Overview
- Elba receives a knighthood for services to young people through his Elba Hope Foundation, which focuses on education, youth advocacy and steering young people away from violence.
- Ice dancers Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean are made Dame and Sir for services to ice skating and voluntary service.
- England’s women’s football and rugby teams feature prominently, with an honorary damehood for coach Sarina Wiegman, a CBE for captain Leah Williamson, MBEs for Alex Greenwood, Keira Walsh, Georgia Stanway and Ella Toone, and OBEs/MBEs for Red Roses players including Marlie Packer, Zoe Aldcroft, Ellie Kildunne, Sadia Kabeya and Megan Jones, plus coach John Mitchell.
- Other notable honourees include Meera Syal (dame), writer Roy Clarke (knighthood), Warwick Davis, Richard Osman and Clive Tyldesley (OBEs), Cynthia Erivo and Ellie Goulding (MBEs), Paula Radcliffe (OBE) and former NHS England chief Amanda Pritchard (dame).
- The list notes representation milestones with more than half of CBE-level and above going to women, spans ages from 20-year-old Olympic champion Toby Roberts to 102-year-old community volunteer John Hearn, and will be formally conferred at investitures throughout 2026 after praise from Prime Minister Keir Starmer.