Jackie Bird accepts MBE from Princess Royal at Windsor Castle

Jackie Bird, the face of BBC Scotland News for more than 30 years, has accepted her MBE from the Princess Royal at Windsor Castle.

The 63-year-old, who formerly presented the BBC’s Reporting Scotland, has become a Member of the British Empire for services to broadcasting and to charities.

She also presented BBC Scotland’s Children In Need show for a number of years and has been president of the National Trust for Scotland since 2022.

On hearing she was to receive the honour she said: “I’m thrilled. Absolutely surprised and thrilled.”

Jackie began working for Jackie magazine at DC Thomson at the age of 17, eventually becoming its pop editor.

She also had stints at Radio Clyde, The Sun and Television South Maidstone before joining BBC Scotland in October 1989.

She became the main presenter on Reporting Scotland, covering major news stories, including the Lockerbie bombing in 1988 and Dunblane school shootings in 1996.

Jackie was also at the forefront of coverage of the devolution referendum in 1997 and the Scottish independence referendum in 2014.

She fronted many annual Scottish TV events such as Hogmanay and the World Pipe Band contest for the BBC.

She stepped down from presenting the news in April 2019.

Commonly awarded ranks:

• Companion of honour – Limited to 65 people. Recipients wear the initials CH after their name
• Knight or Dame
• CBE – Commander of the Order of the British Empire
• OBE – Officer of the Order of the British Empire
• MBE – Member of the Order of the British Empire
• BEM – British Empire Medal