Alan Cumming hands back OBE in protest over ‘toxicity of Empire’ 14 years after he received it

Alan Cumming has given back an OBE awarded to him in 2009 after slamming the ‘toxicity’ of the British Empire. 

The Emmy-nominated star handed back the honour he received 14 years ago following the Queen‘s death which he claims ‘really opened [his] eyes’ to the history of the monarchy.

The 58-year-old actor was first honoured on the Queen’s Birthday at Buckingham Palace in 2009 for his ‘activism for equal rights for the gay and lesbian community’. 

Making the Instagram announcement on his birthday, he said: ‘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.

Alan Cumming has given back an OBE given to him in 2009 after slamming the ‘toxicity’ of the British Empire

‘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 (OBE stands for Officer of the British Empire).’

Looking back on his acceptance of the honour, he also emphasised his ‘great gratitude for being given it in the first place’. 

He said: ‘Back then the Defence 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. (Incidentally both these policies were instituted by the Clinton administration). 

The 58-year-old actor was given the award on the Queen’s Birthday at Buckingham Palace in 2009 for his ‘activism for equal rights for the gay and lesbian community’

Making the Instagram announcement on his birthday, Alan Cumming emphasised his ‘great gratitude for being given it in the first place’

‘This is the statement I made at the time:

“I am really shocked and delighted to receive this honour. I am especially happy to be honoured for my activism as much as for my work. 

“The fight for equality for the LGBT community in the US is something I am very passionate about, and I see this honour as encouragement to go on fighting for what I believe is right and for what I take for granted as a UK citizen. 

“Thank you to the Queen and those who make up her Birthday honours list for bringing attention to the inaction of the US government on this issue. It makes me very proud to be British, and galvanised as an American”.’

Cumming is not the first to voice views against the awardance of OBEs based on the history of the British Empire. 

Three years ago, a woman who campaigned to make upskirting illegal turned down an OBE from the Queen on believing the British Empire has ‘deep and unsettling race issues’.

An activist who received a British Empire Medal for their work in Birmingham also handed back their award after being inspired by the Black Lives Matter movement.

Cumming is now presenting The Traitors US on BBC iplayer – a reality TV game of ‘trust and treachery’.

He added: ‘I’m now back to being plain old Alan Cumming again.’