Queen's Birthday Honours 2017

Twice a year - once on New Year's Day, and once on the Queen's official birthday on the 10th of June - the Queen gives out honours to recognise people who have made achievements in public life or committed themselves to serving and helping Britain.

A tradition dating back to Queen Victoria's reign, this year's Birthday Honours List saw 1,109 people recognised with one of eight types of awards, including CBEs, MBEs and OBEs. The most diverse set to be released, around half who received honours were female, 10% came from a BAME background and 6.5% self-identified as having a disability.

We noticed some familiar names on the list, including well-loved TV broadcaster  Natasha Kaplinsky,  who was awarded an OBE for services to Holocaust Commemorations. Natasha had embarked on the huge task of recording testimonies of Britain’s last living Holocaust survivors and concentration camp liberators. In 2016, she interviewed more than a hundred people to ensure the memory and the lessons of the Holocaust are never forgotten. The interviews will be exhibited in an education centre in London and used in nationwide educational projects.

Some of the other individuals honoured include:

- Britain's Got Talent judge and comedian  David Walliams ; given an OBE for services to charity and the arts

- Sir Paul McCartney; upgraded with a Companion of Honor award for services to music

- Britain's last surviving Dambuster; awarded an MBE

- Tennis coach and Strictly Come Dancing star Judy Murray (mother to Andy); awarded an OBE for services to sport

- J.K. Rowling; awarded a Companion of Honor award for her services to literature and philanthropy

- Celebrity chef Delia Smith; awarded a Companion of Honor award

- Keith Palmer, the policeman killed after confronting the Westminster attacker outside Parliament; posthumously awarded the George Medal

- Bernard Kenny, the heroic passer-by stabbed trying to protect MP Jo Cox; received the George Medal

- Actor and comedian Billy Connolly; given a knighthood

- Actress Julie Walters; made a Dame

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