Shropshire Star

Ireland rugby captain Best’s ‘immense pride’ to receive OBE

The veteran hooker was joined at the palace by his parents, who have both been decorated with MBEs.

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Rory Best with his OBE

Ireland’s rugby captain Rory Best has spoken of his “immense pride” after being awarded an OBE at Buckingham Palace.

The veteran hooker was joined at the palace by his parents, who have both been decorated with MBEs, as he received his honour from the Prince of Wales.

He said: “I suppose they can’t really believe it. When I first told my family they were shocked but absolutely delighted – it means a lot to our family, especially with mum and dad having received MBEs.

“It’s a lovely family celebration.”

Rory Best receives his honour from the Prince of Wales
Rory Best receives his honour from the Prince of Wales (Yui Mok/PA)

Best’s father John was honoured for services to agriculture and mother Patricia for services to the public sector.

Receiving the honour is his greatest individual accolade to date, he added.

“You play rugby because you love it and then all of a sudden you get these awards, but I think of all the individual awards I’ve received in my career this is certainly the highest.”

Best has been capped more than 100 times by his country.

Ben Helfgott was also knighted for services to Holocaust remembrance and education.

Sir Ben Helfgott at Buckingham Palace
Sir Ben Helfgott at Buckingham Palace (Dominic Lipinski/PA)

Mr Helfgott, who was held in the Buchenwald concentration camp, said: “I must tell the world what happened to me so that it should never happen again.”

After surviving the Holocaust he moved to the UK, later captaining the country’s weightlifting team at the 1956 and 1960 Olympic Games.

He was “lucky” to have been able to move here, he added.

At the investiture ceremony, actor Hugh Laurie was awarded a CBE for services to drama.

Hugh Laurie is made a CBE
Hugh Laurie is made a CBE (Yui Mok/PA)

Laurie is best known for appearing in sitcom Blackadder and US drama House.

His film appearances include The Man In The Iron Mask, Stuart Little and Peter’s Friends.

The Golden Globe award winner went to school at Eton and then Cambridge University, where he was president of the Footlights, a drama group that has produced some of the UK’s most celebrated actors and comedians.

It was during his time in Cambridge that he met Stephen Fry. The two went on to form a successful comedy partnership.

Laurie, who was born in Oxford, has also found success as a novelist and musician.

His debut novel The Gun Seller was released in 1996 and he has had two blues albums in the top three of the UK charts.

He declined the opportunity to be interviewed at the palace.

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