‘King Charles must agree with Donald Trump this time and give iconic Brit a knighthood’ | Golf | Sport

King Charles has been told to stop messing about and offer Rory McIlroy a knighthood. McIlroy enjoyed one of the best years of his golfing career in 2025, winning the Masters for the first time, while helping Team Europe to a historic Ryder Cup win on opposition soil.

The Northern Irishman has carried his strong form over to 2026, becoming just the fourth player – and the first since Tiger Woods – to win back-to-back Masters titles. It is a phenomenal achievement from one of the generation’s best sports stars, with calls for McIlroy’s brilliance to be rewarded with a knighthood.

Former professional golfer Robert Allenby has called on King Charles to name McIlroy on his next list of knighthoods, saying it would be the perfect recognition of his talent. Allenby referenced a recent dinner hosted by Donald Trump, where the President asked McIlroy to stand up to take in the adulation.

The Australian told Casinolyze: “Look, he’s up there with some of the greatest golfers of all time now and I believe that he’s going to contend in the next three majors for sure. There’s no question about it.

“I saw that he was at the dinner with the King earlier in the week. The King’s speech was absolutely amazing and during President Trump’s speech, he acknowledged Rory and asked him to stand up. Everyone applauded him for winning The Masters.

“I think he should be knighted. There’s no reason why he shouldn’t be. You’ve got Sir Nick Faldo, and he also won six Majors. Northern Ireland is part of Great Britain so watch this space.”

It was expected McIlroy would be included in the 2026 New Year Honours List following his stunning 2025 on the golf course, with the 37-year-old’s omission having raised eyebrows. Politicians at Stormont had urged the King to award McIlroy with a knighthood, with the golfer himself having said it would be a ‘huge honour’ to receive the award.

Speaking to Sky Sports at the back end of 2025, he said: “If that were ever to happen it would be an unbelievably massive honour. That’s obviously up to people a lot more powerful and important than me. But, I mean, if it were to happen one day, it would be a very proud moment in my life.”