Richard Osman, the celebrated author and former television presenter, was awarded an OBE by the Princess Royal during an investiture ceremony at Windsor Castle on May 5th. The honour, conferred for services to literature and broadcasting, saw Osman express deep pride in his British identity and gratitude for the opportunities the country provided him.
Pride in British Heritage
Speaking to the Press Association after the ceremony, the 55-year-old said: "I'm very proud of being from Britain, and this place paid for my entire education and paid for my entire healthcare when I was growing up. I'm very proud of the opportunities this country gave me. I'm very proud of growing up in a country that's full of writers and funny people and creative people." He added: "I owe this country an awful lot, and I intend to pay as much of that back as I can."
A Chat with the Princess Royal
Osman, who launched the immensely popular Thursday Murder Club series in 2020, revealed that he discussed writing and quizzing with Princess Anne. "We had a nice chat," he told PA. "I was always trying to remember you have to shake hands and walk back to and then bow and then walk off. That's all I was thinking." He admitted feeling nervous: "It's crazy being in Windsor Castle. It feels like a responsibility more than an honour."
What Being British Means
Reflecting on Britishness, Osman said: "When you're in a place like this, and you see the pageantry of it, and you see the tradition of the place, you just think, this is a particular part of Britain, but there's another part of Britain, which is my part of Britain. Part of Britain, which is the youngsters growing up and making sure they've all got creative opportunities and making sure they all had the opportunities that I had when I was growing up."
Career Highlights
Osman stepped down as co-presenter of BBC One's Pointless in 2022 after 13 years to focus on writing. His six novels follow a quartet of pensioner amateur detectives in a Kent retirement village solving crimes. A film adaptation starring Pierce Brosnan and Dame Helen Mirren was released on Netflix last year. In March, Osman announced his departure from BBC's House Of Games, with actor Michael Sheen taking over.
