Supermodel and style icon Dame Twiggy Lawson was awarded her damehood for services to fashion, the arts and charity in the Queen's New Year Honours on Friday. The 69-year-old exclusively told HELLO!: "I'm deeply honoured and absolutely thrilled. It was a complete surprise, but a fabulous one. I’ve been in the fashion and entertainment business for over 50 years, and this acknowledgement means the world to me. I’m very proud to be an ambassador for Britain and look forward to many more years and new ventures, working in fashion, the arts and with my charities."
Twiggy's distinctive look
Dame Twiggy Lawson - born Lesley Lawson - shot to fame as a model in the sixties with her distinctive big kohl-rimmed eyes and androgynous cropped blonde hair. Twiggy was found on the covers of Vogue and Tatler, and she quickly became a British cultural icon recognised around the world. The London-born star continued a five-decade long career which included award-nominated acting roles on stage, TV and film, designing high-street clothing lines, recording music records and writing an autobiography. She's also a supporter of breast cancer research, animal welfare and anti-fur campaigns.
WATCH: This is what Twiggy had to say about turning 60
READ: Keira Knightley hid her OBE letter for a very good reason
Alongside Dame Twiggy, other individuals recognised for their services and achievements included Monty Python star Michael Palin, England football manager Gareth Southgate, His Dark Materials author Philip Pullman and former England cricket captain Alastair Cook, who were all given knighthoods. The Handmaid's Tale writer Margaret Atwood also joined the elite Companions of Honours. Seven members of the team of British divers which rescued 12 young footballers from a Thai cave in July were awarded honours and bravery medals, while 43 people - including medics and police officers - were recognised for their response to the terror attacks in Manchester and London in 2017.
Like this story? Sign up to our newsletter to get other stories like this delivered straight to your inbox.