Dame...

Angela Lansbury has been made a Dame by the Queen of Britain. Lansbury was joined by her niece, her son and his wife when she collected the honour for services to drama, charitable work and philanthropy.

The 88-year-old actress spoke of her "proud" day after being recognised for her successful showbusiness career at a ceremony in Windsor Castle yesterday.

Lansbury - who was born in London but moved to the US during World War II - said of her honour: "It is a very proud day for me to be recognised by the country of my birth, and to meet the Queen under these circumstances is a rare and lovely occasion."

Perhaps best known for playing Jessica Fletcher in Murder, She Wrote, Lansbury has starred in many TV shows and films during her long career, including Bedknobs and Broomsticks and The Manchurian Candidate.

Lansbury is also a veteran stage actress, and is currently appearing in the West End's production of Blithe Spirit, a role which won her a Tony Award on Broadway. Last year, she was handed an honorary Oscar, having been nominated three times for an Academy Award in the past.

Comparing her Oscar to her latest honour, she said: "One [the Oscar] is for my work in motion pictures and this is for the overall accomplishments of my life as an actress. It has afforded me the joy of working in America and also in England a great deal."