Alan Cumming returns major U.K. honor from Queen Elizabeth to protest 'toxicity' of British empire
The shine is off the rose of the British monarchy following the death of Queen Elizabeth II — at least as far as Alan Cumming is concerned. In an Instagram post celebrating his 58th birthday, the actor revealed that he was returning his Order of the British Empire (OBE) honor that the late queen had bestowed upon him back in 2009.
"I was incredibly grateful to receive it in the 2009 Queen's birthday honours list, for it was awarded not just for my job as an actor but 'for activism for equal rights for the gay and lesbian community, USA,'" Cumming wrote on Instagram. "Back then the Defense of Marriage Act ensured that same sex couples couldn't get married or enjoy the same basic legal rights as straight people, and Don't Ask, Don't Tell ensured that openly gay, lesbian or bisexual people were barred from serving in the military."
As an aside, Cumming added, "Incidentally both these policies were instituted by the Clinton administration." One of his most famous TV roles was playing political consultant Eli Gold on The Good Wife, whose protagonist Alicia Florrick (Julianna Margulies) is often seen as a variation of Hillary Clinton.
Nils Jorgensen/Shutterstock Alan Cumming receiving his OBE at Buckingham Palace in 2009.
Given how much LGBTQ+ rights have progressed since 2009, Cumming explained that he no longer regards the honor with the same importance. On top of that, his opinions of the British Empire have also changed.
"The Queen's death and the ensuing conversations about the role of monarchy and especially the way the British Empire profited at the expense (and death) of indigenous peoples across the world really opened my eyes," Cumming said. "Also, thankfully, times and laws in the US have changed, and the great good the award brought to the LGBTQ+ cause back in 2009 is now less potent than the misgivings I have being associated with the toxicity of empire."
Cumming concluded, "So I returned my award, explained my reasons and reiterated my great gratitude for being given it in the first place. I'm now back to being plain old Alan Cumming again."
He's not the only British celebrity who feels this way. In an interview with Seth Meyers after the queen's death last year, John Oliver said he turned down an offer of OBE.
"It's loaded, OBE. The BE part of that is a hell of a thing," Oliver said, gesturing at the same history of empire and oppression that Cumming mentioned. Oliver added that "it probably happens all the time" that people decline the honor.
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