Sam's the man and he'll soon be a sir

The Lord Lieutenant of Bedfordshire, Samuel Whitbread is to be knighted for his services to the royal family.

Sir Samuel, as he will be known, will become a Knight Commander of the Royal Victorian Order.

The 73-year-old, who has been Lord Lieutenant for 19 years, was among five individuals from the county named on the Honours List published yesterday.

Speaking to Bedfordshire on Sunday, Sir Samuel, who lives in Southill, said he was ‘delighted’ to have received such a prestigious award.

He added: “It means a lot to me because my father and grandfather were both Lord Lieutenants but they weren’t honoured in this way even though they served longer than I have.” A father of four and a grandfather of 14, Sir Samuel has plenty to keep him busy. As well as being the Lord Lieutenant and carrying out the duties that it brings, he runs farming and forestry companies in Bedfordshire.  He also chairs the Lord Chancellor’s advisory committee which considers and approves magistrates.