King Charles confronts Britain’s ‘painful’ slavery history amid rising calls for reparations.The newly appointed leader of the Conservative Party, Kemi Badenoch, is expected to be “deeply sceptical” about proposals to drop the term “empire” from British honours, according to Shadow Culture Secretary Julia Lopez. Reports from the Mail on Sunday indicate that King Charles’ royal officials are considering offering recipients of the OBE (Order of the British Empire) the option to receive an alternative honour, potentially titled the Order of British Excellence.

Another suggestion on the table is the Order of Elizabeth. However, any changes to the system would ultimately require government approval. In light of this, Lopez speculated that Badenoch would likely oppose the move, reflecting her commitment to tradition within the honours framework.In a recent interview on Sky News’ Sunday Morning with Trevor Phillips, Shadow Culture Secretary Lopez emphasized that such a change suggests an implication of shame associated with the empire that is now lead by King Charles — a notion she believes Badenoch does not share. “I don’t think that she’s ever thought that it is,” Lopez stated, highlighting Badenoch’s likely commitment to maintaining the traditional values represented by the honours system.