Queen awards Jackie Collins OBE

Queen of the raunchy read Jackie Collins described her successful writing career as not bad “for a school dropout” as she was awarded an OBE.

Collins, whose older sister is the actress Joan Collins, has consistently produced best sellers since her first book was published in the late 1960s.

They are filled with tales about the glamorous sex lives of its rich and famous protagonists and include The World Is Full Of Married Men, The Stud and Hollywood Wives.

The author flew to London this week from her Californian home to attend the Buckingham Palace investiture ceremony hosted by the Queen.

She said: “My first book was The World Is Full OF Married Men – banned all over the world. The Queen said ‘it’s quite something to write books’ and I said ‘yes especially for a school drop out’.”

She added laughing: “I was wondering what she was going to say to me because most women say ‘oh you taught me everything I know about sex, I used to read my mum’s copy under the covers in bed’ – but I don’t think she would say that to me.

“I’ve been writing for so long but relationships never change that’s the thing, love never changes, sex never changes.”

Jackie, who was born in London and started writing while she was a teenager, followed her sister into acting with minor parts in a string of low budget movies and television shows, but gave it up when her first novel was an immediate best-seller.

Collins also hosted her own chat show called Jackie Collins Hollywood and is still a prolific writer publishing Confessions of a Wild Child earlier this year.

She said: “Coming here is a huge adventure, I’m British through and through and to meet the Queen and come to the palace is great, I’ve brought my three granddaughters and they’re loving it.”

Actor David Haig, who has starred in a string of television and theatre productions, was presented with an MBE.

He featured in the 1994 film Four Weddings And A Funeral alongside Hugh Grant and also appeared in the BBC sitcom The Thin Blue Line playing Inspector Grim with Rowan Atkinson in the lead role as Inspector Fowler.

Speaking about the varied roles he has taken on over the years, he said: “I’ve been lucky so far, I’m hanging in there and it’s what keeps you alert and active, really.”

Queen awards Jackie Collins OBE