King's Birthday Honours Name Sinfield Knight, Donaldson and Blackman Dames

Rugby league player Kevin Sinfield is knighted in the King's Birthday Honours for raising more than £11 million for motor neurone disease charities. Children's authors Julia Donaldson and Malorie Blackman are made dames for services to literature. Sinfield scored the most points in Super League history and began fundraising after teammate Rob Burrow was diagnosed with MND in 2019.

In 2023 he pushed Burrow in a wheelchair during a marathon and carried him over the finish line. Burrow died in 2024. "I am deeply honoured and grateful to receive this award on behalf of the rugby and MND communities," Sinfield said.

A third Gruffalo instalment is due in September. Malorie Blackman, who has written more than 70 books including the Noughts & Crosses series, is also made a dame. Several players from the England team that won Euro 2025 receive MBEs.

Chloe Kelly, who scored the winning penalty, is appointed an MBE along with Michelle Agyemang, Jess Carter, Hannah Hampton, Lauren James and Alessia Russo. At 20, Agyemang is the youngest recipient among nearly 1,200 people honoured. Actress Dame Helen Mirren and photojournalist Sir Don McCullin are made Companions of Honour.

There are only 65 Companions of Honour at any one time. Charlotte Tilbury is made a CBE. Deborah Lewis and Constance McCready are appointed MBEs for founding Covid-19 Families UK and Covid-19 Families Scotland.

Peter Lord and David Sproxton, founders of Aardman Animations in 1972, are knighted. The studio produced the first Wallace & Gromit short film A Grand Day Out in 1989. "We both feel it is an extraordinary privilege and an honour - as well as a complete and utter surprise - to be recognised in this way," they said.