Kevin Sinfield knighted; six Lionesses made MBEs in King's Birthday Honours
The King's Birthday Honours 2026 has been published, recognising more than 1,200 people across the UK, with rugby league star Kevin Sinfield receiving a knighthood and children's authors Julia Donaldson and Malorie Blackman made dames. Sinfield, only the second rugby league figure to be knighted after Billy Boston, is honoured for raising over £11 million for motor neurone disease charities following the illness and death of his former teammate Rob Burrow. Six Lionesses from England's Euro 2025-winning squad — including Chloe Kelly, Alessia Russo, and Michelle Agyemang — are appointed MBEs, alongside a wide range of figures from sport, the arts, business, charity, and public service.
The 2026 King's Birthday Honours list recognises 1,182 to over 1,200 people — sources vary slightly — spanning sport, literature, entertainment, business, charity, and public service. Kevin Sinfield, the former Leeds Rhinos and England rugby league captain, receives a knighthood for services to rugby league, rugby union, and the MND community, having raised more than £11 million through endurance challenges inspired by his late friend Rob Burrow. Children's authors Julia Donaldson, best known for The Gruffalo, and Malorie Blackman, author of the Noughts & Crosses series, are made dames for services to literature. Six England women's footballers from the Euro 2025-winning squad — Michelle Agyemang, Jess Carter, Hannah Hampton, Lauren James, Chloe Kelly, and Alessia Russo — are appointed MBEs, with 20-year-old Agyemang the youngest recipient on the list. In the arts, Aardman Animations co-founders Peter Lord and David Sproxton are knighted, while actress Dame Helen Mirren and photojournalist Sir Don McCullin are made Companions of Honour. Other notable recipients include Charlotte Tilbury (CBE), Black Sabbath guitarist Tony Iommi (MBE), actor Dexter Fletcher (OBE), Catatonia singer Cerys Matthews (OBE), and former Arsenal vice-chairman David Dein (OBE). The list also honours campaigners, community volunteers, and public servants, including Chris Mullin, knighted for his role in the release of the wrongly convicted Birmingham Six, and Merope Mills, made a CBE for patient safety work following her daughter's death.
What different sources said
- BBC Top StoriesCenter
King's Birthday Honours list 2026: Kevin Sinfield knighted and six Lionesses made MBEs
Arise, Sir Kevin: Sinfield knighted in king’s birthday honours list
- Wales OnlineCenter
Full list of Welsh people in King's birthday honours list 2026
- BBCCenter
King's Birthday Honours list 2026: Kevin Sinfield knighted and six Lionesses made MBEs
- Manchester Evening NewsCenter
The King's Birthday Honours 2026 list in full
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