The gynaecologist who assisted at the birth of Prince George, the third in line to the British throne, has been recognised by Queen Elizabeth in the New Year Honours List.
Marcus Setchell, 70, who delayed his retirement to assist at the birth of Prince William and his wife Kate's baby in July, was made a Knight Commander of the Royal Victorian Order - an honour in the personal gift of the Queen.
Honours are issued twice a year, at the new year and on the Queen's birthday, and recognise those who have succeeded in their personal field, or those who have contributed to their community.
Andy Murray, Britain's first Wimbledon men's singles champion for 77 years, and David Beckham, the footballer, had been tipped for further honours, but received none.
Murray, who was given an OBE (Order of the British Empire) after his Olympic gold medal in 2012, was touted as a possible recipient of the higher honour of a knighthood.
Beckham, who announced his retirement in May, was tipped to be knighted for his sporting success and work on the London 2012 Olympics bid. He received an OBE in 2003.
Sir Simon Rattle, the British conductor of the Berlin Philharmonic, is awarded the Order of Merit, given to individuals of great achievement in the fields of the arts, learning and science.
The other recipient of the OM is heart surgeon Professor Sir Magdi Yacoub.
Cuban-born ballet dancer Carlos Acosta was made a CBE, or Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire.
The 40-year-old, a regular guest artist at the Royal Ballet in London, has branched out into choreography, literature and film.
Acosta said: "It was a huge surprise, and I feel privileged to be included."
Elsewhere in the arts world, opera singer Katherine Jenkins, who raises money for charities that help injured soldiers, said she was "incredibly honoured" to be awarded an OBE.
Jenkins, 33, said: "To accept such an award after only a decade of service to music and charity comes as a wonderful surprise.
"I share this award with the charitable bodies I am so privileged to work with, especially to those brave servicemen and women who risk so much for us all."
The creator and co-star of the TV comedy Gavin and Stacey, Ruth Jones, was also given an OBE.
Jones, who set parts of the show in her native South Wales, used the local slang to describe her award as not "just tidy, it's proper tidy".
Penelope Keith, the actress who rose to fame in the 1970s sitcom The Good Life, becomes a dame, as does Angela Lansbury, the star of Murder, She Wrote.
In all, 1,195 people have received an award and for the first time since the Order of the British Empire was founded in 1917, there are more women (51 per cent) on the list than men.
