Photo: Twitter / Lewis Hamilton
The years of speculation on why Formula One champion Lewis Hamilton has constantly been overlooked for knighthood will soon be over. He will be a “Sir” in the New Year, according to the latest.
After last weekend’s win at the 2020 Turkish Grand Prix, which secured his seventh world title, speculation on whether Hamilton would finally be knighted started picking up speed again. Several high-profile figures, politicians and sportsmen alike, started effectively campaigning for him, urging the British government to consider an upgrade on his MBE of 12 years ago.
To non-Brits, a title like “Sir” or “Dame” might not mean much, but knight- and damehood are the highest distinctions a civilian can get in the UK. With Hamilton officially the most accomplished athlete in the history of Formula One and his activism on a wide range of topics, knighthood should come as a given.
And it will come, The Sun reports. According to the tab, Hamilton “is to be given the gong after his controversial tax affairs were deemed ‘all in order’” by the Government’s Honors Committee. That’s the committee that decides who gets these honorary titles that are then signed off by the Queen.
“He is paying the right amount of tax – all that is due,” an unnamed but reportedly high-profile sports figure tells the publication. “He has been put forward by industry bosses in recognition of his enormous contribution to the sport.”
The “controversial” tax affairs mentioned above refer to Hamilton’s decision to register his former private jet in the Isle of Man to save an estimated £3.3 million in taxes and becoming a citizen of Monaco for the same reason. That said, Hamilton is still paying taxes in the UK, but only for a fraction of his revenue. He is still, according to HMRC’s UK income Tax Liabilities Statistics for 2019, one of the highest 5,000 taxpayers in the country.
To non-Brits, a title like “Sir” or “Dame” might not mean much, but knight- and damehood are the highest distinctions a civilian can get in the UK. With Hamilton officially the most accomplished athlete in the history of Formula One and his activism on a wide range of topics, knighthood should come as a given.
And it will come, The Sun reports. According to the tab, Hamilton “is to be given the gong after his controversial tax affairs were deemed ‘all in order’” by the Government’s Honors Committee. That’s the committee that decides who gets these honorary titles that are then signed off by the Queen.
“He is paying the right amount of tax – all that is due,” an unnamed but reportedly high-profile sports figure tells the publication. “He has been put forward by industry bosses in recognition of his enormous contribution to the sport.”
The “controversial” tax affairs mentioned above refer to Hamilton’s decision to register his former private jet in the Isle of Man to save an estimated £3.3 million in taxes and becoming a citizen of Monaco for the same reason. That said, Hamilton is still paying taxes in the UK, but only for a fraction of his revenue. He is still, according to HMRC’s UK income Tax Liabilities Statistics for 2019, one of the highest 5,000 taxpayers in the country.
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