British New Year honours list:Rock star Rod Stewart was honoured by Britain's Queen Elizabeth yesterday in the New Year honours.
The 62-year-old singer, whose partner, Penny Lancaster, gave birth to his seventh child in November last year, receives a CBE (Commander of the Order of the British Empire). He is joined on the honours list by Coronation Street actor Johnny Briggs and the queen's granddaughter, Zara Phillips.
Briggs (71) is rewarded with an MBE (Member of the Order of the British Empire) after retiring from the soap earlier this year, having played businessman Mike Baldwin for three decades. Phillips receives an MBE for services to equestrianism after she won gold at the World Equestrian Games and the European Championships.
Inventor James Dyson, who revolutionised the vacuum cleaner, is to receive a knighthood.
There is a CBE for Penelope Keith, one of the most prominent and popular actors of her generation. She has a daunting theatrical presence and is famous for her portrayal of upper-crust, aristocratic characters in TV series The Good Lifeand To The Manor Born.
Hugh Laurie, the actor, comedian and writer, gets an OBE (Officer of the Order of the British Empire). He is best known for his TV comedy work, especially with Stephen Fry, including A Bit Of Fry And Laurie, Blackadderand Jeeves And Wooster.
Golfer Ian Woosnam, captain of the winning Ryder Cup Europe team over the US this year, also gets an OBE.
A CBE goes to Gareth Edwards, the former Welsh scrum-half. Between 1967 and 1978, Edwards won 53 caps for Wales, including 13 as captain. He was, at 20, Wales's youngest captain.
David Davies, formerly executive director of the Football Association, gets an OBE. He supported much-criticised Sven-Goran Eriksson, England's former coach, describing him as "one of the outstanding coaches in the world".
Faye White, captain of the Arsenal ladies' football team and England's women's team, becomes an MBE.
Yachtsman Michael Golding, who turned back 80 miles to rescue a rival in the recent solo Five Oceans round-the-world race, gets an OBE. His rival, Alex Thomson, was on a life raft for two hours in high seas before Golding could get to him. They were, at the time, 1,000 miles from land when the keel broke on Thomson's yacht.
There is an MBE for Ricky "The Hitman" Hatton, regarded as Britain's most popular boxer since Naseem Hamed. He is undefeated in his major career fights as a welterweight and light welterweight, with a record of winning nearly all his bouts by a knockout. Explorer David Hempleman-Adams becomes a Lieutenant of the Royal Victorian Order for services to the Duke of Edinburgh's award scheme.Bernard Matthews, the famous Norfolk turkey farmer, who already has a CBE, is also made a Commander of the Royal Victorian Order (CVO) for services to the Duke of Edinburgh's Award.