Royal recognition for 'Queen Mother' Helena

New Year Honours: Entertainment

Helena Bonham Carter started the year playing the Queen's mother. Next year she will enjoy a real visit to Buckingham Palace to be honoured for services to acting.

The actress, who starred in The King's Speech opposite Colin Firth, is appointed CBE in today's New Year Honours list. Other entertainers to be recognised include the veteran comedian Ronnie Corbett and the presenter Lorraine Kelly.

Bonham Carter, who lives in London with her husband Tim Burton, the film director, got her first acting job at 16, in a television advert. Her breakthrough role came in 1985 as Lucy Honeychurch in the Merchant Ivory film A Room With A View. She has also appeared in Woody Allen's Mighty Aphrodite and played Bellatrix Lestrange in the Harry Potter film series.

The King's Speech went on to win four Oscars including Best Picture.

Corbett is appointed CBE for his services to entertainment and charity work, 33 years after he was created OBE. The 81-year-old, who started out in cabaret, moved into television in the 1950s. The much-loved Scot remains most famous for The Two Ronnies, with Ronnie Barker, which ran from 1971 to 1987, and Sorry. More recently, he appeared in the comedy film thriller Burke And Hare, and the BBC Radio 4 sitcom When The Dog Dies.

Lorraine Kelly, who presents Lorraine on ITV, is created OBE for services to charity and the armed forces. Kelly, who left school at 17 to join her local paper before moving to GMTV, said she was "thrilled and deeply honoured". She has supported charities including Comic Relief, Muscle Help Foundation and Freedom from Fistula.

Remi Adefarasin, a cinematographer working in television and films, is appointed OBE. His work includes the Second World War television series Band Of Brothers.

The actor David Harewood, who played Nelson Mandela in the TV film Mrs Mandela, is created MBE.

New Year Honours List 2012:
* Knights Bachelor
* Order of the Bath
* Royal Victorian Order, Royal Victorian Medal, and Colonial Police and Fire Service Medal
* Order of the British Empire, Civil - GBE, DBE, CBE
* Order of the British Empire, Civil - OBE
* Order of the British Empire, Civil - MBE
* Diplomatic Services and Overseas List
* Commonwealth
* Military Division
* Sundries