Dahl, Hitchcock, Freud: UK Reveals Those who Refused Honors From the Queen

Every year in Britain, hundreds of people are awarded an OBE, CBE or knighthood in the New Year or Birthday Honours list. But not everybody is willing to bend their knee and accept an award from the monarchy.

Many have rejected honors publicly from the Queen (including John Lennon and writer JG Ballard, more of which below), but now the UK government has revealed a list of 277 individuals who have privately turned down honors.

The list covers the years 1951 to 1999, and includes household names such as the author Roald Dahl, Narnia writer CS Lewis, novelist Aldous Huxley (Brave New World), legendary director Alfred Hitchcock, and painters such as Lucien Freud and Francis Bacon. The list was made public after a Freedom of Information request was submitted, and only includes those who have died. Writers and painters are highly prevalent in the list.

Previously, such information was never even included in official papers released under the 30-year rule.

JG Ballard labeled the honors system a “preposterous charade,” while John Lennon famously returned his MBE in 1969, along with a note addressed to Queen Elizabeth II that read:

“Your Majesty, I am returning this in protest against Britain’s involvement in the Nigeria-Biafra thing, against our support of America in Vietnam and against Cold Turkey slipping down the charts.”

The BBC reports the British government had been fighting for over a year to keep the list of honors rebels a secret, but eventually lost its battle when ordered to release the information by the Information Commissioner’s Office.