From unsung heroes to household names, this year’s list includes 1,200 people from a range of backgrounds, including legendary actors, sporting greats, TV presenters, WW2 veterans and community heroes. Each and every person has made a lasting impact on their communities, their fields of work, and their country as a whole.
In this article, we’ll share some of the most notable names and accomplishments from this year’s list, across each level of the British Honours System, from British Empire Medals (BEMs) to Companions of Honour and everything in between.
We’ll also explore how our services at Awards Intelligence will give you the best chance possible of achieving a royal honour.
British Empire Medals (BEM): Community Champions
Norman Irwin
At 106, Norman Irwin is the oldest recipient on this year’s list, being rewarded for his inspirational work for public service and the community. Irwin is a WWII veteran, having served in North Africa during his time in the military.
He went on to help form the Coleraine Winemakers Club, as well as becoming one of the founders of the town’s Rotary Club and the Agivey Anglers Association. His dedication to others is truly heartwarming.
Duncan, Caroline and Jenna Speirs
Inspired by the memory of their son, the Speirs family have been honoured with BEMs for their work through Calum’s Cabin. A charity providing holiday homes for families of children battling cancer, Calum’s Cabin has helped thousands of households by providing comfort and respite across Scotland.
CBEs: Leaders in Business and Beyond
Virginia Wade
Throughout her career of over 20 years, Virginia Wade made Great Britain proud time and time again.
Her sporting career is nothing short of impressive: Wade won 55 professional singles titles, was continuously ranked in the top 10 between 1967 and 1979, and remains the only British woman to win a tennis title at all four Grand Slams.
Wade’s dedication to tennis didn’t end when she retired in 1986; since then, she has worked as a coach, commentator and has even used her platform to raise awareness and support for various causes, including breast cancer research.
Her CBE is for her services to tennis and charity.
Roisin Currie & Douglas Perkins
With a career spanning over 35 years, the Chief Executive of Greggs, Roisin Currie, has been recognised for her contributions to the hospitality industry. Beyond her role at Greggs, Currie is also the Chair of the Employers Forum for Reducing Re-offending, which encourages employers to give people who have been through the Criminal Justice System a second chance.
Another titan on the British high street, co-founder and chairman of Specsavers, Douglas Perkins, also receives a CBE for his services to business and trade. Specsavers is now the world’s largest privately owned optical and audiology retailer, helping people internationally change their lives with better sight and hearing.
OBEs: Sporting Excellence and Lifelong Dedication
Deta Hedman
Deta Hedman, 65, has earned an OBE in recognition of her services to darts and charity. Her sporting career has spanned more than 40 years, becoming an impressively decorated darts player. A five-time World Masters finalist, Hedman is still going strong in 2025, winning 5 titles by mid-June.
She has also been committed to change in the sport, dedicating her time to working with charities that help disabled children, as well as supporting England’s youth teams; Hedman’s honour is truly deserved.
Alistair Brownlee
For his services to triathlon and charity, Alistair Brownlee is another sporting great on this year’s King’s Birthday Honours List. During his 18-year career, Brownlee became the first athlete to win two individual triathlon Olympic titles in both London 2012 and Rio 2016.
Alongside his younger brother Jonny, Alistair Brownlee’s dedication to giving back and introducing the next generation to such a wonderful sport is truly inspiring.
MBEs: Celebrating Talent, Advocacy and Inclusion
Tess Daly & Claudia Winkleman
Strictly Come Dancing is undoubtedly one of the biggest shows on the television calendar.
Beloved presenters Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman are now being awarded for their unrelenting services to broadcasting. This dynamic duo has been at the heart of the show since 2014 across 22 series, helping Strictly attract the loyal fanbase it has today.
Luke Littler & Luke Humphries
This year, darts has been a standout sport in the King’s Birthday Honours List.
The list includes Luke Littler, who made history as the youngest ever PDC World Darts Champion at just 17, and Luke Humphries, this year’s Premier League Darts Champion, who have both been awarded MBEs for their contributions to the sport.
Zahrah Mahmood
Known affectionately online as the Hillwalking Hijabi, Zahrah Mahmood has received her royal honour for embodying the spirit of innovation and her deep commitment to social change.
President of Ramblers Scotland, Mahmood has used her social media presence to make the great outdoors an adventure for all, helping the community become more accessible and inclusive to minority groups.
Carmela Chillery-Watson
At just four years old, Carmela Chillery-Watson was diagnosed with LMNA, a congenital muscular dystrophy (L-CMD), which is an extremely rare progressive muscle wasting condition and affects just one in a million children worldwide.
Now, at just 11 years old, Chillery-Watson is the youngest ever recipient of an MBE. She has worked tirelessly to raise money, a total of £400,000 over the last seven years, for ground-breaking research and life-changing support.
Beyond this, Chillery-Watson dreams of becoming a model to promote inclusivity in fashion and inspire other young people like her. Chillery-Watson couldn’t be more deserving of this honour.
Knighthoods and Damehoods: Cultural Icons and Champions of Change
Sir Gary Oldman
A long-time favourite of British cinema, Sir Gary Oldman is now being honoured for his contributions to drama with a knighthood.
Best known for his career highlight of winning an Oscar for his transformative performance as Winston Churchill in Darkest Hour, more recently, Oldman’s been celebrated for his role as Jackson Lamb in Apple TV’s acclaimed series Slow Horses.
Remaining one of the UK’s most versatile and celebrated actors, Oldman’s undying commitment to British drama is truly deserving of such an award.
Dame Pat Barker
Celebrated author Dame Pat Barker receives a damehood in the 2025 King’s Birthday Honours List for her contributions to literature.
Known for her literary explorations of war, trauma and memory, Barker has written a total of 16 novels throughout her career. Most notably, the final instalment of her Regeneration trilogy, The Ghost Road, won the 1995 Booker Prize, securing Barker’s place as one of the most influential authors of our time.
Sir David Beckham
In his career as a footballer, which spanned 20 years, Sir David Beckham became the face of the sport, an icon for football fans everywhere.
Beyond his legacy in football, Beckham is an ambassador for UNICEF, as well as the King’s Foundation, for which he supports their education programme. His standout career and services to charity have earned Sir David Beckham a knighthood.
Companions of Honour: A Rarity for National Icons
The Order of the Companions of Honour can only ever be awarded to 65 living recipients at any time. This level of the British Honours System is reserved for those who have made truly inspiring, long-standing contributions to our country.
Sir Antony Gormley
Sir Antony Gormley is best known for being the designer and sculptor of the iconic Angel of the North, which is one of the most recognisable pieces of public art ever produced. He’s widely acclaimed for his work, each piece seeking to investigate the relationship between the human body and space.
Becoming a knight in last year’s New Year’s Honours List, Gormley now joins this exclusive order.
Jocelyn Bell Burnell
Trailblazing physicist Jocelyn Bell Burnell was the first person to detect ‘pulsars’ (pulsating radio stars) in 1967, which catalysed research into the space between the stars. This discovery even led to the confirmation of exoplanets and triggered the hunt for gravitational waves.
Her findings revolutionised research into outer space.
However, it wasn’t plain sailing. From being denied her scientific education as a child to being neglected in the award of a Nobel Prize for the discovery of pulsars, Jocelyn Bell Burnell has since worked to include women, ethnic minorities and refugee students in science by setting up a scholarship fund.
Now, she’s being honoured for her life’s work in science and shaping how future generations search for meaning in the night sky.
Recognising the Full Spectrum of Excellence
The 2025 King’s Birthday Honours List is a truly powerful reminder of the diverse and inspirational achievements that shape our country, day-in-day-out.
At Awards Intelligence, we’re proud to support individuals seeking to recognise an outstanding person in their life. If you believe someone you know deserves this level of recognition, we’re here to help you prepare the strongest possible nomination.
Achieving New Heights With Awards Intelligence
Your nomination is a top priority for our team; our dedicated experts go to great lengths to ensure your submission is as compelling as possible. On average, we spend around 20 working days purely on researching and drafting your nomination, so you know that it’ll have the best possible chance of securing a royal honour.
While we cannot guarantee that your nomination will be successful, we do have an industry-leading 2 in 3 success rate (about 65%), and we will re-nominate you for a Royal honour at no extra cost, as many times as necessary.
Get in touch with a member of our team today for a complimentary assessment of your nominee’s chances of success and discover how we can help maximise the impact of your submission.