MARY PERKINS has been officially made a dame at Buckingham Palace. The Specsavers co-founder travelled to London to have the honour conferred by the Queen at yesterday’s ceremony.

‘Personally, it is an honour,’ she said.

‘And as far as my career in optics is concerned, I’m so pleased to be the first person to be given such an award.’

Mrs Perkins – now officially Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire – was the first person to be greeted by the Queen, which she admitted was rather daunting.

Dame Mary said that she had spent about three minutes talking to her about Guernsey. She said that Her Majesty looked very well.

‘I told her how much we enjoyed having her when she came to visit,’ she said.

‘When she goes to shake your hand, you know your time with her is up.’

Dame Mary said that her honour was the result of the company’s team efforts and that she had accepted her damehood on behalf of the optical group, which she set up 23 years ago with husband Doug.

While Dame Mary’s son and two daughters travelled with her for the ceremony, Mr Perkins was away on business in Australia.

‘It’s a pity the whole Specsavers team can’t all have had a piece of it: they really do work their socks off,’ said Dame Mary.

‘It was a good day and the event itself was extremely well organised,’ she said.

Despite her royal encounter and new appointment, she said that she would be keeping her feet on the ground.

‘My staff have got past the stage of singing ﾓThere is nothing like a dameﾔ,’ she said. ‘And I’m still going to be known as Mary.’

But it will be soon back to business.

Tomorrow, Dame Mary said she would be travelling to Melbourne, Australia, as business there was picking up quickly.

She was not the only islander to be bestowed with an honour.

Police chief George Le Page and former St John Ambulance Bailiwick commissioner Judith Le Tissier were also honoured in the birthday list earlier this year.