England's World Cup final hat-trick hero Geoff Hurst was knighted by Queen Elizabeth yesterday. Sir Geoff (56) said the ceremony had made a greater impact on him than scoring three goals in England's 4-2 win over West Germany at Wembley in 1966.
"Now that I am older I probably can't cope with pressure so much any more," he said. "I didn't expect to be nervous today, but when the day came I was, whereas 32 years ago, playing at Wembley came like second nature to me."
Sir Geoff, who was accompanied by his wife, Judith, and two of his daughters, Claire (33) and Charlotte (21), is the only footballer to score a hat-trick in a World Cup final.
Television presenter Barry Norman was awarded a CBE at the investiture in Buckingham Palace for services to broadcasting and the film industry.
Gen Alexander Lebed said he was breaking off a visit to Bonn due to "exceptional circumstances" in Russia.
Lebed, who is now governor of the Krasnoyarsk region, said he had to return to Moscow because of matters relating to a moratorium on Russian debt.
Lebed had been due to meet the German Foreign Minister, Joschka Fischer, later yesterday. "There's no panic. I just have to be in Moscow," he said.
Bulgaria's former King Simeon II, who lives in exile in Madrid, is to return to his homeland for Christmas, according to press reports.
The 61-year-old former monarch, who fled the country after the second World War, made the decision to return with his family following a court ruling giving him back assets confiscated by the communists in 1947.
"After the favourable decision of the court, which is another demonstration of Bulgarian democracy, we decided it would be good to celebrate in our homeland, after 50 years in exile," the ex-king was quoted as saying.
Camilla Parker Bowles gave her long-time lover, Prince Charles, a wooden "love-seat" for his 50th birthday last weekend.
The £5,000 sterling hand-carved wooden seat is inscribed with a romantic emblem thought to be two linked Cs, the Sun said yesterday.
Cuban-born jazz trumpeter Arturo Sandoval has been granted US citizenship, which had been denied to him because he once belonged to the Cuban Communist Party, the US Immigration & Naturalisation Service said yesterday.
Sandoval (49), who has won three Grammy Awards, will be sworn in by INS officials on December 7th.