BAFTA-winning actress Sarah Lancashire was among those honoured at Windsor Castle on Tuesday as she became a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE).
Lancashire, 60, attended the investiture ceremony with family members, among them proud husband Peter Salmon, after she was made a CBE for services to drama in the New Year Honours.
The actress wore an elegant powder pink outfit for her meeting with Anne, Princess Royal at the Berkshire residence.
Salmon, a former BBC1 controller who famously refused to move to the broadcaster’s Salford HQ despite being the head of its Corporation’s North division, watched from the sidelines as Lancashire obeyed strict royal protocol by curtsying before receiving her award.
The actress has won plaudits for her performances in TV shows including Happy Valley and Last Tango In Halifax, following her breakthrough role as Raquel Watts in soap opera Coronation Street during the 1990s, appearing in more than 260 episodes.
After leaving the long-running show, Lancashire earned praise for her TV drama work including on the BBC’s critically acclaimed Clocking Off from 2000 until 2003 – a series about factory workers.
BAFTA-winning actress Sarah Lancashire was among those honoured at Windsor Castle on Tuesday as she became a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE)
Lancashire attended an investiture ceremony at the royal residence after she was made a CBE for services to drama in the New Year Honours
She earned her first BAFTA award in 2014 for her supporting role in the BBC comedy-drama series Last Tango In Halifax.
In 2017 she earned the best actress BAFTA for her portrayal of no-nonsense Sergeant Catherine Cawood in the Yorkshire-set thriller Happy Valley, and became an OBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours for services to drama.
The Daily Mail previously revealed that Lancashire was planning to step away from acting in order to focus on production work following Happy Valley’s final season in 2023.
‘Sarah adores acting but the idea of producing had been niggling at her,’ a friend told the Mail last March.
‘She decided, once Happy Valley was over that it was a good time to get it under way. She is so excited.
‘It has been so exciting for her that even when she won her Outstanding Achievement Award at the National Television Awards last year, she had to dash home as she was up early the next day, telling everyone she is producing now.
‘She may have found a new passion, Sarah has never loved the limelight anyway.’
Other recipients on Tuesday included cyclists Jenny Holl, Dannielle Khan, Emma Finucane and Katy Marchant.
Lancashire’s husband Peter Salmon watched from the sidelines as she obeyed strict royal protocol by curtsying before the Princess before receiving her medal
Salmon (far left) beamed with pride while attending the ceremony at Windsor Castle
The actress beamed as she was made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire by the Princess Royal
Family members looked on as the CBE was pinned to Lancashire’s lapel on Tuesday
All four were made Members of the Order of the British Empire (MBEs) for services to cycling.
Holl, 25, and her tandem partner Sophie Unwin won two gold medals in the 2024 Paralympic Games in Paris, while Khan, 29, piloted Lizzi Jordan to gold in the women’s tandem 1km time trial.
Marchant, 32, won Great Britain’s first Olympic women’s team sprint gold at the 2024 Paris Games, alongside teammates Finucane and Sophie Capewell.
Finucane, 22, became the first British woman in 60 years to win three medals at a single Olympics as she took bronze in the individual sprint in the 2024 Paris Games.
The actress wore an elegant powder pink outfit for her meeting with Princess Anne at the Berkshire residence
Lancashire The actress has won plaudits for her performances in TV shows including Happy Valley and Last Tango In Halifax
The actress exchanged pleasantries with Princess Anne after receiving her honour
Trampoline gold medallist Bryony Page was also to be made an MBE for services to trampoline gymnastics.
Paralympic swimmer Alice Tai was made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) for services to swimming.
Tai, 25, topped the 2024 Paralympic podium less than three years after opting to have her right leg amputated by winning gold in the women’s 100m S8 backstroke.
Penny Briscoe, the director of sport at the British Paralympic Association who also served as chef de mission for the fifth time in Paris, was made a CBE during the same ceremony for services to Paralympic sport.
Lancashire showed off her CBE for onlookers outside Windsor Castle on Tuesday afternoon
The Daily Mail previously revealed that Lancashire was planning to step away from acting in order to focus on production work following Happy Valley’s final season in 2023
The actress became a household name after playing Raquel Watts in soap opera Coronation Street during the 1990s, appearing in more than 260 episodes of the long-running show