Actor Idris Elba was knighted as Sir Idris Elba by England’s King Charles.
The British actor was awarded a knighthood in King Charles’ 2026 New Years’ Honors list.
Idris is recognized for his services through his charitable Elba Hope Foundation, which brings attention to crime, education, and child hunger in the UK and Africa.
“I receive this honor on behalf of the many young people whose talent, ambition, and resilience has driven the work of the Elba Hope Foundation,” he said, according to Sky News.
He added, “I hope we can do more to draw attention to the importance of sustained, practical support for young people and to the responsibility we all share to help them find an alternative to violence.”
Idris and his wife, Sabrina, founded the Elba Hope Foundation together.
Idris, 53, is best known for his role as a dashing drug kingpin in HBO’s critically acclaimed series, The Wire (2003-2008). He also played a charismatic warlord in the Netflix drama Beasts of No Nation (2015).
Idris portrayed Nelson Mandela in Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom (2013) for which he was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for Best Actor.
There are rumors that Idris will be the first Black James Bond. He recently teased fans in a viral TikTok video.
@itsthespotlight Idris Elba has dropped a huge hint that he is the next James Bond as he teased he's taking on the iconic role. The screen star, 53, shared a video from Madame Tussauds on Saturday, where he was seen playfully interacting with the attraction’s wax figures. With the famous Bond theme playing in the background, the camera tracked past several former 007s before settling on Idris at the end of the line. The caption of the TikTok video read: 'Wifey made me do it…' Rumors of Elba playing the legendary character started back in 2019. Read the full story on DailyMail.com ? TikTok/idriselba #jamesbond #bond #idriselba #museum #news ? original sound – The Spotlight
Idris was named in the Time 100 list of the Most Influential People in the World in 2016.
British actress Cynthia Erivo (“Wicked”), was named a Member of the British Empire, or MBE, for her work in music and drama.
In total 1,157 people have been recognized by the Palace, including England’s women’s football and rugby teams.
