UK New Year's Honours List 2022 Out: Tony Blair, Covid experts and Olympians honoured

Former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair will be knighted with the highest possible rank in the list, Buckingham Palace announced on Friday.

Blair will be honoured with the oldest and most senior British order of chivalry- Knight Companion of the Most Noble Order of the Garter. In total 1,122 people are included in The New Year's Honour List 2022, reported CNN.

Blair, who was UK's prime minister from 1997 to 2007 in a tweet posted by the Tony Blair Institute, said, "It is an immense honour to be appointed Knight Companion of the Most Noble Order of the Garter, and I am deeply grateful to Her Majesty the Queen,"

It is not the first time that a UK prime minister has been bestowed by this honour. John Major, who was UK's prime minister prior to Blair, also received the honour.

The list includes other names who contributed significantly to help the nation tide over tough waters during pandemic. This includes England's Chief Medical Officer Professor Chris Whitty and deputy chief medical officer Professor Jonathan Van-Tam.

British diver and Olympic gold medalist, Tom Daley is appointed OBE (Order of the British Empire) for services to "diving, LGBTQ+ rights and charity."

"When I was a little boy, I felt like an outsider and felt different, and I felt like I was never going to be anything, because who I was, wasn't what society wanted me to be," he said this summer.

Matty Lee, Dally's diver partner and gold medallist, received MBE (Member of the Order of the Empire) honour. Tennis star Emma Raducano, winner of the US Open in September is also awarded an MBE, reported CNN.

Notably, the New Year's Honour list is published twice a year. As per the royal family, the list is published once on New Year's and, on Queen's birthday, for the second time. It recognizes British people with excellence in fields ranging from science and politics to arts and athletics.

( With inputs from ANI )