Former Scotland rugby captain Stuart Hogg has been officially stripped of his MBE following a harrowing domestic abuse conviction. The decision was confirmed on Thursday through a notice in The Gazette, the official public record of the British government.
King Charles III directed that the honor be cancelled and annulled after Hogg pleaded guilty to a five-year campaign of abuse against his estranged wife, Gillian. The court heard disturbing evidence of the abuse, which took place between April 2019 and August 2024.
Hogg admitted to shouting and swearing at his former partner and tracking her movements using a phone app. Prosecutors revealed that the rugby star would frequently berate his wife for not being fun during his drinking binges.
Gillian described the ordeal as years of heartache and pain, often staying upstairs with their four children to shield them from his behavior. In one instance, Hogg sent over 200 text messages in just a few hours, which caused his wife to suffer a massive panic attack.
Hogg also breached bail conditions by repeatedly contacting her despite being prohibited from doing so by the court. The 33-year-old was sentenced to a community payback order with one year of supervision and a five-year non-harassment order in early 2025.
The forfeiture of the MBE comes after significant public and political pressure for the honor to be removed in light of the criminal findings. Hogg made 100 appearances for Scotland and toured with the British and Irish Lions before his retirement and subsequent move to French club Montpellier.
The official notice confirms his name has been erased from the register of the Order of the British Empire, as reported by Sky News and The Scottish Sun.
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