THE television actress Wendy Richard, who plays the downtrodden Pauline
Fowler in the BBC soap EastEnders, wiped a tear from her eye yesterday
after being presented with an MBE by the Queen at Buckingham Palace.
She said: "Wearing that blue overall of
Pauline's for 15 years finally paid off.
But I can't very well wear it on
Pauline's overall." Taking a tissue from
her handbag, she added: "I think I'm
going to cry. This means a lot to me
because I'm a royalist and one for
tradition - I would hate to see our
traditions disappear."
The actress said the Queen recognised her, remarking: "You're in a television
soap." Miss Richard said she replied: "It's a bit depressing at times but it's
very popular. But Pauline is one of the best roles in EastEnders and she would
be a staunch royalist, of course."
A council roadsweeper also received an MBE from the Queen for keeping
streets spotless in Whitchurch, Cardiff. Brian Richards, 64, said: "I've been a
roadsweeper for 26 years and I never thought I would be presented with an
award by the Queen. He arrived in a chauffeur-driven limousine courtesy of a
local car firm after fears that his train might be late.
Also at the Palace investiture was Antony Sher, 51, the Shakespearean actor,
who was knighted for services to the arts. He said: "I was naturalised in 1979
but I still think back to my childhood in South Africa - I would never have
imagined myself at Buckingham Palace receiving such a wonderful honour."
The actress Sian Phillips, the former wife of Peter O'Toole, received a CBE
for services to drama. Stephen Lander, the MI5 director-general, was made a
Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath.
Judith Kilpatrick, 48, head of the City Of Portsmouth Girls' School, was
created a Dame for services to education. She said: "It's recognition of 26
years in teaching, recognition of the school's success and the achievements of
the girls."
Noel Richley, 90, the former Press Association chief news editor, collected
an MBE for services to the Newspaper Press Fund after 33 years as
treasurer.