Alan Cumming Returned His OBE To The Palace Because He Doesn’t Want To Be Associated With “The Toxicity Of Empire”
That’s Plain Old Alan Cumming to you, pal! Don’t you dare call him Sir, Dame, Esquire, Baron, Earl, Marquis, Viscount, or Duke while that one is on the throne? Not that Alan’s newly shed designation as an Officer of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, or OBE, entitled him to use any of those titles, but it’s the principle that counts. People reports that as a gift to himself of the occasion of his 58th birthday, Alan returned the title bestowed upon him by THE QUEEN in 2009 in recognition of his work as an actor and advocate for LGBTQ+ rights. Apparently, that OBE doesn’t hit the same when the figurehead of the British Empire is an absolute clown.
It was actually Princess Anne who handed Alan his little metal and certificate that I presume read “Good job, peasant. NOW BOW!” at the investiture ceremony “where a member of the royal family distributes medals in recognition of exemplary service to the U.K. recognized on the monarch’s birthday.” Geez, people. I did not realize Liz was such a fucking birthday princess! Let’s not give the Kardashians any ideas or there’s gonna be a lot of hos running around calling themselves OKKs (Officer of the Most Raddest Order of the Kardashian Klan). People reports:
Alan Cumming is no longer an Officer of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire.
The Scottish actor marked his 58th birthday on Friday by sharing a message on Instagram announcing “something I recently did for myself.”
“I returned my OBE,” he wrote, referring to the British award given to him in 2009 by the late Queen Elizabeth II as part of her birthday honors list. Cumming was honored for his work as an actor as well as his campaigning for LGBTQ+ rights.
Alan says he made the decision to divest from the mess following THE QUEEN’S death and the “ensuing conversations about the role of monarchy,” in particular “the way the British Empire profited at the expense (and death) of indigenous peoples across the world.” See, Prince Harry! It’s OK, you can just say it out loud. God won’t strike you dead because God is dead. Or if he’s not, he’s certainly not hovering over Buckingham Palace trying to save that one. Alan added:
“Also, thankfully, times and laws in the US have changed, and the great good the award brought to the LGBTQ+ cause back in 2009 is now less potent than the misgivings I have being associated with the toxicity of empire (OBE stands for Officer of the British Empire).”
He continued, “So I returned my award, explained my reasons and reiterated my great gratitude for being given it in the first place. I’m now back to being plain old Alan Cumming again. Happy birthday to me!”
Here’s Alan’s denouncement announcement.
Alan’s the second solid dude in recent memory to ship their OBE back to Buckingham Palace with a note that reads, “Take this whatever it is, and shove it!” In 2017 history-minded Welshman Michael Sheen let Lizzie know that even though her son, now King Charles, was the so-called Prince of Wales, that ain’t got nothing to do with the price of tea in Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch. People notes that other famouses who’ve declined the honor include “David Bowie (who turned down two awards: a Commander of the British Empire in 2000 and a knighthood in 2003), film director Danny Boyle (who rejected a knighthood in 2013) and The Chronicles of Narnia author C.S. Lewis (who declined a CBE he was to have been awarded in 1952).” Even John Lennon was like, “No thanks, luv. Me sister says there’s people that are dying.” It really is that easy. Your move, Harry!
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