Singer Emeli Sande receives MBE from Prince Charles

PA Prince Charles with Emeli SandePA
Prince Charles with Emeli Sande at the ceremony in Buckingham Palace

Singer Emeli Sande has received an MBE from Prince Charles for services to music.

The songwriter was granted the award as part of the Queen's Birthday Honours in June last year.

The 30-year-old from Alford in Aberdeenshire is best-known for her performance during the opening ceremony at the London Olympics in 2012.

She has topped the UK charts twice since the beginning of her career in 2009.

Born in Sunderland to Zambian father Joel Sande and English mother Diane Sande, Ms Sande and her family moved to Scotland when she was four.

She wrote her first song at the age of 11 and showed a keen talent for music.

Emeli Sande at T in the Park
Emeli Sande performs at T in the Park

But the singer insisted on completing her studies before entering the music business, graduating from the University of Glasgow with a degree in neuroscience.

Ms Sande has had a string of hits including two UK number one singles, dueting with Professor Green on one and Labrinth on the other.

She was named Brit Awards Critics' Choice winner in 2012 and later that year performed at the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games in London.

She also featured on the charity singles Do They Know It's Christmas? (2014), a fundraiser for the Ebola crisis in west Africa, and Bridge Over Troubled Water in response to the Grenfell Tower fire tragedy in 2017.