St James’s Palace hosted its first investiture ceremony in more than four years on Thursday, with the Princess Royal bestowing MBEs upon several distinguished recipients.
The venue change from Windsor Castle, where such ceremonies typically occur, came about because the castle is accommodating the German state visit this week.
Among those honoured were Amanda and Ray Mifsud, the Kent couple behind children’s cancer charity Abbie’s Army, and Lieutenant Commander Hugo Mitchell-Heggs, who captained the inaugural Royal Navy submariner team to complete an Atlantic rowing crossing.
The ceremony also recognised Natasha Jones, who made history as the first British woman boxer to secure Olympic qualification at the London 2012 Games.
Princess Anne hosted the first MBE ceremony in four years at St James’s Palace
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The couple, who live in Ashford, established Abbie’s Army in 2012 following the death of their six-year-old daughter from a diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma, an aggressive and currently incurable form of brain cancer that affects children.
Their daughter Abbie had been taken to see a doctor after experiencing unsteadiness, and was sent for an MRI scan the same day. Medical staff informed her parents that nothing could be done, and she passed away five months later.
The charity has since channelled over £1.8million into research initiatives, with funding directed to institutions including Great Ormond Street Hospital and the Institute of Cancer Research.
Abbie’s Army operates without any paid employees, relying entirely on volunteers and families who have been touched by DIPG.
Mr Mifsud described the experience as “quite overwhelming, really, because the reason we’re here is because of our daughter, and because she isn’t here.”
His wife reflected on the unexpected nature of the recognition: “Whenever you start a charity you don’t expect any kind of acknowledgement but the recognition just feels huge today. To be standing here, 14 years after Abbie’s death, we’re here because she was here.”
Amanda and Ray Mifsud were honoured for their charity work with Abbie’s Army
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The couple described the Princess Royal as “lovely” and noted she had enquired about whether their charitable endeavours had helped them process their loss.
Mrs Mifsud spoke of the privilege in supporting others during their most difficult moments: “It’s so overwhelming, so I find it such a privilege that we get to help other people in that position they’re in their darkest time.”
Lieutenant Commander Mitchell-Heggs, whose honour was announced in the King’s Birthday Honours List, described receiving his MBE at the “extraordinary” palace as “really special.”
He recalled: “They make you feel very special, from getting out of the black cab to standing in front of the Princess (Royal), it was really, really nice.”
Lieutenant Commander Mitchell-Heggs received an MBE from Princess Anne on Thursday
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The submariner discussed his service with the Princess Royal during their exchange, noting: “In the Royal Navy, we love her, she’s very dear to the Royal Navy community.”
He took up ocean rowing during recovery from an injury and led his crew across the Atlantic in 2018. The initiative addressed mental health challenges facing submariners enduring lengthy deployments, and has since inspired multiple Royal Navy teams to complete the crossing, collectively raising over £1 million for naval and Royal Marine charities.