A royal honour for Angelina Jolie

Hollywood star, Angelina Jolie, has been made an honorary dame in the Queen's Birthday Honours List.  The Oscar winning actress has been recognised for her work to help women who suffer sexual abuse in war zones.  Angelina Jolie is now a dame commander of the order of St Michael and St George in recognition of her work on conflict sexual crime.  Earlier this week, she met the Duchess of Cornwall at Clarence House to discuss the issue as she and her partner, Brad Pitt, took part in a conference on the subject in London.

The Duchess of Cornwall with Angelina Jolie who is made an honorary dame in the Queen's Birthday Honours List

Another Oscar winner, Daniel Day-Lewis, also headlines the list as he is awarded a knighthood a year after becoming the first man ever to win three Academy Awards as Best Actor.  And double Oscar winner and star of Downton Abbery, Dame Maggie Smith, is made a Companion of Honour in the list.

Dame Maggie Smith, now a Companion of Honour, as the Dowager Countess of Grantham in Downton Abbey

One of the UK's most successful authors, Hilary Mantel, is also made a dame.  Last year, the writer came under fire from many - including the Prime Minister, David Cameron - when she said that the Duchess of Cambridge had 'no personality of her own' and was a 'shop window mannequin'.  The comments don't seem to have made any difference to her inclusion on the honours list where she is recognised for services to literature.  There is also an OBE for Homeland star, Damien Lewis, and for Hunter Davis after his long career in journalism and writing.

Hilary Mantel, author of Wolf Hall, is named a Dame in the Queen's Birthday Honours List

The Birthday Honours have been awarded for over a century and now always appear in June to mark the Queen's official birthday.  The only other time a large number of people receive awards at one time is at New Year.

The Queen awards honours twice a year - on her official birthday and at New Year

But the most moving honour on this year's list is the MBE given to Stephen Sutton who died last month at the age of 19.  Stephen raised over £4 million for the Teenage Cancer Trust after being diagnosed with cancer when he was fifteen.  His inspiring attitude towards life touched millions and his thumbs up signature became known globally as he took his fundraising campaign and his message of hope to the world.  Stephen was told of his honour before he died and his MBE will be backdated to May 14th 2014, the date of his death.  This is a particularly star studded honours list but even the biggest name can't compete with Stephen whose inspiration touched so many.