King Charles has knighted British actor Idris Elba at Windsor Castle, as Dame Meera Syal, Paul Elliott and several other key figures received honours for their contributions to art, sport and charity.

The honours were presented by King Charles to recipients during a ceremony held at Windsor Castle on Tuesday.

Mr Elba received his knighthood for services to young people, particularly through his work in education and community development through the Elba Hope Foundation, which he founded in 2022.

As a teenager, he had long-standing ties with the King’s Trust, which supported him when he joined the National Youth Music Theatre. Mr Elba is also set to work with King Charles on a documentary marking 50 years of the charity.

The honour comes just days ahead of the theatrical release of “Masters of the Universe,” set for Friday, June 5.

The 53-year-old actor will now be referred to as Sir Idris Elba.

Dame Meera Syal was awarded a damehood for her contributions to drama, literature and charity.

Over the years, she has built a strong reputation in film and television and is also an ambassador for the Alzheimer’s Society, a role she took up after her father was diagnosed with dementia.

Comedian Paul Elliott, popularly known as “Paul Chuckle” of the Chuckle Brothers, was awarded an MBE for charitable services.

Alongside his late brother Barry, the duo became a staple of British television through their long-running show ChuckleVision, which aired nearly 300 episodes across the 1990s and 2000s.

He has been a strong supporter of Marie Curie, the end-of-life care charity that also cared for his brother during his final days. The comedian has previously praised the nurses for their compassion and dedication.

Also honoured were Olympic ice skating champions Dame Jayne Torvill and Sir Christopher Dean, who received damehood and knighthood, respectively, for their services to ice skating and voluntary work.

The duo famously won gold at the 1984 Winter Olympics for their iconic “Bolero” performance and later became household names in the sport, as well as through their appearances on ITV’s Dancing on Ice.