An 11-year-old girl has revealed she is “speechless” after becoming the youngest person ever to be made an MBE.
Carmela Chillery-Watson was recognised in the King’s Birthday Honours for her services to charitable fundraising.
Carmela lives with a rare muscle-wasting condition, diagnosed at age three in 2017, which affects just one in a million children globally.
Through approximately 25 fundraising and awareness campaigns, she has helped Muscular Dystrophy UK raise more than £400,000.
Speaking after the investiture ceremony at Windsor Castle on Wednesday, Carmela said she was left “speechless” after opening the letter informing her of the news.
“I never would have thought that I would have got an MBE, I just wanted to do what I did to change communities,” she added.
“But this is absolutely incredible.
“I just never would have thought this would have happened in a million years.”
The Government believes Carmela is the youngest-ever MBE, although it does not hold all the historical data to be able to confirm it.
Carmela said the Prince of Wales was “very nice” and said she discussed her charity work and how much money she had raised with him.
Also receiving an honour at Windsor Castle on Wednesday was paralympic swimmer and volleyball player Monica Vaughan, 73, who has been awarded an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) for services to sport.
Vaughan said receiving an OBE is the “cherry on the top” of her previous accolades, adding: “It is quite amazing.”
