Idris Elba has received a knighthood from King Charles in the New Year Honours for his dedication to supporting young people across the UK.
The 53-year-old actor, who portrayed DCI John Luther in the acclaimed BBC crime drama, now holds the title of Sir Idris.
Born in London, the star has built an impressive career spanning television, film and music, but his recognition in this year's honours list stems from his extensive charitable work rather than his on-screen achievements.
Sir Idris has been a prominent voice in the fight against youth violence for some time, establishing the Don't Stop Your Future initiative, which collaborates with grassroots community groups to combat knife crime.
Click here to read the New Year Honours List 2026 in full.
Idris Elba has received a knighthood from King Charles in the New Year Honours for his dedication to supporting young people across the UK.
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Together with his wife Sabrina Dhowre Elba, he created the Elba Hope Foundation, an international charity providing grants to projects centred on education, economic opportunity and entrepreneurship.
Reacting to the honour, Sir Idris said: "I receive this honour on behalf of the many young people whose talent, ambition and resilience has driven the work of the Elba Hope Foundation.
"I hope we can do more to draw attention to the importance of sustained, practical support for young people and to the responsibility we all share to help them find an alternative to violence."
Others recognised in the News Years Honours List include singer Ellie Goulding, who was made an MBE, while in the world of sport, King Charles bestowed seven honours to mark the Lionesses' historic success, with manager Sarina Wiegman receiving an honorary damehood.
Additionally, Harry Potter and Star Wars actor Warwick Davis was made an OBE, while TV house hunter Phil Spencer was made an MBE for his charity work.
The knighthood acknowledges years of advocacy and practical initiatives aimed at tackling youth violence and creating opportunities for the next generation.
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Last year, Sir Idris advocated for an immediate prohibition on machetes and zombie knives, meeting with Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer to establish a new coalition dedicated to tackling knife crime.
The actor also featured in the BBC documentary Idris Elba: Our Knife Crime Crisis, during which he spoke with both the Prime Minister and the King about the issue.
The hour-long programme followed him as he engaged with young offenders, grieving families, youth workers and police officers to explore the reasons behind rising knife crime rates.
A more comprehensive ban on zombie-style knives came into force in September 2024.
Sir Idris himself benefited from The Prince's Trust as a teenager and has maintained close ties with the organisation throughout his career.
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In 2024, Sir Idris's foundation partnered with The Prince's Trust to launch Creative Futures, a programme offering free courses designed to equip young people with skills and confidence for careers in the creative industries.
The initiative targets those not currently in work, education or training, opening pathways into music, theatre and the arts.
Sir Idris himself benefited from The Prince's Trust as a teenager and has maintained close ties with the organisation throughout his career.
Beyond Luther, his acting credits include Stringer Bell in The Wire, Nelson Mandela in Mandela: Long Walk To Freedom, and Heimdall across six Marvel films.
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