'It's a pantomime where tinsel takes the place of substance'

empire > awards > unwanted
It is indeed consoling to learn that a lierary hero of mine, the unique J.G.Ballard, has turned down the "Commander of the British Empire" award for services to literature. He also pretty much told them where exactly to put it, or - to put it more politely - dismissed the whole delusional circus that is the British monarchy:

"'It goes with the whole system of hereditary privilege and rank, which should be swept away. It uses snobbery and social self-consciousness to guarantee the loyalty of large numbers of citizens who should feel their loyalty is to fellow citizens and the nation as a whole. We are a deeply class-divided society."

It is rare nowadays that heroes of youth withstand the test of time.
Worth reading, if you're interested in such matters, is an - old - Ballard interview about W. Burroughs.