1926 in The United Kingdom

Births

3 January – George Martin, producer of The Beatles
13 January – Michael Bond, author and creator of Paddington Bear
14 January – Warren Mitchell, actor
17 January – Moira Shearer, actress and dancer (died 2006)
10 February – Danny Blanchflower, footballer and football manager (died 1993)
11 February – Alexander Gibson, conductor and founder of the Scottish Opera (died 1995)
16 February – John Schlesinger, film director (died 2003)
20 February – Gillian Lynne, director and choreographer
22 February – Kenneth Williams, actor (died 1988)
31 March – John Fowles, writer (died 2005)
6 April – Ian Paisley, politician
21 April – HRH Princess Elizabeth of York (now Elizabeth II, Queen of the United Kingdom and 15 other Commonwealth realms)
22 April – James Stirling, architect (died 1992)
26 April – David Coleman, television sports broadcaster
30 April – Edmund Cooper, author and poet (died 1982)
8 May – David Attenborough, broadcaster and naturalist
14 May – Eric Morecambe, comedian (died 1984)
15 May – Peter Shaffer, playwright
26 June – Sir Rex Hunt, diplomat
21 July – Bill Pertwee, actor
30 July – Thomas Patrick Russell, High Court Judge (died 2002)
3 August – Anthony Sampson, journalist and biographer (died 2004)
17 August – George Melly, jazz singer (died 2007)
12 September – Dave Valentine (d. 1976), Scottish representative rugby union and rugby league footballer
18 September - Sir Thomas Hetherington, barrister (died 2007)
21 October – Leonard Rossiter, actor (died 1984)
31 October – Jimmy Savile, television and radio personality (died 2011)
5 November – John Berger, art critic, novelist and painter
6 November – Frank Carson, comedian
20 December – Geoffrey Howe, politician