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FROM Alexandra Palace to the Royal Palaces, what an extraordinary ride it has been for Luke Littler.

Two years ago, he was just a normal, kebab-eating kid from Warrington who dreamt of one day making money from darts.

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Luke Littler has risen to the top of darts in a rapid rise[/caption]

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He became world champion in January[/caption]

What has happened since is one of the most sensational stories in British sport.

A shock World Championship final run in 2024, turning pro, taking the oche by storm, global popularity, the 2025 world title at just 17 and more than £2million in prize money and sponsorship.

Littler has even had novelty kebabs named in his honour.

And now he will go, by royal appointment, to collect an MBE as part of the King’s Birthday Honours list.

It is not often Littler swaps his darts shirts for a suit but, at 18 years old, he is one of the youngest people to be bestowed a gong by the Royal Family.

Littler’s ranking rival and England World Cup team-mate Luke Humphries, 30, is also set to receive an MBE.

They are two of only eight darts stars to have been acknowledged for their exploits.

The late Eric Bristow, John Lowe, Trina Gulliver, Fallon Sherrock, and Keith Deller are the other tungsten members of the British Empire.

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Sixteen-time world champ Phil Taylor had been set to receive an MBE in 2001.

But his nomination was annulled after a controversial court case saw him found guilty of assaulting two female fans in the back of his camper van and fined £2,000.

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Luke has a deal with boohooMAN[/caption]

Barry Hearn, the promotion mastermind behind darts’ global rise, got an MBE in December 2021 and pins it to his cricket bat when he plays for Essex over-70s.

And Deta Hedman is set to receive an OBE, having won world ranking titles in each of the five previous decades.

Honours committees have tended to be snobbish towards working-class sports like darts and snooker.

But with Littler’s five major titles, added to eight for Humphries — and two PDC world crowns between them — there is no denying their incredible impact.

Particularly Littler. Grown men wear his shirts, emblazoned with his nickname The Nuke, while magnetic dartboards with his face on them sold out.

As an amateur, he reached the Ally Pally world final — aged 16 — losing to world No .1 Humphries.

Littler’s rookie season was one of sport’s most incredible debut years, seeing him voted second behind Olympic 800 metres champion Keely Hodgkinson in BBC Sports Personality of the Year.

Littler has been a credit to the sport, constantly polite and co-operative with the press, the PDC and their sponsors.

This kid from humble stock — his dad was a taxi driver, his mum worked in a Yankee Candle shop — now joins the establishment.

Who knows, maybe one day he will work his way all the way up to a knighthood?

Sir Luke Littler? That really does hit the bullseye.

DARTS world champion Luke “The Nuke” Littler has been made an MBE in the King’s Birthday Honours. 

The kebab-loving arrows ace became the youngest world champion at 17 years and 347 days earlier this year. 

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Darts world champion Luke ‘The Nuke’ Littler has been made an MBE in the King’s Birthday Honours at just 17 years of age[/caption]

He has raised the sport’s profile with millions of youngsters. 

Slow Horses star Gary Oldman, 67, is given a knighthood recognising his incredible career in TV and films.  

Here’s how the awards were divided up among the wider spectrum of British life, from sport to showbiz and business…

SPORT 

Darts champs given MBEs

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Luke became the youngest world champion at 17 years and 347 days in January[/caption]

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Fellow darts champ Luke Humphries, 30, has also bagged an MBE[/caption]

DARTS is celebrating a double top in the King’s Birthday Honours after world champion Luke Littler and Humphries become MBEs. 

The arrows aces — more used to Ally Pally than Buckingham Palace — have massively boosted the sport’s profile. 

Kebab fan Luke “The Nuke” Littler, 18, became the youngest world champion at 17 years and 347 days in January.

Humphries, 30, pipped him in the 2024 PDC final. 

Deta Hedman, the first black woman to play at the worlds in 2020 and who has won titles in each of the past five decades, is an OBE. 

Last week The Sun revealed David Beckham had been awarded a knighthood after years of waiting. In a statement yesterday he called the honour “truly humbling”. 

He said: “It’ll take a while to sink in but I’m immensely proud and it’s such an emotional moment for me to share with my family.” 

Billy Boston, 90, is the first rugby league player to receive a knighthood in its 130 years. 

Wimbledon champ Virginia Wade is made a CBE. 

Two-time Olympic triathlon gold medallist Alistair Brownlee is made an OBE. 

Rachel Daly, part of the Euro 2022-winning Lionesses is made an MBE.

The Aston Villa star said: “This award is for everyone who has supported me.” 

In cricket, England pace bowler Devon Malcolm becomes an OBE.

Wicketkeeper Steven Davies has been made an MBE, as has bowler David Lawrence, who took 625 wickets for Gloucestershire. 

Monica Vaughan, ten-time Paralympic swimming gold medallist, becomes an OBE. 

Andy Lapthorne, a 17-time grand slam champion in wheelchair tennis, is an MBE. 

The same honour goes to boxer Natasha Jonas, motorcyclist Michael Dunlop, golfer Trish Johnson and gymnastics commentator Christine Still. 

PM Sir Keir Starmer said: “Each recipient reflects the very best of Britain. I extend my heartfelt congratulations and gratitude to them all.” 

• By Julia Atherley 

SHOWBIZ & CHARITY 

It’s Knight service for Sir Gary

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Strictly hosts Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman — favourites of Queen Camilla — get MBEs[/caption]

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Slow Horses star Gary Oldman, who plays sharp-minded spymaster Jackson Lamb, is knighted[/caption]

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Love Island’s Georgia Harrison is made an MBE for her fight against violence to women — after ex Stephen Bear was jailed for revenge porn[/caption]

ACTOR Gary Oldman who plays the shambling but razor-sharp spy boss in Slow Horses is knighted. 

The Londoner, 67, was the only major-category Oscar winner yet to be honoured. 

Strictly hosts Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman — favourites of Queen Camilla — get MBEs. 

Tess said: “This came as the greatest surprise of my life.

“I don’t think I’ve come back down to earth.” 

Claudia, who also fronts The Traitors, added: “I will celebrate with Tess by doing a paso doble.” 

The Who rocker Roger Daltrey is knighted for work with the Teenage Cancer Trust. 

Love Island’s Georgia Harrison gets an MBE for campaigning on tackling violence against women. Her ex Stephen Bear was jailed for sharing a sex tape. 

West End star Elaine Paige and novelist Pat Barker have been given damehoods. 

Actresses Anita Dobson and Samantha Morton get OBEs. 

Angel of the North sculptor Sir Antony Gormley is a Companion of Honour. 

Three family members receive British Empire Medals for Calum’s Cabin, a charity which provides holiday homes for children facing cancer.

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Duncan Caroline and Jenna Speirs, from Bute, Scotland, said the idea was started by Calum, Jenna’s twin, who had an inoperable brain tumour at 12 and died in 2006. 

Jenna said: “Calum spoke to children who’d never seen the sea, or been on a ferry. 

“It’s special for us to be honoured together.” 

Alison Magdin and daughter Carly Barrett who have fought to end knife crime in the North East, following the death of their daughter and sister Samantha, get MBEs. 

The youngest Honours recipient is 11-year-old Carmela Chillery-Watson MBE, who fundraises despite a life-limiting muscle-wasting condition. 

• By Julia Atherley

WAR HERO 

Arnhem survivor Geoff, 99, bags accolade

Arthur Edwards / The Sun

War hero Geoff Roberts, 99, who survived the ill-fated Battle of Arnhem in 1944, is made an MBE after decades of returning to honour fallen comrades[/caption]

A SURVIVOR of doomed Operation Market Garden in World War Two has been made an MBE. 

Geoff Roberts, 99, has returned more than 60 times to Arnhem in the Netherlands to mark the battle in 1944 where more than 1,700 Brits died. 

Every time, he has visited the graves of his two best pals who took part in the nine-day airborne invasion immortalised in the film A Bridge Too Far. 

He was the only survivor last year from the 3,500 who took part who was fit enough to return. 

Geoff, a Private in the King’s Own Scottish Borderers, said: “We failed, and the people of Arnhem paid a heavy price for us trying to liberate them — but they’re still thanking us after all this time.” 

Geoff, of Peterborough, received his gong for services to the commemoration of the Battle of Arnhem and to charity. 

• By Mike Ridley

POLITICS

Borders boss gets rewarded 

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BORDER Force’s boss is getting a gong — despite a record number of small boat migrants arriving this year so far. 

Director general Philip Douglas becomes a Companion of the Order of the Bath (CB), given to the military and civil service figures. 

The honours also include a damehood for former MP and Leader of the House of Commons Penny Mordaunt, who had a key role in the King’s coronation when she presented the Sword of State to the monarch.

The former Defence Secretary said it was “lovely to be appreciated in this way”. 

• By Julia Atherley

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