Despite historic successes in 2025, Rory McIlroy is not on the New Year’s Honours List. An HMRC review is said to be blocking his knighthood temporarily.
North Irish golfer Rory McIlroy was considered a favorite for a knighthood by King Charles III alongside Tommy Fleetwood and Ryder Cup captain Luke Donald, who also hails from England. However, all three golfers were left out this year. In 2025, McIlroy completed his career Grand Slam by winning the Masters, becoming the first European to do so. At the 2025 Ryder Cup, the 36-year-old also shone with Team Europe, securing the first away win since 2012 at Bethpage State Park in the New York area known as the ‘Big Apple’.
Nevertheless, McIlroy’s name did not appear among the 1,157 honorees on the New Year’s Honours List, which is first reviewed by the Cabinet Office and then by His Majesty’s Revenue and Customs (HMRC) before being submitted to the Prime Minister and the monarch. According to a report by the British Telegraph, HMRC reportedly intervened, similar to the past case of footballer David Beckham, who also had to wait several years for his knighthood.
Did Rory McIlroy Intentionally Avoid Tax Payments?
Recently named BBC Sports Personality of the Year, Rory McIlroy was involved in urban regeneration projects in Liverpool, Birmingham, and Sheffield in 2013. These projects were considered legal tax reliefs and were initially classified as such by authorities. Later, HMRC decided that these projects amounted to tax avoidance and is currently investigating whether they exploited the ‘Business Premises Renovation Allowance’ scheme to deliberately avoid tax payments. However, there is currently no evidence that McIlroy intended to evade taxes.
Since HMRC plays a role in decisions regarding knighthoods, such a suspicion or ongoing investigation can lead to rejection. Neither the Northern Irish player nor the British government has commented on the matter so far.