send your paperwork in, you only need to sit back and wait for the Honours Secretariat to take action.
How MBE Recipients Are Chosen
Beware that it will be a long wait: 18 months to two years. That's because the Secretariat is diligent in vetting nominees. Secretariat staff run criminal background checks and review candidates' HMRC profiles. They contact the writers of the reference letters you submitted with your nomination form to validate their statements4.
Each nomination category has its own review board; the review committee features 10 separate boards. Nominations for popular categories, such as sports, entertainment, and community service take longer to vet because they receive more requests than less popular categories.
Once the vetting process is complete, the review committee assesses the nominations and sends its recommendations to the main Honours Committee. That body finalises the nominees list and sends it to the Prime Minister. The King is the final recipient; he bestows the honours during ceremonies held twice each year.
The Nomination Selection Process at a Glance
Step 1
A citizen or government official submits a nomination package.
It must include the completed nomination form and at least two supporting letters.
Step 2
The Secretariat reviews the nomination.
It verifies the nominees' bona fides and accuracy of testimonies.
Step 3
The Honours Committee considers the vetted nominees.
It selects honours candidates on merit.
Step 4
The Committee approves a final list of honourees.
It forwards the final list to the Prime Minister's office.
Step 5
The Prime Minister releases the honouree list.
Reliable outlets publish the list of honourees.
Step 6
The King or his designee hosts the investiture ceremony.
The King/designee bestows the honour on each honouree.
Note that, if the person you nominated wasn't selected for an honour, you may not nominate them for a period of two years. This is due to the long vetting process; at least, in part. If/when you do resubmit a nomination on their behalf, their list of accomplishments must be substantially different and greater than those on your first nomination.
Where to Find a List of MBE Recipients
If you've submitted a nomination for an MBE, you likely have an interest in discovering whether your nominee made the cut. If you've been nominated for an MBE, you have an even greater interest in seeing your name on that list. For the personally interested and the idly curious alike, these are the most trusted outlets to search.
| 📰 Outlet/Platform | 🏆 What it does best | 📝 Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Honours Secretariat Cabinet Office | Details the honours system. Provides nomination forms and tips for filling them out and submitting them. | Go to this page to understand British honours orders and medals |
| The Gazette | Publishes official honours lists twice yearly. | Search this page in late December and in June for the latest honourees. Search its database for past honours recipients. |
| Third-party websites | Easy browsing and searching. | Lists may be incomplete; be sure to cross-check with official databases. |
References
- Deshler, Kira. “The Untold Truth of Angelina Jolie.” Looper, 22 Nov. 2021, https://www.looper.com/667484/the-untold-truth-of-angelina-jolie/. Accessed 11 Sept. 2026.
- McKie, Mike. “How Do You Nominate Someone for an MBE.” Bayleaf - Recognition Experts, 31 July 2023, https://wearebayleaf.com/honours/how-to-nominate-someone-for-mbe/. Accessed 11 Sept. 2026.
- Simone, Carlo. “CBE, MBE and OBE Meanings in New Year Honours List 2026.” Hereford Times, 30 Dec. 2025, https://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/news/national/uk-today/25726993.cbe-mbe-obe-meanings-new-year-honours-list-2026/. Accessed 11 Sept. 2026.
- LegalClarity Team. “MBE British Title: Meaning, Ranks and Nomination Process - LegalClarity.” LegalClarity, 30 May 2026, https://legalclarity.org/mbe-british-title-meaning-ranks-and-nomination-process/. Accessed 11 Sept. 2026.
- From the colleague of the MBE recipient. “How to Get an MBE? - MBE Nominations & Criteria.” Awards Intelligence, 28 July 2025, https://www.awardsintelligence.co.uk/awards/mbe/. Accessed 11 Sept. 2026.
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