Despite historic achievements in 2025, Rory McIlroy is not on the New Year’s Honours List. A HMRC tax review is said to be blocking his knighthood for now.
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, both 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 shined at the 2025 Ryder Cup, leading Team Europe to their first away victory since 2012 at Bethpage State Park near the “Big Apple.”
Nevertheless, McIlroy’s name was not 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 from the UK Telegraph, HMRC intervened, similar to the case with footballer David Beckham, who also had to wait several years for his knighthood.
Did Rory McIlroy Intentionally Avoid Taxes?
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 regarded by authorities as legitimate tax reliefs. Later, HMRC reassessed these projects, considering them tax avoidance schemes and is currently investigating if the so-called “Business Premises Renovation Allowance” program was exploited to deliberately evade taxes. So far, there is no evidence that McIlroy intentionally sought to avoid paying taxes.
Since HMRC plays a role in approving knighthoods, any suspicion or ongoing review can lead to rejection. Neither McIlroy nor the British government have commented on the matter to date.