Knighthood for Apple designer Ive

Apple design genius Sir Jonathan Ive has spoken of the "thrilling" moment when he was knighted by the Princess Royal at Buckingham Palace.

The 45-year-old, who is senior vice president of industrial design at Apple, flew to Britain from the US with his wife and eight-year-old twin sons to receive the honour.

"It has been wonderful. It was really thrilling and particularly humbling," he said after being made a Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire (KBE) for services to design and enterprise.

Sir Jonathan, who was born in Chingford, north east London, is credited with the design of some of the best-loved gadgets of the modern age, including the iPhone, the iPod, the iMac and the iPad.

He said he and the Princess Royal had talked about how often he comes to the UK and about her iPad.

Asked about the impact of his products on the modern world, Sir Jonathan said: "We don't really spend much time thinking about our impact. We are fully consumed with trying to make the very best products that we can."

Also being knighted was Sir Peter Bazalgette, 59, the TV programme maker behind hit series including Big Brother, Ready Steady Cook, Changing Rooms and Ground Force.

He said he was particularly pleased to be receiving a knighthood as he is the great-great-grandson of Sir Joseph Bazalgette, the civil engineer who was knighted in the 19th century for his work designing and overseeing the building of an enclosed sewer network for London.

Sir Peter said his knighthood was a "huge honour".

Asked what the Princess Royal had said to him, he said: "She said to me 'you have spent a few years in the business' with a smile. I told her I was very proud to be here, more than a century after my engineer ancestor."