Triathlon gold medallist returns to his route to collect MBE from the Queen

Brownlee, 24, from Leeds, who had run much of the course alongside his brother Jonny, who picked up the bronze medal, said: “Triathlon, most of the time it is only a niche sport and flies under the radar but then all of a sudden it is in the Olympics and the home Olympics in London, on such a brilliant course.

“We came right outside Buckingham Palace – a lot of people today have said they saw me racing – that’s quite cool.”

Stella McCartney dubbed the Queen “chic” after she was awarded an OBE for a successful career in fashion.

Speaking after the Palace investiture ceremony, where the Queen wore a pale coloured dress, McCartney said: “She looks very chic I thought, beautiful,” then added laughing: “It should have been Stella McCartney, of course – I slipped her a card.”

The designer, who is the daughter of ex-Beatle Sir Paul McCartney and his first wife Linda, wore one of her own creations and dedicated the honour to her team at her fashion label, a leading force on the world stage.

“It’s just a great honour for me. I work with a big team of people so I think it’s as much for them,” she added.

Victoria Pendleton, Britain’s golden girl of track cycling, said she was delighted to be made a CBE.

The sportswoman brought a glittering career in bike racing to a close at London 2012 by retiring after winning a keirin gold and sprint silver last summer, to add to her gold from Beijing 2008.

“Having an MBE already I didn’t expect to get anything further then that really, so to get an upgrade to a CBE is very special.”

Swimmer Josef Craig, 16, winner of the BBC Young Sports Personality of the Year award, also an MBE in recognition of becoming Britain’s youngest Paralympic gold medallist during London 2012, winning the S7 400 metres freestyle when aged just 15.