Tess Daly Receives MBE from King Charles, Honoring Late Father with Support from Husband Vernon Kay and Daughter Phoebe

Tess Daly was supported by husband Vernon Kay and lookalike daughter Phoebe as she was honoured by King Charles in an investiture ceremony at Windsor Castle on Wednesday.

The Strictly host, 56, was made an MBE for her services to broadcasting and dedicated the accolade to her late father Vivian who passed away in 2003, just 18 days after her marriage to the Radio 2 DJ, 53.

Tess looked gorgeous in a chic red mini dress for the occasion which she teamed with a matching fascinator and nude heels.

Phoebe, 21, was also dressed to impress as she followed in her mother’s fashionable footsteps and wore a cream lace look along with a pillbox hat. 

Meanwhile Vernon, who also shared 16-year-old daughter Amber with his wife, looked smart with in a navy suit as he beamed with pride. 

Tess revealed the King ‘put her at ease’ during the ceremony as she described the honour as the ‘greatest of her career’.

‘I’ve been working in television for 25 years, and it’s a job I absolutely love to do. It was a real privilege to be in a room of people who have made a difference in their communities, who have built incredible careers. It was a very inspiring environment.”

Tess continued: ‘His Majesty put me at ease – I was quite nervous. We talked about [Strictly Come Dancing] and I know the Queen enjoys it. She sent me a letter of congratulations when I received the MBE which meant the world’.

‘[The King) thanked me for the work I have done for his charity as well – the King’s Trust. We talked about the funds that it’s raised and how many young people’s lives this has made a huge difference to and I’m very proud to be an ambassador of this charity.

Before adding: ‘It’s for my family as much as it is for myself. If I could dedicate it to anyone, I would dedicate it to my late dad because he’d be so proud of his daughter meeting the King, in a castle’.

Tess’ father Vivian tragically died of emphysema while she was on honeymoon with Vernon and she has since admitted her biggest regret is that he never got to meet his granddaughters. 

According to NHS Emphysema is a lung condition that causes shortness of breath by damaging the air sacs in the lungs, making them lose their elasticity and creating larger, less-efficient air spaces.

She told Daily Mail in 2020:  ‘[My Father] never got to meet my children, which is my biggest regret, he would’ve loved them, but he never got to see me do Strictly either, and he would have been so proud. He loved Bruce Forsyth. He adored ballroom, all of it’.

While Vernon was supporting his wife his Radio 2 absence left  scrambling after he was replaced by Paddy McGuinness. 

Scott Mills, 51, who hosts the breakfast slot admitted he had no idea about the change, just a day after Vernon, 51, issued an apology for swearing live on air. 

He admitted to Paddy: ‘I was about to say its 9:30 here’s Vernon Kay, because nobody told me you were in for Vernon today, I just thought you’d just come in to see me’.

As his fellow broadcaster joked about ‘disappointment on both sides’ Scott went on: ‘I am glad your here, but I was playing Chic and [producers] went, right “Paddy’s here” and I said “Vernon” and they said “No Paddy” anyway have a lovely show’.

It comes just a day after Vernon, who also shares 16-year-old Amber with his wife, accidentally swore live on-air.

The broadcaster who has hosted the mid-morning show since May 2023, was discussing Sara Cox’s Great Northern Marathon Challenge for BBC Children In Need when he made the accidental slip-up. 

Responding to an emotional Ad for Sara’s marathon challenge, which said towards the end: ‘Go Sara go, you’re doing fabulously, keep on moving, Sara’s Great Northern Marathon Challenge continues’, Vernon said: ‘It does indeed! Bl***y hell.’ 

Squirming, he added: ‘I mean flipping hell, oh gosh. Sorry, sorry, I apologise, I apologise.’ 

After apologising for his live on-air blunder, Vernon seemingly explained that his reason for the slip-up was due to a young boy’s story hitting him right in the feels. 

He continued: ‘But that one there, the counselling one for a 12-year-old boy whose twin has been diagnosed with terminal cancer, that got me that.’ 

Sara, 50, began the gruelling 135-mile Great Northern Marathon Challenge from the Kielder Forest on Monday morning.

The expedition, which is Radio 2’s longest-ever BBC Children In Need Challenge and is set to take five days, kicked off with the star surrounded by locals as well as a more unique bunch of supporters.