Jessica Ennis among London 2012 stars honoured at palace

London 2012 star Jessica Ennis has been appointed CBE at Buckingham Palace, while Team GB cycling boss Dave Brailsford has been knighted.

Heptathlon winner Ennis said the Queen had told her "the summer was amazing" and asked how her training was going.

Other Olympians honoured included cyclist Jason Kenny (OBE) as well as long jumper Greg Rutherford, boxer Nicola Adams and cyclist Joanna Rowsell, who were all appointed MBE.

They were announced at the end of 2012.

Ennis, 27, said afterwards she was "feeling very excited, though it was nerve-wracking before - it's incredible to receive this".

Asked what the Queen had said, she replied: "She just said 'the summer was amazing, how's training going'? So it was very, very nice."

She said her achievement in the summer "still doesn't feel real, to be honest".

"It was just an amazing year for British athletics and British sport and to be part of that in such a big way was incredible."

'Quite humbling'

Brailsford, 48, masterminded British dominance in cycling at the Olympics and Paralympics and, as Team Sky boss, helped Bradley Wiggins - also knighted in the New Year Honours list - to win the Tour de France.

He said: "It means so much and is such a humbling experience. I'm very proud.

"The Queen congratulated me on my birthday, which is actually on the 29th, which made her chuckle.

Dave Brailsford said he and the Queen had discussed the Olympics' success

"We talked about the Olympics and how proud everyone was and what a great event it had been."

Long jumper Rutherford, 28, who along with Ennis and 5,000m runner Mo Farah helped Team GB to win three golds in an hour on "Super Saturday" in the Olympic Stadium, said his MBE was "extraordinary".

"You dream of doing well at an Olympics, especially a home Olympics, and then the things that come along after that are just absolutely out of this world," he said as he arrived at the palace.

"I don't think, truly, you can imagine these sorts of things happening and being awarded by the Queen."

Boxer Adams, 30, told reporters as she arrived that she was "over the moon - really excited".

Meanwhile, Cherie Blair, the wife of former PM Tony Blair, was appointed CBE for services to women's issues and charity.

She is patron of charities including Refuge, Scope and Breast Cancer Care.

Theatre and TV actor Adrian Lester became OBE.

And Glamorgan cricketer Robert Croft, who retired from first-class cricket last year aged 42, and Raymond "Jerry" Roberts, 92 - a codebreaker at Bletchley Park in World War II - were both appointed MBE at the investiture service.