Despite historic successes in 2025, Rory McIlroy is not on the New Year’s Honours List. An HMRC review is likely blocking his knighthood.
North Irish golfer Rory McIlroy was considered, alongside Tommy Fleetwood and Ryder Cup captain Luke Donald from England, a favorite for knighthood by King Charles III. However, all three golfers missed out this year. In 2025, McIlroy completed his career Grand Slam by winning the Masters, becoming the first European ever to do so. He also shone at the 2025 Ryder Cup, helping Team Europe secure their first away victory since 2012 at Bethpage State Park near 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), the UK tax authority, before being submitted to the Prime Minister and monarch. According to a report by the British Telegraph, HMRC intervened, similarly to what happened with footballer David Beckham’s knighthood, who also had to wait several years.
Did Rory McIlroy Deliberately Avoid Tax Payments?
McIlroy, recently named BBC Sports Personality of the Year, was involved in urban regeneration projects in Liverpool, Birmingham, and Sheffield in 2013, previously regarded as legal tax reliefs and accepted by authorities as such. However, HMRC later deemed these projects as tax avoidance and is currently reviewing whether they exploited the so-called “Business Premises Renovation Allowance” to deliberately avoid taxes. Currently, there is no evidence suggesting McIlroy intended to evade tax payments.
As HMRC plays a role in knighthood decisions, such suspicion or ongoing investigations can lead to rejection. Neither the Northern Irish player nor the British government has commented so far.