THE Lord Lieutenant of the Isle of Wight, Major General Sir Martin White, was officially knighted by the Queen at a ceremony at Windsor Castle last Friday.

He has served as the Lord Lieutenant since 2006 but will be retiring in March next year, when he will hand over to Susie Sheldon.

His responsibilities have included planning all royal visits to the Isle of Wight and he has, in recent months, welcomed Sophie, Countess of Wessex, Princess Anne and Camilla Duchess or Cornwall to the Island.

The highlight of his time as the Queen's representative on the Island came in 2012 when she visited as part of her Diamond Jubilee celebrations.

He said: "It was a huge honour to be knighted by Her Majesty The Queen at Windsor Castle, a truly unforgettable experience."