The doctor who oversaw the safe delivery of Prince George has been recognised by the Queen in the New Year Honours List.
Marcus Setchell, who was the Queen’s gynaecologist for two decades, is among those to receive an honour in the latest round, along with actress Penelope Keith, singer Katherine Jenkins, Gavin and Stacey co-creator Ruth Jones, DJ Pete Tong and the parents of murdered teenager Jimmy Mizen.
Some 1,195 people have received an award and for the first time since the Order of the British Empire was founded in 1917, there are more women (51%) on the list than men.
But despite reports to the contrary, the list does not include knighthoods for footballer David Beckham and Wimbledon champion Andy Murray.
Murray who was given an OBE after his Olympic gold medal was touted as a possible knighthood recipient after becoming the first British man to win Wimbledon since Fred Perry 77 years ago.
Beckham, who announced his retirement earlier this year, was tipped to get the honour for his sporting success and work on the London 2012 Olympics bid.
He received an OBE in 2003.
Marcus Setchell, who delayed his retirement after being asked by the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge to oversee the birth of the third in line to the throne, becomes Sir Marcus as he is made a Knight Commander of the Royal Victorian Order (KCVO), an honour in the personal gift of the Queen.
Also on this year’s list is Caroline Cassells, matron at the private King Edward VII’s Hospital in central London, where Kate was treated for morning sickness and where the Queen has previously received treatment.
She becomes a Lieutenant of the Royal Victorian Order (LVO).
The Order of Merit (OM) goes to orchestra conductor Sir Simon Rattle and to world-renowned heart surgeon Professor Sir Magdi Yacoub.
Awarded to individuals of great achievement in the fields of the arts, learning, literature and science, there can be a total of only 24 OMs at any one time, making it a highly exclusive collection of members.
Previous recipients include Florence Nightingale and Sir Winston Churchill, as well as honorary members Mother Teresa and Nelson Mandela.
Actress Penelope Keith, who became a household name as Margot Leadbetter in 1970s sitcom yhe Good Life, becomes a dame in this year’s list, as does Murder, She Wrote actress Angela Lansbury, who is on the Diplomatic and Overseas List.
Knighthoods go to film and theatre producer Michael Codron, sculptor Antony Gormley, creator of the Angel of the North, and former Bank of England deputy governor Paul Tucker, while the former director of public prosecutions Keir Starmer QC receives a knighthood for services to law and criminal justice.
An OBE goes to actress Lynda Bellingham, as well as Katherine Jenkins and writer and broadcaster Sandi Toksvig, while MBEs go to Gavin and Stacey co-writer Ruth Jones, Grand Designs presenter Kevin McCloud and DJ Pete Tong.
Elsewhere in the arts, composer and conductor Sir Peter Maxwell Davies, who is Master of the Queen’s Music, becomes a Companion of Honour.
CBEs go to actor Michael Crawford, who played Frank Spencer in 1970s sitcom Some Mothers Do ’Ave ’Em, and presenter Nicholas Parsons.
In total, 1,195 people have received an award, 74% of them for outstanding work in their communities.
There are 610 women on the list 51% of the total. Previously the highest proportion of women on any honours lists was 47%.
Knighthoods include philanthropist Roger De Haan, former chairman of Saga Group, who has given £49 million over the last seven years to education, arts and community organisations in the UK and overseas, and Alan Parker, founder and chairman of city PR firm Brunswick, who made a number of generous personal gifts to Save the Children, as well as carrying out the role of chairman at the charity.
A knighthood goes to former lord mayor of London Michael Gifford and to world-renowned food scientist Professor Godfrey Palmer, professor emeritus at Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh.
In science and technology there are damehoods for Professor Frances Kirwan, professor of mathematics at Oxford University, a knighthood for Professor Richard Blundell, professor of economics at University College London, and a knighthood for Professor Adrian Bird, Buchanan Professor of Genetics at Edinburgh University.