Queen's Birthday Honours 2016: Rod Stewart gets knighthood

"Rod the Mod" is now Sir Rod Stewart. He has received a knighthood in the Queen's Birthday Honours list for his services to music during a career spanning more than 50 years.

He said: "I've led a wonderful life and have had a tremendous career thanks to the generous support of the great British public. This monumental honour has topped it off and I couldn't ask for anything more. I thank Her Majesty and promise to 'wear it well'."

Other luminaries in the list include Dame Vera Lynn, "the forces' sweetheart" of World War Two, who was inducted into the Order of the Companions of Honour, for her services to entertainment and charity. Lynn, who joins just 45 other companions to the queen, said: "I felt very greatly honoured to be given a Damehood and never expected to receive anything else. So for Her Majesty to bestow a further accolade on me is very unexpected."

Tim Peake, meanwhile, the seventh Brit in space, was made a Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George for his contribution to space research and scientific education. He received the honour while still on the International Space Station, saying: "All of the training and preparation couldn't prepare me for looking down on our Earth from orbit. But this isn't an award for me.

"This is to recognise the hundreds of dedicated staff who have made my Principia mission possible, working together across national boundaries to build, operate and maintain our scientific outpost in space - the International Space Station."

In all, 1,149 people were recognised in the honours list, which is being touted as the "most diverse" list to date. Around 8% of recipients are BME (black and minority ethnic), and 47% are women. Disabled people recieved 5% of the awards have gone to disabled people, and the majority (70 %) were given to people doing work in their communities.

The England cricket captain Alastair Cook received a CBE, as did former England footballer Alan Shearer, and the broadcaster Janet Street-Porter, while OBEs went to TV presenters Ant and Dec, and the actor Brian Blessed.