King Charles strips nine people of their honorary titles

King Charles III just stripped nine people of their MBEs and OBEs.

These awards are the prestigious UK honors and are dished out by the monarch himself to recognize significant achievements or services.

For context, the OBE (Officer of the Order of the British Empire) is given to people who have done something special for their region or country, while the MBE (Member of the Order of the British Empire) is awarded to those who have worked hard for their community over a long time and made a big difference.

As you can imagine, the decision to strip someone of this title is not one that's made lightly - it usually only happens to those who have criminal convictions, misconduct, or have been struck off from a regulatory body.

And this month, King Charles has taken the award away from a whopping nine people.

According to the UK's official public record, The Gazette, former Scottish Rugby player Stuart Hogg has had his MBE removed after he pleaded guilty to domestic abuse charges against his then estranged wife Gillian.

Nine people have had their MBEs and OBEs stripped by the King (Karwai Tang/WireImage)

The sportsman had been given an MBE in the 2024 New Year honours for his services to rugby.

However, after pleading guilty to the domestic abuse charge, he was handed a one-year community payback order in January 2025.

And now, his MBE has officially been 'cancelled and annulled'.

The full notice in the Gazette reads: "The King has directed that the appointment of Stuart William Hogg to be a Member of the Civil Division of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, dated 30 December 2023 shall be cancelled and annulled and that his name shall be erased from the Register of the said Order."

Hogg was previously a Glasgow Warriors fullback and had amassed a slew of senior caps for his country, as well as being involved in three British and Irish Lions tours. He now plays with Montpellier.

Also on the list is Cumbrian owl sanctuary owner, Paul Allen Rose, who founded Barrow's Owl Sanctuary.

As reported by News and Star, he was sentenced in May 2024, after pleading guilty to two counts of causing unnecessary suffering to a protected animal and one count of failing to ensure animal welfare, contrary to Section 4 and Section 9 of the Animal Welfare Act 2006.

Among them is former Glasgow Warriors fullback Stuart Hogg (Huw Fairclough/Getty Images)

Full list of people who've had their MBEs and OBE's stripped this month

• Ian Ashbold, received MBE in 2016, stripped due to a Criminal Conviction
• Lloyd Hamilton, received MBE in 2011, stripped due to Criminal conviction
• Angela Middleton, received MBE in 2019, stripped due to bringing the honours system into disrepute
• Nigel O’Connor, received MBE in 2015, stripped due to professional censure
• Tony Reilly, received OBE in 2011, stripped due to professional censure
• Paul Rose, received MBE in 2002, stripped due to Criminal conviction
• Anant Shah, received OBE in 2020, stripped due to bringing the honours system into disrepute
• Graham Trewhella, received MBE in 2010, stripped due to criminal conviction
• Stuart Hogg, received MBE in 2024, stripped due to criminal conviction