In the United Kingdom, the monarch can appoint someone as an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) or a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in recognition of notable achievements or long-standing service.
An OBE is typically awarded to individuals who have played a significant role either locally or nationally, while an MBE usually recognises people who have dedicated years of service to their communities and made a lasting impact.
However, receiving such an honour does not mean the recipient is free from scrutiny afterward.
According to Gov UK: “Both we and the wider community expect recipients of honours to be, and to remain, good citizens and role models.”
If a recipient fails to meet those expectations, the honour can be taken away. This month alone, King Charles has removed honours from nine people.
Reasons an honour can be withdrawn
There are several situations in which a national honour may be forfeited.
Gov UK explains: “This might include being found guilty of a criminal offence, behaviour which results in censure by a regulatory or a professional body, or any other behaviour that is deemed to bring the honours system into disrepute.”
When reviewing whether an honour should be revoked, authorities typically consider four main criteria. These include whether the individual:
- “has been found guilty by the courts of a criminal offence and sentenced to a term of imprisonment of more than three months
- has been censured or struck off by the relevant regulatory authority or professional body, for actions or failures to act, especially which are directly relevant to the granting of the honour
- has been found guilty by the courts of a criminal offence covered by the Sexual Offences Act 2003 (England and Wales), Sexual Offences Order 2008 (Northern Ireland) or Sexual Offences Act 2009 (Scotland);
- has been found to have committed a sexual act which is listed in the Acts above following a ‘trial of the facts’.”
Even so, the process is not limited to these specific conditions. Any case may be reviewed if there is evidence suggesting that allowing someone to keep the honour could damage the reputation of the honours system.
In some cases, the honour can even be revoked due to events that occurred before the award was originally granted.
“For example, a past criminal conviction, even if spent,” Gov UK adds.
