Every New Year’s Eve, the “New Year Honors” list is revealed by Buckingham Palace. While the monarch passes out honors throughout the year to mark achievements or certain events, the New Year Honors are considered very special in the UK. This year, David Beckham was once again snubbed. It’s especially hilarious because Beckham has been doing the MOST to suck up to the Windsors for several years now. So who was honored? Carey Mulligan, Stephen Fry and the king’s apothecary. A real job!
Carey Mulligan, Stephen Fry, Sarah Lancashire and others have made the cut for King Charles’ 2025 New Year Honors list. Honors are typically given out at the new year and at the monarch’s official birthday, celebrated each June, and celebrate contributions of well-known personalities, government officials and even everyday people who have served their respective communities in an extraordinary way.
Among those recognized on this year’s New Year Honors list are two doctors believed to have been a part of the King’s medical team as he navigated cancer this year — the type and stage of which remains unknown to the public. The King, 76, has given honors to Dr. Douglas Glass and Professor Richard Leach this year. Per Hello!, Dr. Glass is the King’s apothecary and also served as Queen Elizabeth’s apothecary as well — and “was the medical professional in attendance at Balmoral when she died,” the outlet reported.
Professor Leach is a consultant physician at the private King Edward VIII’s Hospital in London, “where members of the royal family have been treated for decades,” according to the outlet. “It’s not uncommon for doctors of the royal family to receive personal recognition,” the outlet continued, citing the late Queen’s decision to knight her Head of the Medical Household, Sir Huw Thomas, in 2021.
Mulligan and Lancashire have both been named a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE), and Lancashire called the recognition an “unexpected delight,” according to Hello!. For his part, Fry said he felt “startled and enchanted” after receiving a knighthood for his services to mental health awareness and the environment.
Other notable names given honors this iteration include Gareth Southgate, former manager of England’s national football team, and London mayor Sadiq Khan, who were both knighted in the New Year Honors. Sadiq — who has served as London’s mayor since 2016 — said he was “truly humbled” to receive the honor.
I’ve never thought of Carey Mulligan as any kind of royalist, and she’s avoided almost all royal events and royal-adjacent events. It’s possible that her CBE is more about her actual career and her talent. She’s one of Britain’s best actresses, so I wouldn’t be surprised. I also find it odd that Charles has now repeatedly gone out of his way to recognize and publicly thank his doctors, all while there’s still so much mystery around the Princess of Wales’s health issues and treatment. Kate has never thanked any member of her medical team by name.
Also, the Mail had this very interesting story about how many people have rejected honors. Apparently, since Charles became king, “more than 120 people have turned down a knighthood, damehood, MBE, OBE or other awards in recognition of their achievements in public life.” Not only that, but “2024 marked the second-highest number of rejections in 15 years.” LMAO. Some of this is not even Charles’s fault – as Boris Johnson was exiting 10 Downing Street, he gave honors to every unhinged Tory of his acquaintance. Johnson cheapened the honors system just as much as Charles did. Plus, people just don’t give a sh-t about honors anymore. Except for David Beckham.
Photos courtesy of Avalon Red.