Andrew Lloyd Webber got the honour from the Hungarian prime minister

The Phantom of the Opera, Evita and Cats composer was given the Commander's Cross of the Order of Merit for supporting Hungarian culture.

"I have always been very aware of Hungarian music - Bartok and Kodaly were very much a part of my early childhood," Lloyd Webber said.

He was in the capital Budapest as his musical The Beautiful Game opened.

Mr Gyurcsany said: "One just cannot understand the culture of our days without knowing the musicals of Lloyd-Webber.

"His music binds people who live in faraway places, it bonds the West End and Budapest."