What did Sadiq Khan do to receive knighthood in New Year's Honours? Mayor of London's career so far
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Mayor Sadiq Khan is among the hundreds of people listed in King Charles's New Year's Honours list for 2025. After more than 20 years as a Labour politician, Mr Khan, who was elected to a third term as London Mayor in 2024, was honoured for political and public service.
The knighthood means he can now use Sir in front of his name. Reacting to the news on social media, he said: “Truly humbled to have received a knighthood in the King’s New Year’s Honours. “I couldn’t have dreamed when growing up on a council estate in south London that I'd one day be Mayor of London. It’s the honour of my life to serve the city I love.”.
Here’s a rundown of Mr Khan’s career in light of the news. The mayor didn't come from a wealthy family. Raised on a housing estate in south London, he was one of eight children born to Pakistani immigrants who worked as a seamstress and bus driver.
He initially became interested in politics while attending school, and at the age of 15, he joined the Labour Party. With the goal of becoming a dentist, he pursued A-level studies in science and Maths. But he quickly had second thoughts and chose to study law at the University of North London. He immediately put his degree to use, working as a trainee solicitor at Christian Fisher in 1994 under human rights lawyer Louise Christian.
He met and married Saadiya Ahmed, a fellow lawyer and coincidentally also the daughter of a bus driver, in the same year. He had two children with her, Anisah and Ammarah. Encouraged by local activist Bert Luthers, who was born in Guyana, he also started his 12-year term as a Tooting councillor.
