Despite historic successes in 2025, Rory McIlroy is absent from the New Year’s Honours List due to an HMRC tax inquiry blocking his knighthood.
Northern Irish golfer Rory McIlroy was considered a favorite for a knighthood from King Charles III alongside Tommy Fleetwood and Ryder Cup captain Luke Donald, also from England. However, all three golfers were left out this year. In 2025, McIlroy completed his career Grand Slam by winning the Masters, a first for any European. He also shone at the 2025 Ryder Cup, helping Team Europe secure their first away victory since 2012 at Bethpage State Park near New York City.
Still, 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 reportedly intervened, similar to the case of footballer David Beckham, who also had to wait years for knighthood due to tax scrutiny.
Did Rory McIlroy Avoid Taxes Intentionally?
McIlroy, recently named BBC Sports Personality of the Year, was involved in urban renewal projects in Liverpool, Birmingham, and Sheffield in 2013, which were initially considered legal tax relief schemes. However, HMRC later classified these projects as tax avoidance and is currently investigating whether the ‘Business Premises Renovation Allowance’ scheme was exploited to deliberately evade taxes. There is currently no evidence that McIlroy purposely attempted to avoid paying taxes.
Since HMRC has a say in knighthood decisions, such suspicions or ongoing reviews can lead to denial of the honor. Neither McIlroy nor the British government has commented on the matter to date.