More awards for women than men in New Year’s Honours list

In total, 1,195 people have received an award, with 74 per cent of them for outstanding work in their communities. There are 610 women in the list – 51 per cent of the total – outnumbering men for the first time since the Order of the British Empire was founded in 1917. Previously the highest proportion of women on any honours lists was 47 per cent.

Female recipients include Apprentice star Karren Brady, vice-chair of West Ham Football Club and former Birmingham City managing director, who gets a CBE for services to entrepreneurship and women in business. Met Office chief scientist Professor Julia Slingo becomes a dame.

Recipients of the British Empire Medal (BEM), reintroduced in the 2012 Queen’s Birthday Honours, include Tina Selby, who founded Hats4Heroes in 2010 and has since sent nearly 10,000 knitted hats, each containing a chocolate bar, to British forces in Afghanistan to boost morale.

Among the men honoured is the doctor who oversaw the delivery of Prince George. Marcus Setchell, who was the Queen’s gynaecologist for two decades, is recognised along with DJ Pete Tong who has been given an MBE for services to music and broadcasting. Barry and Margaret Mizen, the parents of Jimmy Mizen, 16, who was murdered in London in May 2008, receive MBEs for services to young people after setting up the Jimmy Mizen Foundation.

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.

Mr 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. The 70-year-old looked after Kate when she was taken to hospital with severe morning sickness in the early stages of her pregnancy, and previously helped save the life of the Countess of Wessex in 2003 when she was eight months pregnant with elder child Lady Louise Mountbatten-Windsor.

Also in 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. Knighthoods go to film and theatre producer Michael Codron and former Bank of England deputy governor Paul Tucker and former director of public prosecutions Keir Starmer QC, who studied at Leeds University.