Who are the most influential people in Britain today? Exclusive preview of Debrett's 500 list

Who are the most influential people in Britain today? Who determines the laws of our country? Who runs our national institutions, who chooses the groceries we buy, the films we watch, the clothes we wear, even how we manage our money? This list of the 500 most influential people in the country, compiled by Debrett’s, presents a fascinating kaleidoscope of individuals who have a vast impact on our daily lives – and our futures. 

It was compiled by experts at Debrett’s, which has been identifying the most influential people in British society for almost 250 years, with the help of experts and commentators, including Daily Telegraph journalists. All candidates live or work in the UK and were selected on the basis of their level of influence over the lives, choices and ideas of others. Yet they are all extremely different.

Some are at home on the red carpet (actress  Dame Helen Mirren, lawyer Amal Clooney and fashion designer Victoria Beckham, who has recently been awarded an OBE), while others plug away behind the scenes (MI5’s Andrew Parker has given few interviews since becoming director general in 2013). Some were raised in royal palaces (the Duke of Cambridge, included on this list for his extensive charity work), while others have rather more humble backgrounds (Turner  Prize-winning sculptor Helen Marten produced her early work in her parents’ garage, and Calvin Harris, now the world’s highest-paid DJ, worked in a fish factory to raise funds for his equipment).