British tennis star Emma Raducanu has said it was a “great honour” to receive an MBE from King Charles.
The 20-year-old attended an investiture ceremony at Windsor Castle on Tuesday where she accepted the honour, awarded for services to tennis.
Raducanu was made a Member of the Order of the British Empire after she won the US Open in 2021, becoming the first British woman to win a Grand Slam event since Virginia Wade in 1977.
She was just 18 when she beat Canadian Laylah Fernandez at Flushing Meadows last year, and was also the first qualifier of any nationality in the open era to secure a Grand Slam title.
Accompanied by her father Ian, the tennis player wore a £5,300 Dior dress, hat and shoes to accept her MBE – just nine days after turning 20.
Following the ceremony, she said: “It’s been great to receive my honour today from His Majesty the King – I feel extremely grateful.”
She later posted a photo on social media of her shaking King Charles’s hand as she beamed.
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“A great honour receiving an MBE from his majesty the King today,” she added.
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Labour MP Dame Nia Griffith, who collected her honour at the same ceremony, said: “I think it is fantastic seeing a young person (achieve) the success that she had and I think obviously now she faces that incredibly challenging situation of coping with that success and coping also with disappointment.
“And I certainly think it is wonderful to see young people being praised and being rewarded and let’s make sure we give every young person the opportunities so that they can develop their talents to the full.”
Others who received awards on Tuesday from the King included a knighthood for Sir Isaac Julien, the Turner prize-nominated artist and filmmaker for services to diversity and inclusion in art.
Former footballer Gary Bennett, patron of the Show Racism The Red Card campaign group received an MBE, as did former test cricketer Hugh Morris for services to cricket and charity.
