THE FOUNDER of the choir that performed at the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s wedding is to be awarded an MBE.

Karen Gibson, the founder and director of the Kingdom Choir, will be made a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) for her services to music at a Windsor Castle investiture ceremony.

The gospel choir performed Stand By Me at Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s wedding at Windsor Castle in May 2018.

The royal wedding performance was seen by 1.9 billion people around the world.

Since then, the Kingdom Choir has performed concerts at the Royal Albert Hall, Hollywood Bowl, and the closing ceremony of the Invictus Games, which were founded by Prince Harry.

The Argus: Karen Gibson, the founder and director of the Kingdom Choir, will be made an MBE Karen Gibson, the founder and director of the Kingdom Choir, will be made an MBE

The Argus: Duke and Duchess of Sussex wedding choir director to be made an MBE Duke and Duchess of Sussex wedding choir director to be made an MBE

Described as Britain’s godmother of gospel, Karen previously revealed that it was Prince Charles that invited the Kingdom Choir to perform at the royal wedding.

Among the other recipients, former Great British Bake Off star Mary Berry will be made a Dame Commander by the Prince of Wales for a lifetime of cooking, writing and baking.

The cookery writer and broadcaster has published more than 50 books during a career spanning more than five decades.

She is also recognised for her charity work and is patron of Child Bereavement UK.

Two investitures are being held on the same day, in what is believed to be a first, for “practical” reasons a Buckingham Palace spokeswoman has said.

Prince Charles is due to host the first, and the Princess Royal the second.

The ceremonies resumed in June after being halted during the pandemic, and there is likely to be a number of recipients who have waited to be honoured by a member of the royal family, rather than opting for a local presentation or receiving the honour in the post.

Also being recognised is Sir Philip May, the husband of former prime minister Theresa May, who will be knighted by Charles for political service.

Steven Knight, the film director and screenwriter who wrote the film Spencer about the life of Diana, Princess of Wales, and created the popular drama Peaky Blinders, will be made a CBE.