Zara makes honours list

Dec 22, 2006, 13:40 GMT

Britain's Zara Phillips is set to become the first senior member of the royal family to be recognised in the New Year's honours list.

Zara - who is 11th in line to the British throne - has been nominated after becoming only the third rider ever to win gold at the World Equestrian Games and European Championships.

She rounded off a remarkable year by collecting the BBC Sports Personality of the Year award earlier this month.

The 25-year-old's nomination was examined by the sporting honours committee, which includes Sir Bobby Robson, Matthew Pinsent and Tessa Sanderson.

Queen Elizabeth hands out the honours during a ceremony held at Buckingham Palace, and the committee did express concern about the monarch presenting her granddaughter with the award.

A Buckingham Palace spokesman said there are no protocol issues with Zara receiving the honour, insisting: "She will have had to go through exactly the same process as anyone else."

The spokesman confirmed no other royal family member had ever received a New Year's honour and stressed that nominations are made by the British Cabinet Office not the queen.

Honours lists are published twice a year - at New Year and on the queen's official birthday in June.

The honours reward outstanding achievement and service to the nation.

(C) BANG Media International