Famous figures from showbiz, sport and politics – as well as some of the nation’s COVID heroes – have been honoured in the Queen’s Birthday Honours list to mark her Platinum Jubilee.

This year’s recipients are said to reflect the monarch’s “invaluable” qualities as she celebrates 70 years on the throne, with organisers giving more consideration to certain themes including sustained public service, the environment and youth engagement.

Among those awarded are actor Damian Lewis – who raised £1.5m to provide meals for NHS workers during the pandemic with his late wife Helen McCrory – fashion designer Stella McCartney and broadcaster Clare Balding, who all earn CBEs.

Former England footballer Rio Ferdinand receives an OBE, while Wales star Gareth Bale and Liverpool midfielder James Milner get MBEs.

From the world of politics, former Northern Ireland first minister Arlene Foster receives a damehood, and ex-cabinet minister Jeremy Wright – who called for Boris Johnson to resign over partygate this week – is given a knighthood.

Labour MP Stephen Timms, who was stabbed by a woman in an attempted murder in 2010, is also knighted.

There are top honours for author Sir Salman Rushdie and illustrator Sir Quentin Blake who are made Companions of Honour.

The Order of the Companions of Honour is limited to just 65 members at any one time and recognises those who have made a long-standing contribution to arts, science, medicine or government.

Sir Quentin hailed his award as “an enormous privilege”, while Sir Salman said: “It was with great surprise and delight that I learned of this extraordinary honour. It’s a privilege to be included in such illustrious company, both past and present.”

COVID workers honoured

This year’s Birthday Honours list once again features those involved in the fight against the coronavirus outbreak.

There are knighthoods for AstraZeneca’s chief executive Pascal Soriot – after the company developed a successful vaccine with Oxford University – and Stephen Powis, national medical director for NHS England.

England’s chief nursing officer Ruth May receives a damehood, while Andrew Goddard, president of the Royal College of Physicians, is knighted.

Dr Raghib Ali, a consultant in acute medicine, is made an OBE after he took leave from his university work to volunteer unpaid in hospitals on the COVID frontline.

And 22-year-old carer Alex Griffiths, from Dudley in the West Midlands, who provided end-of-life care for patients unable to see their loved ones due to COVID restrictions, receives a British Empire Medal.

Sport

Britain’s women curlers are recognised for their gold-medal winning performance at the Winter Olympics in Japan.

Skip Eve Muirhead, who finally won gold at her fourth Games, is made an OBE, while MBEs go to her teammates Jennifer Dodds, Hailey Duff, Mili Smith and Victoria Wright, along with coach David Murdoch.

England cricketer Moeen Ali is made an OBE, saying of his award: “It’s an honour to be recognised… more than anything, I know it makes my parents happy.”

Former England and Watford striker Luther Blissett and Manchester City legend Mike Summerbee receive OBEs.

Snooker players Judd Trump and Mark Selby have been recognised with MBEs, while Sean O’Loughlin, the former Wigan and England rugby league player, gets an OBE.

Husband and wife Neil and Lora Fachie, who each won para-cycling gold at the Tokyo Olympics last summer, receive OBEs.

Visually impaired para-skier Neil Simpson gets an MBE after winning gold at the Winter Games, with his brother Andrew, who acts as his guide, receiving the same recognition.

Arts and entertainment

MBEs are served up to Masterchef presenters John Torode and Gregg Wallace for services to food and charity.

Wallace said: “From a council estate in Peckham to being recognised by the Queen is for me something akin to a fairytale story. I am incredibly, incredibly proud.”

Ian Rankin, author of the Inspector Rebus novels, is knighted for services to literature and charity.

Call The Midwife creator Heidi Thomas receives an OBE and said her honour will be going “straight on the mantelpiece” in Nonnatus House, the fictional convent in the hit TV show.

Coronation Street stars Helen Worth, who plays Gail Platt, and Antony Cotton, known for his role as Sean Tully, receive MBEs.

Singer Bonnie Tyler receives an MBE and said the honour shows that “anyone from any background can become a success”.

Former TV reporter Alexis Bowater receives an OBE for spending the past decade working to combat violence against women after she was terrorised by a cyber stalker who was jailed in 2009.

Politics

Commenting on her damehood, former DUP leader Ms Foster told Sky News it was a “huge thrill” because she is a “big royalist”.

She added: “I follow the Royal Family closely, particularly Her Majesty the Queen, so to receive the letter on Her Majesty’s Service, as I did to inform me, it was really lovely.”

Former culture secretary Maria Miller receives a damehood, while fellow Tory MP Tracey Crouch gets a CBE for her work on the fan-led review of football governance in the wake of the European Super League fiasco.

Nia Griffith, Labour MP for Llanelli, is also made a dame.

And there is a second successive honour for the Blair family following former prime minister Sir Tony’s knighthood at New Year. His son Euan is named an MBE for services to education in his role as founder of Multiverse, which provides apprenticeship programmes.

Youngest and oldest honourees

The oldest recipient in this year’s list is 104-year-old Angela Redgrave who – like the Queen – is celebrating 70 years of public service as the founder and principal of Bristol School of Dancing.

The youngest honourees are 11-year-old twins Elena and Ruben Evans-Guillen who have raised more than £46,000 for the NHS over the past three years.

All three have received British Empire Medals.

A total of 1,134 people received an award in the Queen’s Birthday Honours list, with a record proportion going to women.

The percentage of women this year – 51.5% – is slightly higher than the previous record of 51.2% set in 2015.

The proportion going to people from ethnic minority backgrounds, 13.3%, is down from a record 15% last year.

The percentage of LGBT recipients is down slightly from last year, from 5% to 4.6%.

PM: Honour recipients are ‘inspiration to us all’

Prime Minister Mr Johnson said: “This historic Platinum Jubilee is not only a celebration of the monarch but of the qualities she possesses.

“The honours she confers this week reflect many of those qualities that have been invaluable from all different walks of life and to communities across the UK.

“I pay tribute to all of this year’s winners. Their stories of courage and compassion are an inspiration to us all.”

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