Claudia Winkleman was seen radiating joy on Tuesday, having been appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) by King Charles III during an investiture ceremony held at Windsor Castle.
The esteemed presenter of “The Traitors” and “Strictly Come Dancing” was recognised for her significant contributions to broadcasting in the King’s Birthday Honours this past summer, an honour shared with her “Strictly” co-host, Tess Daly.
Winkleman, who attended the ceremony in a white suit complemented by a matching headband and a black shirt, was accompanied by family members, including her mother, the journalist Eve Pollard.
Following the ceremony, the presenter shared her sentiments on Instagram, stating: “An incredible morning and an enormous honour. I’m speechless.”
Winkleman’s compelling work on “The Traitors” earned her a BAFTA award in 2023, with the show set to return with new episodes in the New Year.
Alan Carr recently emerged victorious in the celebrity edition of “The Traitors,” with the series finale drawing in a peak audience of 12 million viewers, according to the BBC.
Prior to her success with “The Traitors,” Winkleman was primarily known for co-presenting BBC One’s widely popular celebrity dance competition, “Strictly,” where she has been a source of warmth and wit since 2004.
She began her “Strictly” journey as the presenter of its spin-off show, “It Takes Two,” before taking on the role of co-presenter for the results show alongside Daly in 2010.
In 2014, Winkleman and Daly made history as the first female duo to host the main Saturday night show, with Winkleman succeeding the late Bruce Forsyth.
However, the presenting duo revealed in October their decision to depart from “Strictly” at the conclusion of the current series, with the Christmas Day special marking their final appearance.
“We have loved working as a duo and hosting Strictly has been an absolute dream. We were always going to leave together and now feels like the right time,” they shared in a joint statement on Instagram.
Last month, Daly herself was honoured by the King, whose wife, Queen Camilla, expressed her admiration for the show last year, stating: “We all watch it. I’m one of Strictly’s greatest fans.”
Winkleman’s sister, Sophie Winkleman, known for her role in “Peep Show,” is also a member of the Royal family through her marriage to Lord Frederick Windsor.
In addition to “It Takes Two,” Winkleman has hosted a variety of reality shows, including BBC Three’s “The House of Tiny Tearaways” and ITV’s “Hell’s Kitchen.” She also took on the role of co-presenter for BBC One’s “Film programme,” following Jonathan Ross’ departure.
Furthermore, she has hosted Comic Relief, The Great British Sewing Bee and The Piano talent show on Channel 4, as well as a string of shows on BBC Radio 2.
Earlier in the year, Winkleman was honoured with the Royal Television Society’s outstanding achievement award.
Upon being named on the honours list in June, Winkleman conveyed her “incredibly grateful” sentiment, adding that it was “a real privilege to work with extraordinarily talented people and I have only got this because of them. So this is for the BBC, the Traitors and the Faithful, for pianos and for the cha cha.”
Also recognised by King Charles at the same ceremony on Tuesday was Sir Antony Gormley.
The sculptor behind the iconic Angel of the North was inducted into the esteemed Companions of Honour, an exclusive society limited to a maximum of 65 members at any given time.
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