Just so special, says Sheffield's Jess Ennis Hill as she receives her Damehood

The Sheffield heptathlete, who had retired from athletics last October after taking a silver medal in Rio to sit with her Olympic gold from London 2012, was at Buckingham Palace to receive her damehood from the Duke of Cambridge.

“It’s just so special,” she said, as the music ended.

“I’ve so many amazing memories of standing on the podium and hearing it and to be here receiving a damehood, which I never imagined I would ever receive, is an incredible honour.”

Dame Jessica, who is expecting her second child, was accompanied by her grandparents, mother Alison Powell and husband Andy Hill for the ceremony, but not her two-year-old son, Reggie.

“I’ve got my little baby here,” she said, gesturing to her blossoming bump.

“Reggie’s a bit too young to be in this environment, but it’s nice to be able to look back and say that my next little one has experienced this in some way.”

The 31 year-old insisted she would not miss competitive athletics, but dropped a broad hint that she would not be averse to attending this summer’s world athletics championships in London, as a pundit.

“I will perhaps involved in some way,” she said. “I want to stay involved in the championships and the Olympics.

“I’ve had more than I could ever imagine out of my career so I can’t stand here receiving a damehood and wish for any more - it’s been incredible.”

Even without her running spikes, she is guaranteed at least one accolade at the London event - the 2011 gold medal that was stripped from Russia’s Tatyana Chernova in a doping scandal.

In the meantime, she is promoting a running festival to inspire people to become active and healthy.

Among the other sports champions to receive honours from the Duke today were para-equestrian Lee Pearson, who was knighted after winning his 11th gold medal at the Rio games, fellow rider Sophie Christiansen, who was made a CBE, and para-cyclist and swimmer Jody Cundy, who received an OBE.

There was a touching moment when Joanna Worsley received from William an honour for her husband, polar explorer Lt Col Henry Worsley, who died in January last year on a solo trek across Antarctica.

Mr Worsley had been raising money for the Endeavour Fund, set up by the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry, when he fell ill just 30 miles from his destination, and died after being airlifted to hospital.

His wife received a bar for his Polar Medal, for his contribution to Arctic knowledge.