Wimbledon champion Andy Murray has been awarded an honour by Prince William - though the tennis star nearly missed his big day at Buckingham Palace due to a drugs test.
It was a big occasion for William too as he takes on more duties from his grandmother Queen Elizabeth II, presiding over an investiture ceremony for the first time.
Murray, who in July became the first British man to win the Wimbledon men's singles title in 77 years, was made an Officer of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (OBE), two ranks below a knighthood, for his services to tennis.
But he feared he might miss the royal appointment when drugs testers turned up at his house to conduct a random test 10 minutes before his car was booked to leave.
"I was just about to start getting ready and they turned up so I was a bit worried I was going to be late, but the taxi driver did a good job getting around London," Murray said.
The 26-year-old Scot chatted animatedly with the prince after William pinned the OBE on his jacket lapel.
"I think he's a big sports fan, he was at the Olympics, he was seen everywhere and I've seen him a couple of times at Wimbledon," Murray said.
"He asked me about my back surgery and what it was like after Wimbledon and the pressures and stuff. It was a great thing to do at the end of the year, especially as it's his first one."
William, 31, has recently ended his stint as a Royal Air Force search and rescue helicopter pilot, but was dressed in his uniform for the ceremony, during which he gave out 88 awards.
Murray was joined at the palace by his parents and his girlfriend.
He underwent back surgery three weeks ago, forcing him to miss next month's World Tour Finals, disputed among the year's top eight players.
The world number four said he had started doing rehabilitation work but it would be four or five weeks before he was back on a tennis court.
He insisted he would only return to the tour when he was 100 per cent fit, hopefully before the Australian Open in January.
