Arise Sir Gary! Beaming Gary Oldman receives knighthood at Windsor Castle from Prince William

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.

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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).

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.

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.

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.

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 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.