Sir William, the ancestral home of the Proby family since 1660, in Elton, near Peterborough, was named in the list back in July for his services to conservation and heritage following his five-year reign as chairman of the heritage preservation chari
ty.
The 60-year-old went to Buckingham Palace yesterday to receive his award which was presented by the heir to the throne, Prince Charles.
After the event, Sir William, who was chairman of the trust between 2003 and 2008, said: "Obviously, I'm delighted.
"It's a great honour and I'm very pleased. It reflects not just my efforts, but those of the whole organisation that I was lucky to be chairman of.
"As patron of the trust, I have met Prince Charles many times before. He was very nice and very friendly which made it very special for me. He thanked me for my work.
"I still take a great interest in the trust, but I'm not involved with it any more. Certainly, I would encourage people to become members of the trust, because it is of great value."
During his time at the National Trust, Sir William was charged with changing the way it was governed and improving its finances. His hard work has not been forgotten.
A spokesperson for the trust said: "Everyone at the trust wishes Sir William our hearty congratulations. His work as our chairman over a five-year period was hugely appreciated by staff and members alike.
"This acknowledgement of his efforts is well-deserved and recognises the important contribution he made during this time."
