Rock star Rod Stewart is honoured by the Queen in the New Year Honours.

The veteran singer, who gets a CBE, is joined in the list by Coronation Street stalwart Johnny Briggs, the Queen's own granddaughter Zara Phillips.

Briggs is rewarded with an MBE after retiring from the soap earlier this year, having played dodgy businessman Mike Baldwin for three decades.

Phillips, who just three weeks ago was voted BBC Sports Personality of the Year, receives an MBE for services to equestrianism.

The award - the first received by a senior royal in the New Year list - crowns a fantastic year for her after she won gold at the World Equestrian Games and the European Championships.

The list coincides with an announcement that recipients can in future wear a new emblem - in the form of a buttonhole badge - to show that they have been honoured.

Among the ordinary people' sharing the honours this year are a baton twirler and a retired milkman.

Actor and comedian Hugh Laurie, who has become a headline TV name in the United States, gets an OBE.

In the world of sport, there is an OBE for Ian Woosnam, who led the European golf team to a famous Ryder Cup victory over the United States this year.

Steven Gerrard, the England midfielder and Liverpool's inspirational captain, gets an MBE, while Welsh rugby legend Gareth Edwards becomes a CBE.

Among the knighthoods is the inventor James Dyson, who revolutionised the vacuum cleaner, and George Shearing, the blind jazz pianist.

In the world of journalism, Ann Leslie, the globe-trotting Daily Mail reporter who has covered major stories all over the world, becomes a Dame, and there is an MBE for Peter Beal, the former northern editor of the Press Association. There are awards too for gardening expert David Hessayon, the world's biggest-selling non-fiction author, and Alexander McCall Smith, writer of the best-selling The No 1 Ladies' Detective Agency series. An MBE goes to a man simply identified as Moses', a trustee for Brent Community Transport, for services to the community in London.

There is a CBE for Penelope Keith, one of the most prominent and popular actresses of her generation.

She has a daunting theatrical presence and is famous for her portrayal of upper-crust, aristocratic characters in TV series The Good Life and To The Manor Born. Her early career included parts in such TV classics as The Army Game, Dixon Of Dock Green and The Avengers. She has also done much stage work including leading roles in The Norman Conquests and Blithe Spirit.

Ms Keith has been president of the Actors' Benevolent Fund since 1990, taking over after the death of Lord Olivier. In 2002, she was High Sheriff of Surrey, being only the third woman to hold the post.

A CBE goes to veteran Shakespearean actor John Wood, who will be 77 on New Year's Day. His name is associated with Shakespeare, joining the Royal Shakespeare Company in the 1970s, but he has played many other key roles as well.

David Davies, formerly executive director of the Football Association, gets an OBE. During all the FA's troubles, Davies was invariably the optimist, once saying: "We have had our problems in the past.

"We had them and we dealt with them and we will do that now."

Faye White, captain of the Arsenal Ladies football team and England, becomes an MBE.

Yachtsman Michael Golding, who turned back 80 miles to rescue a rival in the recent solo Five Oceans round-the-world race, gets an OBE.

There is an MBE for Ricky The Hitman' Hatton, regarded as Britain's most popular boxer since Naseem Hamed.

He is undefeated in his major career fights as a welterweight and light welterweight, with a record of winning nearly all his bouts by a knockout.

Explorer David Hempleman-Adams becomes a Lieutenant of the Royal Victorian Order for services to the Duke of Edinburgh's Award Scheme.

Bernard Matthews, the famous Norfolk turkey farmer, who already has a CBE, is also made a Commander of the Royal Victorian Order (CVO) for services to the Duke of Edinburgh's Award.