Good Morning Britain Star Sparks Controversy with New Year Honours Monarchy Rant

Good Morning Britain’s Narinder Kaur has ignited a heated discussion about the monarchy and the New Year Honors list after taking to social media to voice her criticism. The 2024 list includes high-profile names such as Gareth Southgate, Stephen Fry, and Sadiq Khan, all of whom received knighthoods.

Kaur, a regular commentator on the ITV breakfast show, expressed her frustration on X (formerly Twitter), particularly with the knighthood awarded to London Mayor Sadiq Khan. Sharing her thoughts, she said: “Can you imagine the anger from the same people having breakdowns that Sadiq Khan has been given a Knighthood, had he actually REJECTED it?? God I wish he had. I respect all those people who reject an award from the Monarchy”, reported by the Express.

Sadiq Khan, who is serving his third consecutive term as Mayor of London, expressed gratitude for his knighthood. Reflecting on his journey, he said, “I couldn’t have dreamed when growing up on a council estate in south London that I would one day be mayor of London. It’s the honour of my life to serve the city I love.”

Kaur’s comments sparked a mixed reaction online. One follower agreed with her stance, saying: “No politician, particularly active ones, should get royal honours. They are public servants who spend our tax money. Save the knighthoods for people who do good things selflessly.”

However, others defended the honours system and Khan’s decision to accept the award. A critic of Kaur’s post argued, “Rejecting a knighthood doesn’t make you a hero, it just makes you a hypocrite. Sadiq took the honour, you’re just taking a moral high ground that doesn’t exist.” Another commented, “I take it you don’t like the honour system we have had for hundreds of years. Do you think people who do charity work shouldn’t be recognised with high honours?”

The New Year Honours list also recognised several prominent figures across various fields. In the arts, Jacqueline Wilson was appointed a Dame for her contributions to children’s literature, while actor Tom Baker and comedian Stephen Fry were honoured for their services to entertainment and mental health awareness, respectively. Fry described his knighthood as “startled and enchanted.”

Former England football manager Gareth Southgate, who resigned in the summer, was knighted for leading England to two consecutive European Championship finals. Reacting to the honour, Southgate expressed pride in his team’s achievements.

Kaur’s outspoken critique has reignited debates over the relevance of the honours system and its connection to the monarchy, highlighting diverse opinions on tradition and merit.