Livia Giuggioli returns MBE amid Trump protest, reigniting debate over eco-activism and marriage

Livia Giuggioli, the Italian-born eco-activist and ex-wife of actor Colin Firth, has returned her Member of the Order of the British Empire and torn up the certificate in protest of Donald Trump’s state visit to the United Kingdom, according to a column in the Daily Mail. The gesture comes amid long-running public attention to her campaigns for garment workers and her high-profile marriage to Firth, whom she separated from after more than two decades together.

In an Instagram post cited by the piece, Giuggioli displayed the handwritten note she planned to send to St James’s Palace, arguing that last week’s formal display honoring the U.S. president did not reflect her values or the “spirit” she associates with King Charles III. The note described Trump’s visit as part of a display she deemed “frightening and cowardly” for appearing to appease someone she said stands for “the obliteration of the natural world and the most vulnerable people on earth.” The post signaled that the act was less about a personal grievance than a broader protest against policies she believes threaten the environment and human rights.

The episode has revived public interest in Giuggioli’s life as a campaigner and the complex personal history she shares with Firth. The couple married in 1997 after meeting on a film set, and they went on to have three sons: Will, Luca, and Matteo. Their partnership endured for more than two decades, but it eventually dissolved in the wake of Giuggioli’s reports of an affair with Italian journalist Marco Brancaccia. The relationship later became a point of public scrutiny, as the couple’s divorce proceeded and Firth moved on with other partners. According to the column, Firth has since formed a relationship with screenwriter Maggie Cohn, who is described as being in her mid-to-late 60s; Giuggioli, meanwhile, is publicly linked with climate activist Callum Grieve, whose work involves environmental campaigns that emphasize simple living and sustainability.

Giuggioli’s public profile has long been tied to Eco Age, the sustainability-focused venture she co-founded and led for years. The shop and brand, with a name associated with eco-friendly fashion and campaigning, became a focal point for discussions about the responsibility of high-profile figures in fashion and consumer culture. A visit noted in the article recalls Eco Age’s store in Chiswick, southwest London, which reportedly carried products that highlighted upcycled or responsibly sourced materials, such as bags made from recycled plastic, and a variety of sustainable home goods. While the business drew attention for its sustainability messaging, the article notes that it faced criticism over cost and practicality, a common theme in conversations about luxury eco-initiatives. At the time of the column’s publication, Eco Age’s storefront was described as having closed, with Giuggioli’s brand philosophy still central to her public persona even as the day-to-day operation of her boutique shifted away from storefront commerce.

Giuggioli’s activism extends beyond fashion and consumption. The piece traces her public stances on labor rights in garment supply chains, a cause she has championed since the early years of Eco Age. The MBE, awarded in 2019, recognized her campaigning work for garment workers; the honor’s revocation or partial revocation—if not the formal act of returning the insignia—is presented in the column as a symbolic gesture aligned with her long-standing advocacy for workers’ rights and sustainable industry practices. The column’s tone, steeped in entertainment journalism norms, situates Giuggioli within a broader cultural conversation about celebrity philanthropy, public honors, and political expressions, while presenting a timeline that includes her marriage, divorce, and subsequent personal relationships as context for understanding the complexities of her public life.

In recounting these events, the article emphasizes the tension between Giuggioli’s public persona as an eco-activist and the personal estrangements that have accompanied her marriage to Firth. It notes the couple’s 22-year partnership and three children, the media speculation that accompanied their split, and the way Giuggioli’s public image has evolved since their separation. The piece also reflects on how Firth’s own career and personal life have interacted with Giuggioli’s activism, including the actor’s reported relationships since the divorce and his continued status as a prominent British film figure. While the column uses provocative phrasing and humor to describe these dynamics, it presents the events in a manner consistent with celebrity culture reporting, avoiding speculation beyond what is publicly documented.

Scholarly attention to public honors, the ethics of celebrity activism, and the impact of high-profile campaigns on political discourse has grown in recent years, and Giuggioli’s actions add another data point to that conversation. Supporters argue that public figures who champion environmental and labor causes should be recognized for leadership and advocacy, while critics contend that honors can be politicized or misused as platforms for personal brand-building. The Daily Mail column situates Giuggioli’s decision within this ongoing debate, offering readers a snapshot of how a tradition-rich honor is being leveraged—or contested—in 2025 by a figure who remains at the center of a high-profile, cross-continental life in which fashion, activism, and celebrity are inextricably entwined.