Angela Lansbury will be made a dame at Windsor Castle today.
The 88-year-old actress is known to millions as sleuth Jessica Fletcher in Murder, She Wrote and her career includes countless film roles including appearances in Bedknobs And Broomsticks, The Manchurian Candidate and alongside Elvis Presley in Blue Hawaii.
She has been nominated three times for an Academy Award, including for her debut in the 1944 thriller Gaslight, but failed to win each time and was presented last year with an honorary Oscar.
Dame Angela, who was previously awarded a CBE, was born in Poplar, east London, but moved to the US during the Second World War after the death of her father Edgar, who was a politician.
Politics runs in the family - her grandfather George was leader of the Labour Party in the 1930s - but she followed in the footsteps of her mother, actress Moyna MacGill.
She returned to her roots last month when she took to the stage at the Gielgud Theatre in London's West End for a production of Noel Coward's Blithe Spirit.
It is the first time in almost 40 years that she has been on the London stage, reprising the role which won her a Tony award on Broadway.
Her award is for services to drama and to charitable work and philanthropy.
Also being honoured at the ceremony is sculptor Antony Gormley, who is receiving a knighthood for services to the arts. He created the Angel of the North in Gateshead.
TV and radio personality Nicholas Parsons will receive a CBE for charitable services, particularly to children's charities.
The 90-year-old, who has clocked up numerous acting and comedy roles throughout his career, is still best known for his years as questionmaster of TV quiz Sale Of The Century and for his role as host of Radio 4's Just A Minute.
Receiving an OBE will be special effects supervisor Christopher Corbould for services to film, and Professor Gregory Whyte, for services to sport, sport science and to charity.
Liverpool will come to a standstill today to mark 25 years since the Hillsborough disaster claimed 96 lives.
A Crohn's disease sufferer learns the result today of her High Court challenge against what she claims is an "unlawful" decision to refuse her funding for her eggs to be frozen before she undergoes chemotherapy.
A sixth consecutive fall in the rate of inflation is expected to herald an end to the prolonged squeeze on real wages when official figures are published today.
A High Court judge rules today on a bid by musicians in the West End production of War Horse to win an order preventing the National Theatre from replacing them with a pre-recorded soundtrack.
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