Girl, 11, ‘speechless’ after becoming youngest person to receive MBE

An 11-year-old girl has revealed she is “not talking” after becoming the youngest person ever to be made an MBE.

Carmela Chillery-Watson has been awarded the King’s Birthday Honors for her services to charitable fundraising.

Carmela lives with a rare muscle wasting condition that was diagnosed in 2017 when she was three years old and affects just one in a million children worldwide.

He has helped Muscular Dystrophy UK raise more than £400,000 through around 25 fundraising and awareness campaigns.

Speaking after the appointment ceremony at Windsor Castle on Wednesday, Carmela said she was “speaking” after opening the letter informing her of the news.

“I never thought I would get an MBE, I just wanted to do what I do to change communities,” he added.

“But this is absolutely incredible.

“I never thought this would happen in a million years.”

The government believes Carmela is the youngest ever MBE, but does not have all the historical data to confirm this.

Carmela said the Prince of Wales was “very nice” and talked about his charity work and how much money he had raised with her.

Also honored at Windsor Castle on Wednesday was paralympic swimmer and volleyball player Monica Vaughan, 73, who was awarded the Order of the British Empire (OBE) for her services to sport.

Vaughan said receiving the OBE was the “cherry on the top” of his previous awards, adding: “It’s quite amazing.”