Sweeping reforms being considered by royal officials could see the word “Empire” disappear from British honours.
Under general plans, those recognized with an OBE (Order of the British Empire) could opt to receive a British Order of Excellence. A parallel Order of Elizabeth in memory of the late Queen has also been proposed.
In both cases, the traditional titles of the colonial era would be preserved for those who wanted to accept them.
Any changes to the honors system would fall to Sir Keir Starmer’s government.
A recently updated biography of the King, written by the Mail’s Robert Hardman, quotes a senior Palace official as saying: “Any changes are a matter for the government, but I think you’ll find this place is quite open to the idea.”
King Charles and Queen Camilla on a visit to Samoa. A new biography of the king has revealed plans to remove the word “empire” from British honours.
Ian Wright being appointed OBE by the Prince of Wales at Buckingham Palace
Davina McCall being appointed MBE by the Princess Royal at Buckingham Palace
Australians waving union flags with King Charles as they wait to greet the monarch and Queen Camilla in Sydney on October 20.
The public greets the King outside Parliament in Canberra.
The move comes amid a growing reassessment of the legacy of the British Empire, with Caribbean countries demanding the UK pay hundreds of billions of pounds in reparations for the slave trade.
Several public figures have rejected honors for their disdain for the word “empire.”
Last year, actor Alan Cumming returned his OBE saying he had “misgivings about being associated with the toxicity of empire” and poet Benjamin Zephaniah, whose parents came from the Caribbean, rejected an OBE in 2003, saying: “I get angry when I hear that word “empire”. It reminds me of slavery.’
The proposal is revealed in an updated biography of the King by acclaimed royal writer Robert Hardman, which will be serialized in the Daily Mail and The Mail on Sunday.
The bombshell has already dropped that Charles cut off Prince Andrew’s allowance and that the late Queen was planning to evict him from Royal Lodge. And today’s extracts reveal that the Princess of Wales has deepened her religious faith since discovering she had cancer.
The landmark biography also claims that Queen Elizabeth was “quite intrigued” by a proposal to change the name of the OBE to the “Order of Great Britain and Elizabeth” and “would not have been opposed to a discussion”.
Asked about the honors proposal last night, a No 10 source said: “We would not discuss any talks with the Palace under any circumstances.”
But Foreign Secretary David Lammy made a number of outspoken comments about British colonialism, including his support for the idea of reparations, before entering Government.
Images from previous royal visits projected onto the Sydney Opera House on October 18
Any alteration to the honors system would fall to Sir Keir Starmer’s government
The reform of the honors would be the first change to the Order of the British Empire since it was created by George V in 1917 to reward contributions to the arts and sciences, charitable and welfare organizations and public service outside the civil service. .
There are five levels, from Knight Grand Cross to Member of the Order (MBE). The OBE is officially an Officer of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire.
The related British Empire Medal would also be reformed under plans now being discussed.
Various Commonwealth nations also make appointments to members of the Order.
Last month, the Prime Minister lost his battle to stop Caribbean nations from using the Commonwealth Heads of Government summit to demand billions in reparations for the British slave trade.
After The Mail on Sunday revealed that they would press the issue, No 10 insisted it was “not on the agenda” for the summit, and continued to do so until the final statement was published in which the leaders agreed that “it has “The time has come.” come’ to debate the issue, more than 200 years after the UK parliament abolished the slave trade.
Campaigners have called for £200bn in reparations, with some demanding many multiples of that sum.
Mr Lammy, who is descended from enslaved people, has described how his ancestors heard “the twisted lies of imperialism when they were stolen from their homes in shackles and turned into slaves”.
Foreign Secretary David Lammy made a number of outspoken comments about British colonialism, including the possibility of Britain paying reparations, before entering government.
A child was among the spectators greeting the King during his visit to the Sydney Opera House on October 22.
He also controversially supported protesters who tore down the statue of slave trader Edward Colston in Bristol and dumped it in the harbor four years ago.
In the wake of the Black Lives Matter protests, dozens of other monuments to traders and colonialists were removed.
The possible rearrangement of honors also comes after the Prime Minister’s controversial decision to hand over the Chagos Islands to Mauritius last month, in a move that has raised fears about the future of British control of other strategic territories, including the Falkland Islands. and Gibraltar.
Reform of the honors system was first suggested by a House of Commons select committee in 2004, in a report titled A Matter of Honour: Reforming our Honors System.
He recommended phasing out the Order of the British Empire, as its title “is now considered unacceptable, being seen as embodying values no longer shared by much of the country’s population.”
The committee suggested changing “Empire” to “Excellence” and changing the rank from Commander (CBE) to Companion, as the former was said to have a “militaristic sound”. However, the MPs’ suggestions were rejected by Tony Blair’s government.
The stars who returned praise to the Empire
These are some of the high-profile figures who rejected or returned their honors because they were uncomfortable with the connotations of the word ‘Empire’:
- Last year, actor Alan Cumming returned his OBE saying he had “misgivings about being associated with the toxicity of the empire” and that “conversations about the role of the monarchy and the way in which the British Empire benefited at the expense ( and death) of indigenous peoples around the world really opened my eyes.
Actor Alan Cumming is among the stars who have returned honours. He handed back his OBE last year after saying he had “misgivings about being associated with the toxicity of the empire”.
- The poet Benjamin Zephaniah turned down an OBE in 2003, saying: “I get angry when I hear that word ’empire.’
- Film director Ken Loach rejected an OBE in 1977, saying: “It’s all the things I think are despicable: patronage, respect for the monarchy and the name of the British Empire, which is a monument to exploitation and conquest. “.
- Author JG Ballard rejected a CBE in 2003, saying: ‘Thousands of medals are awarded in the name of a non-existent empire. It makes us look like a laughing stock and encourages deference to the Crown.
The poet Benjamin Zephaniah, whose parents came from the Caribbean, turned down an OBE in 2003.
- Journalist Yasmin Alibhai-Brown said she had been “stupid” to accept an MBE, which she returned, saying “the honors system sucks”. He called for a better system to “acclaim exceptional citizens for their contribution to the nation, not arrogant political parties or dysfunctional, semi-skilled Windsors.”
- Actor Michael Sheen returned his OBE in 2017, while calling on the Royal Family to abandon the tradition of awarding the title of Prince of Wales to the heir to the English throne.
- John Lennon returned his MBE in 1969, four years after receiving it, citing Britain’s involvement in the Nigerian Civil War, support for the United States’ war in Vietnam, and the fall of Cold Turkey’s Plastic Ono Band from his wife on the lists.