Epping Forest MP Dame Eleanor Laing attends Buckingham Palace investiture
Epping Forest MP Dame Eleanor Laing has attended an investiture at Buckingham Palace to receive her Damehood from HRH the Duke of Cambridge.
Dame Eleanor, who was made a Dame in the Queen's Birthday Honours List, has been the Member of Parliament for Epping Forest for 21 years - was a Shadow Minister for 12 years and has been a Deputy Speaker for more than four-and-a-half years.
She was appointed a member of the Privy Council, the formal body of advisers to the Queen, last November.
Dame Eleanor said: "It was a great privilege to be invited to Buckingham Palace where Prince William performed the investiture ceremony making me a 'Dame Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire'.
"Prince William was charming and we had a very pleasant conversation about my role as Deputy Speaker of the House of Commons.
"It was really impressive and often touching to see a number of really wonderful people receiving honours for their selfless commitment to various good causes.
"It was lovely to see how proud their families were of them.
