Jessica Ennis Receives CBE From The Queen At Buckingham Palace (PICTURES)

The Golden Girls

Athletics star Jessica Ennis received her CBE at Buckingham Palace on Thursday as a host of Olympians collected their New Year Honours.

Ennis, who took heptathlon gold in last year's London Games, arrived at the palace this morning to be honoured by the Queen.

Ennis receives her CBE from the Queen

Accompanied by fiance Andy Hill, the 27-year-old posed for photographers but did not comment before collecting her CBE.

Today's ceremony will see honours go to a collection of athletes who became household names with their achievements as part of Team GB.

The Queen and Ennis chat briefly

Ennis, wearing a figure-hugging Antonio Berardi dress, said: "I'm feeling very excited, though it was nerve-wracking before.

"It's incredible to receive this."

Asked what the Queen said, Ennis replied: "You know when you're so nervous and you forget?

"She just said the summer was amazing, 'How's training going?', so it was very, very nice.

"It's all going well (training). I've had a bit of a cold so had a few days off. I've been training hard the past few weeks, it's going well."

Ennis was at the centre of a feel-good summer last year as Team GB made the nation proud with its Olympics medal haul.

"It still doesn't feel real, to be honest," she said.

Ennis arrives at Buckingham Palace

"It was just an amazing year for British athletics and British sport and to be part of that in such a big way was incredible."

Close

What's Hot