The 65 year-old BBC Only Fools and Horses actor arrived at Buckingham Palace this morning to receive his honour with new wife Gill. Gill Hinchcliffe has been his long time partner and at 45 became not just Mrs White, but Lady White too.

The Queen Mother is said to have been one of the members of the Royal Family who received advance copies of Only Fools and Horses. In recent years, the special Christmas edition of the perennial BBC favourite has been broadcast as reliably as the Queen's Speech.

When interviewed, David Jason fell into his Del boy roll while being interviewed. Sir David, 65, acknowledged his debt to the character of Derek "Del Boy" Trotter, saying modestly: "Being a fool is probably the only gift I possess." He said the Queen was "not necessarily a fan", but certainly recognised his long-standing career, which has included roles in Open All Hours and the D

arling Buds of May and A Touch of Frost.

The smiling couple, accompanied by their four year old daughter Sophie May, then ignored further questions as they dashed off for a series of television interviews.

Sir David met Hinchcliffe on the set of "A Bit Of A Do" in 1989. They remained friends and their relationship did not start until David's previous partner of 18 years, Myfanwy Talog, died tragically of cancer in 1995.

Gill gave birth to the couple's first child, Sophie Mae, in 2001 at Stoke Mandeville Hospital, Aylesbury.

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