“At the time, the Defense of Marriage Act prevented same-sex couples from marrying or enjoying the same basic legal rights as straight people, and Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell barred openly gay, lesbian, or bisexual people from serving in the army.
“Fortunately, times and laws have changed in the US, and the great good that the 2009 award brought to the LGBTQ+ cause is now less powerful than the doubts I have about the toxicity of empire (OBE stands for Officer of the British Empire).
“So I returned my prize, explained my reasons and reiterated my great gratitude for getting it in the first place. I’m just plain old Alan Cumming again now. Happy Birthday to me!”
In 2014, Cumming supported Scottish independence in the referendum and remains a supporter of the cause. Last year, he said the independence debate was putting people off because it had become “polarised”.