A royal invitation to the palace
What it's like to be awarded an MBE from Princess Anne
Receiving an MBE (Member of the Order of the British Empire) from the royal family is no easy feat. Around 2,000 people are awarded the coveted medal each year, and now endurance runner, adventure athlete and mental health campaigner, Sally Orange, is one of them.
HELLO! writer and honorary Royal Club author, Megan Bull, had the privilege of interviewing Sally just weeks after she'd collected her MBE from Princess Anne in November, and she gave Megan a first-hand account of what it's really like on the day.
By the way, happy 31st wedding anniversary to Anne and her husband Sir Timothy Laurence today!
Following 22 years of exemplary service in the Royal Army Medical Corps, Sally is now the only person on the planet to have completed a marathon on every continent in fancy dress, or more specifically, as different pieces of fruit!
Among her many achievements, Sally has run over 80 marathons, completed eight full Ironman triathlons, and smashed endless Guinness world records, in a bid to remove the associated stigma of mental health.
Having experienced severe depression and chronic anxiety herself, Sally is more determined than ever to increase mental health awareness, and finding herself on the King's first Birthday Honours List was just the icing on the cake.
Without further ado, take it away Sally…