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John Hall
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Businesswoman Karren Brady has been awarded a CBE by Prince William at Buckingham Palace.
The West Ham United vice-chairman, 44, was given the investiture this morning for services to entrepreneurship and women in business.
Ms Brady, who co-stars on hit BBC television programme The Apprentice alongside Lord Sugar, was joined by her family for the ceremony – and said she chatted with Prince William about football.
Recognition: Karren Brady holding her CBE outside Buckingham Palace with her husband – former footballer Paul Peschisolido – and children Sophia and Paolo
Honour: Businesswoman Karren Brady was given her investiture by Prince William at Buckingham Palace this morning. She was recognised for services to entrepreneurship and women in business
Ms Brady, who co-stars on BBC show The Apprentice alongside Lord Sugar,
broke into the male-dominated world of football as managing director of
Birmingham City at the age of 23.
She has long been renowned for championing the cause of women in business and has repeatedly called on her fellow female professionals to help those trying to make their way in the business world.
Chat: Karren Brady said she spoke to Prince William about football and The Apprentice
After a number of guest appearances on
the programme, Ms Brady was installed as one of Lord Sugar’s two
assistants on The Apprentice.
A year later she she was appointed vice-chairman of West Ham United by new Joint-Chairmen David Sullivan and David Gold.
Ms Brady revealed she did not tell anyone in her family she was receiving the honour and they only found out when her son read about the award in the newspapers.
She said: ‘It has been difficult over the 20 years, things are getting better. But I think if women like me don’t campaign for other women who’s going to do it, so I take it seriously.’
‘I think it’s important that young women have good role models and it’s important that if you put yourself forward as a role model you take that job seriously.’
Ms Brady said that she chatted with Prince William, a keen Aston Villa supporter, about football.
‘He’s a huge fan of The Apprentice and he asked me when that was coming back – in the autumn – I was thrilled to receive it from him,’ she added.
Also receiving an honour today was Sir
Marcus Setchell – the obstetrician who delivered the Duke of
Cambridge’s son Prince George – who was made a knight commander of the
Royal Victorian Order.
Sir Marcus is a former consultant obstetrician who led the London team that delivered Prince George at the private Lindo Wing of St Mary’s Hospital in central London on July 22 last year.
Although he has delivered a number
of royal babies over the years, Sir Marcus could not contain his
delight at George’s birth, describing the future king as a ‘wonderful baby, beautiful baby’.
Service: West Ham United vice-chairman Karren Brady was given the investiture partly for repeatedly calling on her fellow female professionals to encourage one another in the business world
Career: Ms Brady, who co-stars on BBC show The Apprentice alongside Lord Sugar (right), broke into the male-dominated world of football as managing director of Birmingham City at the age of 23 (left)
After receiving his honour, Sir Marcus said that overseeing the team that delivered the future king was a nice way to end his career and that Prince William had given him an update on George, describing him as a ‘bouncing baby’.
On working for the Queen and her family, Sir Marcus said: ‘Well of course it’s a great honour and it’s very nice that I was able to serve her for 24 years and that the culmination of it was that Prince George should be born.’
‘Being a gynaecologist and obstetrician must be one of the nicest jobs in the world…There are sometimes things where people are having difficulty getting pregnant or having problems gynaecologically but a great part of the job is thoroughly joyful and it’s just a wonderful job to have done.’
‘I think even after doing this job for 40 years every birth is exciting, moving and lovely.’
Familiar face: Sir Marcus Setchell – the obstetrician who delivered the Duke of Cambridge’s son Prince George – was today made a knight commander of the Royal Victorian Order
Knighted: Sir Marcus is a former obstetrician who served as the Queen’s gynaecologist for 24 years
Asked if this also applied to the birth
of baby George, he replied: ‘The job of doing it is just the same
pleasurable, lovely experience and one hopes for the couple as well.’
Sir Marcus also looked after Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge when she was taken to King Edward VII’s Hospital in London with a rare form of morning sickness during the early stages of her pregnancy.
The consultant obstetrician was the Queen’s surgeon-gynaecologist for more than two decades before retiring earlier at the end of last year.
His leaving lunch at the Hyde Park Hilton in London earlier this month was attended by the Duchess.
Happy: Sir Marcus is a former consultant obstetrician who led the team that delivered Prince George (pictured with his parents Prince William and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge) on July 22 last year
Awards made under the Royal Victorian Order are in the Queen’s personal gift and are bestowed independently of 10 Downing Street.
Businessman George Morgan, 82, who founded the global electronics company Pektron 50 years ago was also recognised with an MBE at today’s ceremony.
Mr Morgan started with just an apprentice and a £100 loan from the bank in 1964, and built the Derby-based firm into a international business – with a staff of 275 and a £45 million annual turnover.
Also picking up an award today was crime writer Alanna Knight, who is famed for writing the historical novel series Jeremy Faro, Rose McQuinn and Tam Eildor.
The author, who published her first book in 1968 and has gone on to write dozens of novels, plays and biographies, was awarded an MBE.
Comments (3)
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tharighan,
Wichitah, United Kingdom,
1 hour ago
Millions of babies are born every year and overworked Midwives are at the heart of it… Why not knight them? Our Obstetrician wasn’t even at the birth!
Redhead43,
South Gloucestershire,
1 hour ago
What a meaningless load of rubbish.
guess,
city,
1 hour ago
try some work william!
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Businesswoman and The Apprentice star Karren Brady awarded CBE by Prince William at Buckingham Palace
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