Despite historic 2025 successes, Rory McIlroy is missing from the New Year’s Honours List as a tax review reportedly blocks his knighthood.
North Irish golfer Rory McIlroy was considered a favourite for a knighthood by King Charles III alongside Tommy Fleetwood and Ryder Cup captain Luke Donald from England. However, all three golfers were omitted this year. In 2025, McIlroy completed his career Grand Slam by winning the Masters, becoming the first European to do so. He also shone at the 2025 Ryder Cup, helping Team Europe secure their first away win since 2012 at Bethpage State Park near New York City.
Nonetheless, ‘McIlroy’ was not among the 1157 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 submission to the Prime Minister and monarch. According to a report by the British Telegraph, the HMRC intervened, similar to the case when footballer David Beckham had to wait several years before receiving his knighthood.
Did Rory McIlroy intentionally avoid taxes?
McIlroy, recently named BBC Sports Personality of the Year, was reportedly involved in urban renewal projects in Liverpool, Birmingham, and Sheffield in 2013 that qualified as legal tax relief and were initially recognized as such by authorities. Later, the HMRC ruled these projects as tax avoidance and is currently investigating whether they exploited the ‘Business Premises Renovation Allowance’ programme to deliberately avoid taxes. Currently, there is no evidence McIlroy intended to evade taxes.
Since HMRC has a say in knighthood decisions, such a suspicion or ongoing review can result in rejection. Neither the Northern Irish player nor the UK government has commented on the matter yet.