Livia Giuggioli Firth, ex-wife of actor Colin Firth, has announced that she is returning her MBE (Member of the Order of the British Empire) in protest of former US President Donald Trump’s state visit to the UK. A sustainable fashion campaigner, Livia was awarded the honour in 2019 for her efforts to make the fashion supply chain safer and fairer for garment workers worldwide. She shared a video on Instagram showing herself tearing her certificate and displaying the medal, citing her objection to what she called a “cowardly display” by the British Royal family during Trump’s visit.
While she expressed deep respect for King Charles and his environmental and social justice advocacy, Livia said she could not reconcile the way Trump was “appeased, honoured, and legitimized” through ceremonial pomp, including a royal banquet at Windsor Castle. She emphasized that her acceptance of the MBE had always been on behalf of garment worker activists who had supported her work, but the recent display went against the principles she values.
Livia’s act has sparked conversation about the intersection of activism, symbolic honours, and the monarchy, highlighting her stance against Trump’s policies and the perceived legitimization he received from the British Royal family. She described the visit as “poisonous rhetoric” and a troubling example of appeasement that conflicts with the values she associates with King Charles and her advocacy work.
