Former MP for Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch Danny Alexander, has received his knighthood.
The former chief secretary to the Treasury, one of the four Liberal Democrats who drew up the Coalition government agreement in 2010 lost his seat to the Scottish National Party’s Drew Hendry in May’s general election.
The 43-year-old was knighted in the 2015 Dissolution Honours alongside fellow former cabinet member Sir Vince Cable.
During the ceremony in which the Prince of Wales presented him with the honour, Sir Danny Alexander refused to comment on the current government.
The 43-year-old, accompanied by his wife Rebecca and daughters Isabel, eight, and Isla, five, said: “It was a great honour and a wonderful ceremony and it’s all rather humbling.
“It was something I didn’t expect but it is a real honour to have the recognition for the work I did in the Coalition government – turning the economy around and getting the country on the right track.”
However he said he is now working with the Britain Stronger in Europe campaign and Chance To Shine, a charity promoting cricket in state schools.
Sir Danny was not alone in picking up his honour today.
The music executive who played a central role in signing artists such as Taylor Swift and Bryan Adams to Universal Music Group International (UMG) received his CBE.
Christopher Hole, known as Max, will receive the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire for services to the music industry from the Prince of Wales at Buckingham Palace on Thursday.
Mr Hole was chairman and chief executive officer of UMG until October this year, when he was forced to step down after suffering memory loss as a result of contracting encephalitis.
At the time, Lucian Grainge, CEO of UMG, said: “Max Hole is one of the most talented and accomplished executives to have ever worked in the music business, with an undying passion for music.”
The 64-year-old has marketed hundreds of artists including Amy Winehouse, Justin Bieber and Bon Jovi and ranked at number 16 on the Guardian and Observer’s Music Power 100 in 2011.
He also helped secure the company’s partnership with TV talent show The Voice.
Sir Gary, chief executive of Welcome To Yorkshire, has been recognised for services to tourism and the Tour De France Grand Depart 2014.
Following London mayor Boris Johnson’s September announcement he had turned down the opportunity to host the 2017 Tour De France, Sir Gary said he would love for it to return to Yorkshire by 2020.
A folk musician will be following in her father’s footsteps when Prince Charles presents her with an MBE.
Eliza Carthy, whose father Martin was awarded an MBE for his services to folk music in 1998, has also been honoured for the same reason.
The 40-year-old, whose mother folk musician Norma Waterson performs in a duo with her father, was nominated for the Mercury Music Prize for UK album of the year in 1998 and 2003.
Another individual presented with an CBE is Nicola Mendelsohn, co-chair of the Creative Industries Council and vice president of Facebook in Europe, the Middle East and Africa for services to creative industries.
In March, the Daily Telegraph referred to the mother-of-four as “the most powerful British woman in the tech industry”.
