Elizabeth Taylor heads a cast of new British dames in a glittering New Year's Honours List ushering in the new century and the new millennium.
And the year which finally saw devolution to Scotland ends with a knighthood for the actor Sean Connery, the original James Bond, whose long-expected honour was reportedly refused by the Scottish Secretary, Mr Donald Dewar, two years ago because of the actor's support for the Scottish National Party.
Ms Taylor, the Oscar-winning star of films such as Cleopatra, The Little Foxes and National Velvet, is joined by Britain's best-known diva, the veteran singer Shirley Bassey, and by two other celebrated actresses, Julie Andrews, the star of Mary Poppins and The Sound of Music, and Dorothy Tutin, who has played virtually every main female Shakespearean role in a West End career spanning four decades.
The new dames top the bill in a star-studded list which also honours the work of "ordinary" citizens, from a Blackpool "lollipop" lady, Ms Margaret Brown, to a Solihull hospital porter, Mr Clifford Gabb, and a London cloakroom attendant, Ms Adele Kolliari.
At twice its normal length and with more than 2,000 names, the highly populist list honours achievement from the worlds of television soap to national opera, politics to charity, education, the environment and advances in new technology.
In the battle of the soaps, the awards are evenly distributed, with new MBEs including Carry On star turned Eastenders matriarch, Barbara Windsor, and Betty Driver, alias Betty Turpin, who has been pulling pints for years in the rival Rover's Return while winning international fame for her Lancashire hot-pot.
Norman Wisdom, the 84-year-old knockabout comic, becomes a knight of the realm, as does the former British and Empire boxing champion Henry Cooper (65). And, as widely forecast, the new MBEs include the "forgotten heroes" of England's 1966 World Cup victory, Alan Ball, George Cohen, Roger Hunt, Nobby Stiles and Ray Wilson.
The former Olympic skating champions Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean become OBEs. And other sporting awards include Ian Wright, the former Arsenal and England striker, who becomes an MBE; Daley Thompson, the double Olympic decathlon champion, a CBE; and the "grand old man" of British motor racing, Stirling Moss (70), who becomes a knight.
There are seven new life peerages, for Sally, Lady Greengross, director-general of Age Concern; Sir John Birt, the former director-general of the BBC; Sir Leon Brittan, former vice-president of the European Commission; Mr Joel Goodman Joffe, chairman of Oxfam; Mr Adam Hafejee Patel, vice-president of Blackburn Community Relations Council and a member of the Muslim Council of Britain; and for Sir Charles Powell, formerly Baroness Thatcher's foreign affairs adviser at 10 Downing Street.
Mr Richard Branson, entrepreneur, adventurer and creator of Virgin, is awarded a knighthood, as is Mr Alan Sugar, the chairman of Tottenham Hotspur and founder of Amstrad, for services to the home computer and electronics industry.
Doris Lessing (80), the grande dame of English letters, becomes a Companion of Honour, as does the artist Richard Hamilton. The Polar explorer, Mr Wally Herbert (65), receives a knighthood, as does Mr Ken Morrison who converted his father's market stall into the Morrison supermarket chain.
Simon Lessing, a multiple triathalon world champion, now preparing for the Sydney Olympics, becomes an MBE, and the new OBEs include Tanni Grey-Thompson (30) who suffers from spina bifida and was forced into a wheelchair at an early age after losing the use of her legs. One of Britain's most decorated athletes, including world records at 200 and 800 metres, she has won five Paralympic and five world championship golds.
Canon Chad Varah (88), founder of the Samaritans and Britain's oldest sex therapist, becomes a Companion of Honour. And the actress Alison Steadman, who becomes an OBE, played Beverly the hostess in Abigail's Party and is credited with the invention of the "Essex Girl".