Fred Goodwin

The Royal Bank of Scotland’s CEO since 2000, Goodwin received his knighthood in 2004 on Queen Elizabeth II’s birthday for “services to banking.” But he was at the bank’s helm during its calamitous collapse in 2008, which led to it receiving the biggest government bailout of any such institution during the financial crisis. Said one Conservative lawmaker: “All this song and dance about the knighthood is a sideshow. I’m much more concerned that he’s collecting £370,000 ($583,000) a year in pension.”
Robert Mugabe

The Zimbabwean strongman, once a celebrated revolutionary and hero to many in the decolonizing world, was knighted in 1994 — a gesture, it was hoped, that would warm relations between Harare and London. But in 2008, as Mugabe’s regime brutalized political opponents attempting to compete in elections, the title was revoked. The stubborn octogenarian probably doesn’t mind: he’s still President.













