LONDON, Dec 30: Horse-rider Zara Phillips, who is 11th in line to the British throne, will become the first member of the royal family to be named in an honours list after she was awarded an MBE.

The 25-year-old, who was voted the BBC's sports personality of the year earlier this month, was one of several British sports stars to be named in the New Year's honours list.

She will be presented with an MBE by her grandmother – the Queen.

It has been a hugely successful year for Phillips who won individual gold at the World Equestrian Games and becomes the first senior royal to be granted such an honour – a move that apparently required the advice of the royal household on matters of protocol.

Also honoured in the list was Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard who receives an MBE.

“I am absolutely thrilled and honoured to receive this recognition for playing a game I've loved all my life,” Gerrard said.

“I'd like to accept this of behalf of all those people who have been so supportive to me throughout my career, all my team-mates over the years, everyone at Liverpool Football Club, everyone at Team England, all my family and friends and all those coaches who have helped me since I was eight.”

Many thought Gerrard and his fellow team-mates should have been honoured after Liverpool's thrilling Champions League victory in 2005.

The 26-year-old helped his side recover from 3-0 down to beat AC Milan on penalties and then enjoyed a memorable 2005-06 season, scoring 23 times from midfield, including a stunning 35-yard effort in the FA Cup final win over West Ham.

Also receiving an MBE is unbeaten Manchester boxer Ricky 'Hit Man' Hatton, who this year stepped up from junior welterweight to welterweight and became a two-weight world champion with a points win over Luis Collazo in Boston.

Hatton, due to challenge for his old IBF junior welterweight title against Juan Urango in Las Vegas on Jan 20, said the honour was a great surprise.

“When I first laced on the gloves I never thought I would become a world champion, let alone receive an MBE from the Queen.

“It is the sort of thing you never think will happen to you in your wildest dreams, and it is one of the greatest achievements of my life,” he said.

“I have never met the Queen and to be honest there will be a few sweaty palms that day. It will certainly be more scary having the Queen standing in front of me than Kostya Tszyu (whom Hatton beat to win the world title in 2005).”

Victorious Ryder Cup captain Ian Woosnam will be honoured for the second time, with an OBE, having already accepted an MBE.

The Welshman said: “It's great. To have an MBE and to go up to an OBE is fantastic. I'm over the moon.

“I've been to Buckingham Palace a couple of times and it's an incredible feeling when you walk through the gates.”

Fellow Welsh rugby union star Gareth Edwards is also celebrating after being awarded a CBE.

The former Wales, British Lions and Cardiff scrum-half was voted the greatest rugby union player of all time in a poll conducted by Rugby World magazine in 2003.—AFP