Mark Selby MBE earns royal seal of approval after Luca Brecel's world snooker coronation – 'Princess Anne watched final'

ByEurosport

Updated 23/05/2023 at 15:01 GMT

Mark Selby was happy to learn about the Princess Royal's interest in snooker after receiving an MBE for services to his sport and charity at Windsor Castle on Tuesday. The Leicester professional became the latest icon to earn recognition for his lifelong contribution to the green baize. "Quite an emotional day, really," said Selby, who has won 22 ranking titles in his golden 24-year career.

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Mark Selby was rewarded for his services to snooker and charity at Windsor Castle on Tuesday when he was made an MBE.

Princess Anne told the four-time world champion she had watched him contest a regal 47th World Championship final at the Crucible earlier this month as Belgium's Luca Brecel became the first winner from continental Europe courtesy of an engrossing 18-15 win.

Selby was heartened to hear about the Princess Royal's interest in snooker during the investiture ceremony.

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“She was just chatting to me about the snooker, saying she watches a little bit of it and watched a bit of the final as well. So it was great knowing that she follows it,” said Selby, who won the sport's biggest title in 2014, 2016, 2017 and 2021.

“To get to the final is such a huge achievement.

“It is such a tough tournament to win over a few weeks, physically and mentally tiring, so to get back to the final after winning was a great achievement, and hopefully I can kick on from that into the new season.

“From where I’ve come from being a young lad just playing snooker, I never thought it would come to this – quite an emotional day, really."

Selby battled back from mental health problems over the past season to reach the final of the World Championship for a sixth time after winning the English Open in Brentwood and inaugural WST Classic in his home city.

The Championship League is the first ranking event of the new season with Leicester hosting the various groups of the competition between June 26-July 21.

World champion Brecel lifted the title last year with a 3-1 win over Lu Ning and will be among the favourites with Selby, Ronnie O'Sullivan and Judd Trump among the leading men who competed in last year's event.