Hamnet author Maggie O’Farrell explains why she turned down an OBE

Oscar-winning author Maggie O’Farrell has shared the reasons why she refused an OBE, as she found it impossible to connect the award with her morals and the empire associations. The 54-year-old novelist whose bestselling 2020 novel Hamnet has been made into an Oscar-nominated film by Jessie Buckley and Paul Mescal was quite frank about this during the promotion of her latest work.

Maggie O’Farrell rejects OBE over British Empire colonial links

Raised in Ireland only to move on to Wales and Scotland, Maggie clarified how she simply did not want any of the British Empire associated with her. Also, she did not appreciate the awards system that continues to celebrate Charles Trevelyan. Charles was a colonial administrator of the Victorian Era who was knighted following his infamous proclamation of the Irish Famine being an ‘act of God’. Maggie has made it clear she harbors no ill will towards anyone accepting such honours, but she herself could not accept them.