Billy Boston set to become rugby league's first knight in special investiture
Boston, who scored 478 tries in 488 matches for Wigan after making the switch from rugby union to league in 1953, will formally receive the honour on Tuesday following a campaign to get the first knighthood recognition for the sport.
The 90-year-old, who was born in Wales and has family links to Ireland and Sierra Leone, revealed in 2016 that he was living with vascular dementia.
Boston's knighthood will be awarded before the latest round of honours has been publicly announced amid concerns for his health, it is understood.
In 1954 he made history as the first non-white player to be selected for a Great Britain rugby league Lions tour, scoring 36 tries in 18 appearances around Australia and New Zealand, including a then-record four in one match against the Kiwis.
He made two more Lions tours in 1958 and 1962 and ended with 24 tries in 31 Test appearances for Great Britain.
Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy said the first knighthood for a rugby league player was a 'long overdue recognition for a game that has contributed so much to our national life'.
The Wigan MP added: 'Billy Boston's knighthood is a historic milestone, providing fitting recognition for the greatest player rugby league has ever seen.
'As MP for Wigan, this is a proud day for our town, for the Welsh nation, for rugby league fans across the country and, most importantly, for Billy and his family.
'I'd like to pay tribute to the RFL, the Rugby League APPG and all those who have campaigned for this moment – and to Billy himself whose extraordinary talent and remarkable achievements have inspired generations and will continue to do so for many years to come.'
He has already been appointed an MBE, the third-highest ranking award within the Order of the British Empire.
His wife, Joan Boston, said of the announcement: 'Billy's family are so proud of him and so excited that everything he's done for the sport and for our community is being recognised. He is a wonderful person who has always loved rugby league and all of the people involved in the sport.
'We were very moved to see local councillors, the MP and so many local people supporting the campaign to make this happen. I hope this inspires more young people to get involved in rugby league and to cheer on their players.'
Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle was among those to campaign on the issue and said it was a 'major injustice' that no rugby league player had ever been knighted.
Dame Jacqueline Wilson, Sir Sadiq Khan and Sir Loyd Grossman are among the other notable names set to be honoured at Buckingham Palace.
Author Dame Jacqueline, 79, will be formally made a Dame Grand Cross for her services to literature on Tuesday.
The former children's laureate is widely known as the creator of Tracy Beaker, as well as for other children's novels including Candyfloss and Double Act.
Last year, Dame Jacqueline released her first adult novel since the 1970s as she returned to her beloved Girls series.
The novel, Think Again, was nominated at this year's British Book Awards.
Sir Sadiq, 54, will formally receive his knighthood for political and public service, having been the mayor of London since 2016.
The Labour politician was re-elected as mayor of the capital in both 2021 and 2024, being the first London mayor to win a third term.
Following the announcement of the knighthood in the New Year Honours list, Sir Sadiq said: 'I am truly humbled to have received a knighthood in the King's New Year Honours.'
Sir Loyd, chairman of The Royal Parks, will formally receive his knighthood for services to heritage.
The broadcaster and author, widely known for his range of cooking sauces, presented the BBC's MasterChef in the 1990s and ITV panel show Through The Keyhole with Sir David Frost from 1987 until 2003, inviting viewers into celebrity homes.
Responding to the announcement of the knighthood, Sir Loyd, 74, previously said it was 'pretty amazing' and that he was 'delighted, surprised, thrilled, overwhelmed and excited'.
Sir Loyd was awarded a knighthood having led the transition, as chairman of The Royal Parks, from a government agency through to its establishment as an independent charity.
Labour politician Dame Emily Thornberry, MP for Islington South and Finsbury since 2005, will formally receive her damehood at the Buckingham Palace ceremony for political and public service.
The chairwoman of the Foreign Affairs Select Committee, 64, has previously served on Labour's front bench in numerous roles including as shadow attorney general and shadow foreign secretary.
Director general of MI5 Sir Kenneth McCallum will also formally receive his knighthood for public service.
Sir Kenneth led MI5's strategic response to the 2017 terrorist attacks and to the 2018 attempted assassination of Sergei Skripal, being appointed director general of the domestic counter-intelligence and security agency in April 2020.
The director general is the only avowed member of MI5, meaning they are the only member whose identity is publicly disclosed.
The novelist Robert Harris, 68, will be formally made a CBE for services to literature at the ceremony.
Harris is best known for his works of historical fiction, and his 2016 novel Conclave was adapted into a film starring Ralph Fiennes that was nominated for the best picture Oscar at this year's Academy Awards.
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