London-born film star, Sir Gary Oldman 67, was recognised for his services to drama in the King’s Birthday Honours after playing a range of figures including prime minister Sir Winston Churchill and Sex Pistols hellraiser Sid Vicious
12:18, 30 Sep 2025Updated 13:25, 30 Sep 2025
Sir Gary Oldman, Actor, is made a Knight Bachelor by the Prince of Wales at Windsor Castle. (Image: PA)
Oscar-winning actor Sir Gary Oldman has received a knighthood at Windsor Castle from Prince William.
The London-born film star, 67, was recognised for his services to drama in the King’s Birthday Honours. Oldman has played a range of figures in his long career from former prime minister Sir Winston Churchill to Sex Pistols member Sid Vicious.
One of his more recent and most recognisable roles is as veteran MI5 agent Jackson Lamb in Apple TV’s Slow Horses, based on the Slough House book series by British writer Mick Herron.
In the early 1990s he played Lee Harvey Oswald, alleged assassin of US President John F Kennedy, in 1991’s JFK and the titular vampire in Bram Stoker’s Dracula in 1992. Across the Noughties and into the 2010s he appeared in some of the Harry Potter films as Harry’s godfather, Sirius Black, and also starred as Gotham City Police lieutenant Jim Gordon in Batman Begins (2005), The Dark Knight (2008) and The Dark Knight Rises (2012).
Sir Gary Oldman, receives the Honour of Knighthood, for services to Drama(Image: Tony Kershaw / SWNS)
Prince William chatted to the film star ahead of the honour(Image: PA)
He was lauded for his performance as George Smiley in 2011 film Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, which saw him earn Bafta and Oscar nods.
He was unable to secure the leading actor gongs, however, until his role in The Darkest Hour which saw him sweep the 2018 awards season, winning an Academy Award, Bafta and more.
Gary was turned down by the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (Rada), but gained a place studying acting at the Rose Bruford College, which he graduated from in 1979. He became a member of the Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC), starring in productions that included 1985’s Abel And Cain at London’s Almeida Theatre and first came to public attention in films including Remembrance (1982) and Sid And Nancy (1986), which saw him play the notorious punk rock star.
Sir Gary has three sons, Alfie whom he shares with ex-wife Lesley Manville, and Gulliver and Charlie, whose mother is his former wife Donya Fiorentino.
Gary Oldman as Sirius Black in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban(Image: Press Association)
The actor, whose sister is former EastEnders actress Laila Morse, has been married to Gisele Schmidt since 2017 and was previously married to Hollywood actress Uma Thurman and singer Alexandra Edenborough.
Speaking to Deadline earlier this year, Sir Gary said when he got the letter his thoughts soon turned to his late mother, Kathleen, who died at 99, three months after he received his Oscar.
“She was 99, and she was of that generation where, years ago, I remember her talking about getting the letter from the Queen when you reached a hundred,” he said. “And it was a thing that once you started to get up there in age, it was a thing that generation used to talk about. And my mum wanted that letter from the Queen.
“But yeah, I thought about her because I think she would’ve been absolutely chuffed with this. But in terms of just really processing it, I haven’t had a minute really,” he said.
The actor also described the honour as “mind-boggling.”
“I’m gobsmacked,” he said.
Also among the personalities to be honoured on Tuesday are Bafta-winning actress Samantha Morton and 2022 Euro-winning Lioness Rachel Daly. Morton, 48, known for her roles in Longford and The Serpent Queen, will be made an OBE for services to drama and to charity.
Daly, one of the stars of the England women’s football team which won the European Championship on home soil in 2022, will be made an MBE for services to association football. The Harrogate-born star, 33, plays for Aston Villa in the Women’s Super League but retired from international football last year.
EastEnders star Laila Morse smiles for a picture with her arm around her actor brother Gary Oldman(Image: X/LailaMorseUK)
Earlier this year, Gary’s hit series Slow Horses was greenlighted for a seventh season. The Apple TV+ spy drama sees the actor playing British intelligence officer Jackson Lamb.
The show premiered in 2022 with Sir Gary starring alongside Jack Lowden as agent River Cartwright and Dame Kristin Scott Thomas as Diana Taverner.
The film star was seen bowing before Prince William(Image: PA)
Gary Oldman attends a special screening for the new series of Slow Horses days before his visit to the palace(Image: Dave Benett/Getty Images for App)
The Two Popes star Sir Jonathan Pryce also appeared in the series as recurring character, retired British senior intelligence official David Cartwright. The award-winning series won a Bafta in 2024 for Outstanding Writing For A Drama Series while Sir Gary was recognised with Golden Globe, Emmy and Bafta nominations for his portrayal of Lamb.