Former England footballer Rio Ferdinand made an OBE

Rio Ferdinand is made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire by the Prince of Wales

(Picture: PA)

Former England footballer Rio Ferdinand has been made an OBE for services to his sport and charity work during a Windsor Castle investiture ceremony.

The ex-Manchester United defender, who won 81 England caps, has worked to tackle a range of issues from racism to a lack of social mobility for young people through his foundation.

He also won plaudits for appearing in a BBC documentary about bereavement, speaking candidly about coping with the loss of wife Rebecca to breast cancer in 2015.

Rio Ferdinand and his wife Kate Ferdinand after being made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire by the Prince of Wales (PA)

Also being recognised during two investiture ceremonies being hosted by the Prince of Wales is Olympic champion swimmer Adam Peaty, who will be made an OBE for services to swimming.

Peaty became the first British swimmer to retain an Olympic title with a dominant display in the final of the men’s 100 metres breaststroke at Tokyo 2020.

Adam Peaty is made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire by the Princess Royal at Windsor Castle (PA)

Arlene Foster, the former Stormont first minister and ex-leader of the Democratic Unionist Party, will be made a dame commander for public and political service.

The former politician, who was the first woman to be appointed first minister in Northern Ireland, represented the constituency of Fermanagh and South Tyrone as a Stormont Assembly member for 18 years before leaving electoral politics last year.

Adam Hills, the Australian TV presenter and comic, will be made an MBE for services to Paralympic sport and disability awareness.

He has hosted Channel 4’s The Last Leg with Josh Widdicombe and Alex Brooker since it started in 2012.