By Rebecca Taylor, news reporter

For some, it’s the icing on the cake, the pinnacle of their career, and a chance to be patriotic.

But every year, some celebrities and public figures turn down their New Year and birthday honours from the Queen, choosing to avoid the pomp and ceremony of a royal mention.

David Bowie

The singer turned down an honour twice, once for a CBE in 2000 and again in 2003 when he was to be awarded a knighthood.

He told The Sun: “I would never have any intention of accepting anything like that.

“I seriously don’t know what it’s for. It’s not what I spent my life working for. It’s not my place to make a judgement on Jagger, it’s his decision. But it’s just not for me.”

Bowie declined to discuss whether or not he was anti-monarchy, as he was living in the US at the time. He died there in 2016.

Danny Boyle

The director reportedly turned one down after his opening ceremony in the London 2012 Olympic Games.

He told Radio 4: “I’m very proud to be an equal citizen, and I think that’s what the opening ceremony was actually about.”

Dawn French and Jennifer Saunders

The comedy duo refused OBEs for services to comedy drama in 2001.

Saunders said: “If I felt I deserved a Damehood I’d accept it.

“At the time, we felt that we were being paid very well to have a lot of fun. It didn’t seem right somehow.

“We didn’t deserve a pat on the back. It felt a bit fake to stand alongside people who devoted their lives to truly worthy causes.”

John Cleese

The Monty Python actor has turned down a number of offers, including one of a peerage by the late Paddy Ashdown.

He first said no to a CBE in 1996, calling them “silly”, and three years later told Mr Ashdown that staying in England during the winter was “too much of a price to pay” to sit in the Lords.

He told The Sunday Telegraph it had been offered “not because I was such a wonderful human being, and because I’d helped them [Lib Dems] a lot”.

LS Lowry

The painter is believed to hold the record for the most refusals. He is said to have turned down five awards, including a knighthood, CBE and OBE.

He did accept an honorary masters of arts degree and a doctor of letters from the University of Manchester and was given freedom of the city of Salford.

His close friend Harold Riley later revealed that Lowry was a private and guarded person who would not have wanted to change his name, which contributed to his decision not to accept the honours.

Benjamin Zephaniah

The poet turned down an OBE in 2003, writing: “Benjamin Zephaniah OBE – no way Mr Blair, no way Mrs Queen. I am profoundly anti-empire.”

He launched a scathing attack on the offer, saying he had begged Tony Blair to meet him to discuss crime in Britain and telling the Queen to stop “going on about the empire”.

Nigella Lawson

The chef and former journalist turned down the offer of an OBE in 2001. She said: “I’m not saving lives and I’m not doing anything other than something I absolutely love.”

Ken Loach

The director turned down an OBE in 1977.

He said: “It’s all the things I think are despicable: patronage, deferring to the monarchy and the name of the British Empire, which is a monument of exploitation and conquest.

“I turned down the OBE because it’s not a club you want to join when you look at the villains who’ve got it.”

Howard Gayle

Liverpool’s first black footballer turned down an MBE in 2016.

He was nominated for his work with Show Racism A Red Card, but turned it down because “my ancestors would be turning in their graves after how empire and colonialism had enslaved them”.

And one who sent it back…

John Lennon

The Beatle accepted his MBE but returned it in 1969 in protest at Britain’s foreign policy.

He wrote a letter which read: “Your Majesty, I am returning this in 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.

“With Love, John Lennon of Bag.”

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