Starmer awarded France's Legion d'honneur

Sir Keir Starmer has become the first serving UK prime minister to be awarded the Legion d'honneur, France's highest order of merit. The decoration was presented at the French presidential palace following a meeting of the Coalition of the Willing, a group formed by Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron to support Ukraine after Russia's 2022 invasion.

The award highlights a significant shift in European security architecture. By honouring a British leader specifically for his role in continental defence, Paris is signalling the indispensable nature of the UK-France alliance in maintaining regional stability amid ongoing Russian aggression.

Macron praised Starmer's "decency" and expressed gratitude for his "commitments for obviously your country, but the security of Europe, Ukraine, the bilateral relationship".

"I wanted to reiterate my gratitude and the gratitude of the French people, obviously for your years as prime minister," Macron said. "I have to say, all the human qualities that we learn to appreciate, all those remain very important to all of us. We found with you a very reliable and friendly partner."

The event drew other key European leaders, reflecting the diplomatic weight of the moment. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz both expressed their gratitude to Starmer, who is due to leave his post next week.

A contested history

The Legion d'honneur was established by Napoleon Bonaparte in 1802 and has long been a subject of controversy. While it recognises "outstanding merits" for about 2,000 French people and 200 foreign nationals annually, its roll of honour includes divisive figures.

Past recipients range from Winston Churchill, who received the highest rank of Grand Croix for continued "outstanding merit" over time, to Nelson Mandela and former US President Dwight Eisenhower. However, the order has also been bestowed on Russian President Vladimir Putin, Libya's Muammar Gaddafi, and wartime Italy's Benito Mussolini and Spanish dictator Francisco Franco.

Revocations remain exceptionally rare. Former Panamian President Manuel Norriega is the only foreign leader to have been stripped of the award. Under Macron's presidency, Hollywood mogul Harvey Weinstein also had his decoration withdrawn following a series of accusations of sexual harassment and rape.