He was awarded the MBE medal by fellow scuba diver, HRH Prince Charles in recognition of his award-winning underwater photography. Mustard later remarked on social media that HRH Prince Charles had told him to keep taking pictures of plastic in the ocean so we can beat the problem.

The Queen’s Birthday Honours List recognises a wide range of extraordinary people across the United Kingdom. The awardees are acknowledged for their distinguished work and achievements in a specific field, in this instance "the Arts, Music and Dance".

Alex Mustard will receive his MBE or Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire medal in the next few months.

It's an incredible happy shock and I am delighted

It has therefore been fascinating watching Mustard's career flourish. He has won a number of awards including the BBC Wildlife Photographer of the Year.

In 2003 he received the Visions In the Sea Award for Outstanding Contributions to Underwater Photography. Ten years later, in 2013, Alex was named the GDT European Wildlife Photographer of the Year for his image Night Moves. The only time an underwater photograph has won this prestigious award. In 2016 he was given the ADEX 2016 Award for Extraordinary Contribution to Underwater Photography.