She became sporting royalty thanks to her gold medal win at the Olympics in the summer.
So it was surely only right that Leeds lass Nicola Adams was among the London 2012 heroes whose achievements were honoured at a Buckingham Palace reception hosted by the Queen.
And, speaking afterwards, the boxing champ told how meeting Her Majesty had provided one of the highlights of an already unforgettable year,
Nicola, from Ebor Gardens, said: “I think I was more excited than I was for my competition.
“[The Queen] was saying how well we all did and that she is really proud of all the athletes.”
Paralympic star and wheelchair racer Hannah Cockroft, meanwhile, revealed she had been “scared” as she waited in line to meet the Queen.
Wearing the two gold medals she won at London 2012, Hannah said: “It is amazing to be here because there are so many people who are dying to meet her.
“I was told not to talk first so I just sat there smiling at her. I probably looked a bit of a numpty but that was alright because she is a nice lady – can you say that about the Queen?”
Hannah, who comes from Halifax and trains at Leeds’s John Charles Centre for Sport, added: “It does just finish the Games off nicely. If you know that the top lady in Britain is proud of you, then you must have done pretty good.
“It is also nice to be here [in Buckingham Palace] to see what it is like inside.”
The Queen was joined at the reception by the Duke of Edinburgh and Duchess of Cambridge.
Team GB’s medal-laden performance in London has been hailed as its greatest ever showing at the Olympics and Paralympics.
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