Charlotte Tilbury Receives CBE
Charlotte Tilbury, founder and chief creative officer of Charlotte Tilbury Beauty, has been appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the King’s Birthday Honours 2026 for her services to the beauty and cosmetics industry.
The honour marks the second royal recognition for the makeup artist-turned-entrepreneur, who previously received an MBE in 2018. Since launching her eponymous brand in 2013, Tilbury has grown it into one of the UK’s largest beauty businesses during a period in which the British beauty sector expanded from a valuation of approximately £17 billion to more than £31 billion.
“I am deeply honoured to receive a CBE in the King’s Birthday Honours,” Tilbury said. “Just over a decade ago, I had a vision to build the biggest British beauty brand and take it to the world […] Today, Charlotte Tilbury is a multibillion-pound British business, and I am proud that it has helped establish our beauty industry as one of the UK’s most dynamic and influential business sectors.”
Tilbury’s brand has grown rapidly from a domestic player into a global category leader. The business currently operates across 57 markets with more than 5,500 physical distribution points worldwide — including 3,400 outside the UK — and employs a global workforce of over 3,000 people.
In 2020, Tilbury established a strategic partnership with Spanish fashion and fragrance conglomerate Puig, a deal that valued the British beauty business at more than £1 billion.
Prior to launching the brand, Tilbury established a 34-year career as one of the industry’s most influential makeup artists, working across editorial shoots, campaigns, runways, and red carpets.
Beyond her commercial interests, Tilbury acts as the Global Ambassador for Enterprise for The King’s Trust and serves as co-chair of the organisation’s Global Gala. Her philanthropic work also includes ambassadorial and partnership roles with Women for Women International, the Elton John AIDS Foundation’s Rocket Fund, and the Clooney Foundation for Justice.