The Southminster-born former editor-in-chief of Good Housekeeping thought it was a “hoax” when she was told she was to received an MBE.

Lindsay Nicholson, 62, was commended for services to journalism and women’s equality after 18 years as the magazine’s editor.

She expressed huge pride after she was invited to Buckingham Palace alongside recipients including world heavyweight boxing champion Anthony Joshua to receive her award.

Lindsay attended the palace with mother Sheila and daughter Hope Merritt.

She said: “It is lovely. What was really nice was that I got it for my contributions to journalism as editor-in-chief of Good Housekeeping and services to women’s equality.

“It is an enormously important issue and I’m glad my contribution could be recognised.”

Lindsay told the Standard she was unaware she would receive the award until just four weeks before the Queen’s Birthday Honours list.

She added: “I thought it was a hoax at first, as I thought it was a friend of mine having a joke with me.

“I only told my mother and daughter about the MBE. I told them I would have to kill them if they did not keep it secret.”

Lindsay, who grew up in Southminster, applied for a job at the Standard at the start of her career but didn’t get it.

She said: “I went to Brentwood Ursuline School and then to University College London (UCL).

“While there I got really interested in the student newspaper at UCL and encouraged me to apply for a scheme in the Mirror Group.

“I did apply for a job at the Maldon and Burnham Standard after my degree, but I didn’t get it.

“It took me across the country, but I wanted to be in magazines.

“In 1999, I went to Good Housekeeping and became editor-in-chief and stayed there for 18 years.

“While I was there it became the top-selling home publication in the country and I was awarded Editor of the Year twice.”

After a hugely successful career, in 2018 Lindsay finally decided to end her time at Good Housekeeping and focus on writing for herself.

She said: “Last year I decided that 18 years was enough time to give of anybody’s life.

“I am now writing a novel and I recently worked with Meghan Markle, the Duchess of Sussex, on a recipe book called Together, made up of recipes from women who lived in Grenfell Tower.

“All the profits from the book went to support the surviving victims of the tragedy.”

Together is out now