Why did George Harrison turn down an OBE?

There's a lot of speculation as to why Harrison turned down the offer, but, according to journalist Ray Connolly, a personal acquaintance of The Beatles, Harrison felt insulted by the fact that Paul McCartney had been offered a knighthood in 1997 and he hadn't.
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Did The Beatles refuse the OBE?

The Beatles were all given MBEs in 1965, a move which didn't go down well with the establishment.
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Why did Dawn French decline an OBE?

French and Saunders

Dawn French and Jennifer Saunders pairing turned down OBEs "for services to comedy drama" in 2001. It was only later they explained. Saunders said: “If I felt I deserved a Damehood I'd accept it,” she told Source magazine. “At the time, we felt that we were being paid very well to have a lot of fun.
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Why wasnt George Harrison knighted?

According to correspondence unearthed after Harrison's passing, he also declined to accept an OBE (Officer of the Order of the British Empire) — allegedly because he was insulted by the offer of a station lower than McCartney's knighthood.
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Who turned down an OBE?

Jim Broadbent has opened up about turning down an OBE in a new interview. The 72-year-old actor, who has won multiple awards over his career, told Radio Times he refused the OBE as he felt vanity “didn't suit” him.
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The Best of George Harrison Full Album - Greatest Hits George Harrison



Why did Roald Dahl turn down an OBE?

Dahl turned down an OBE in 1986 because he was holding out for a knighthood, which would have made him 'Sir Dahl' and his wife 'Lady Dahl'. Unfortunately by the time of Dahl's death in 1990 he still hadn't been knighted.
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What does an OBE entitle you to?

What does an OBE entitle you to? The OBE does not bestow any special legal entitlement or power. Recipients are entitled to put the letters OBE after their name and enjoy the prestige and possible raised profile this brings.
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Why did Nigella turn down OBE?

Nigella Lawson

Naturally, as a bastion of British culture, Nigella was offered an OBE (Order of the British Empire) in 2001, but turned it down seemingly out of sheer modesty.
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Why did John Lennon return his OBE?

He wrote: "Your Majesty, "I am returning my MBE as a protest against Britain's involvement in the Nigeria-Biafra thing, against our support of America in Vietnam and against 'Cold Turkey' slipping down the charts.
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Who has rejected knighthood?

Knighthoods, CBEs, OBEs and MBEs: 11 people who have said no over the years
  • David Bowie. David Bowie twice turned down an honour. ...
  • Danny Boyle. Danny Boyle said he turned down a knighthood. ...
  • Dawn French and Jennifer Saunders. ...
  • John Cleese. ...
  • LS Lowry. ...
  • Nigella Lawson. ...
  • George the Poet. ...
  • Benjamin Zephaniah.
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Why did Stephen Hawking decline the knighthood?

Stephen Hawking CH CBE, physicist, reportedly turned down a knighthood because he "does not like titles." Bill Hayden, Governor-General of Australia. Patrick Heron, artist, declined a knighthood allegedly over the education policy of the government in the 1980s.
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What is better MBE or OBE?

Like a CBE, an OBE is an order of the British Empire award. It is the second highest ranking Order of the British Empire award, behind CBE but ahead of MBE. It stands for Officer of the Order of the British Empire (as opposed to Commander for a CBE and Member for an MBE).
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Did skepta turned down an MBE?

Skepta claimed he had turned down an MBE for the 2017 New Year's Honours via a new track, titled "Hypocrisy". In the second verse of Hypocrisy, the grime artist raps: “Just came back from the Ivors/ And look at what we collected/ The MBE got rejected/I'm not trying to be accepted.” The musician rejected a CBE in 2006.
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Is Paul McCartney an OBE?

The music legend is believed to have turned down the OBE (Officer of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire) in 2000, three years after McCartney was knighted in 1997. The Mail on Sunday published details of the snub, after obtaining papers which revealed the Beatles star's rejection.
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Who has refused Queen's Honours?

David Bowie. The late great David Bowie actually turned down two honours. He refused to accept a CBE in 2000 and three years later turned down a knighthood. He said: “I would never have any intention of accepting anything like that.
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Is an OBE a knighthood?

What is an OBE? Standing for Officer of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, an OBE is the second highest ranking Order of the British Empire award (excluding a knighthood/damehood), behind CBE but ahead of MBE.
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Why did Ringo change his name?

How did he get his nickname Ringo Starr and when did he join The Beatles? In the late 1950s, Ringo was playing in various skiffle groups, and he adopted the stage name Ringo Starr. It came from the rings he wore at the time, and also because it gave him a country and western twang.
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Did The Beatles hand back their Mbes?

John Lennon, the Beatle, has returned the MBE he was awarded – as were the other three Beatles – in the Birthday Honours of 1965.
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Why were The Beatles awarded the MBE?

$600. In Early June, 1965, it's announced that The Beatles will be awarded the MBE (Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire). It was the first time that such an award was bestowed upon "pop stars", usually awarded to veterans of war.
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Does an OBE make you a Sir?

While a CBE, OBE and MBE are some of the top ranking honours, only the top two ranks can use the title "Sir" or "Dame". People awarded a GBE, KBE or DBE can use these titles. The very top rank in the Order is a GBE - a Knight or Dame Grand Cross - but these are very rare.
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Who is the youngest knighted person?

The youngest person in modern times to achieve this honour is solo yachting hero Ellen MacArthur, who was made a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 2005, at the age of 28. Andy Murray is the youngest man to receive the same rank when he was made a Knight Bachelor in 2017 at the age of 29.
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When can I wear my OBE medal?

Most awards allow the holder to place post nominal letters after their surname, for example 'KCMG', 'DCMG', 'CMG', 'CBE', 'OBE', 'MBE', 'BEM', 'QPM', 'QFSM' and 'QAM'. These can be used immediately following the announcement.
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How do you address someone with an OBE?

Just because a person has OBE after his name does not automatically mean that he is. If he's not a knight, the envelope should be addressed to "Mr J. Doe, OBE" and the letter should start "Dear Mr Doe".
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Can non British be knighted?

Can non-British citizens get knighted? Yes, but it has its own rules. Notable non-Brits are only eligible for something called “honorary knighthoods”, which allows them to use the post-nominal letters -such as KBE or DBE- but not the tiles of Sir or Dame.
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Can a knighthood be revoked after death?

Despite there being no procedure to posthumously revoke an OBE or knighthood because honours automatically expire when a person dies, the committee said they would consider introducing one due to the severity of his crimes.
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