Charity founder's MBE medal replaced after theft

The founder of a Yorkshire children's charity has received an MBE medal from both Queen Elizabeth II and King Charles III after the original was stolen in a burglary.

Mike Davies founded The Principle Trust Children's Charity to offer respite breaks and support for disadvantaged children, and was appointed MBE by the then Queen in 2018.

However, his medal was stolen from his home in Ilkley two weeks ago when thieves broke into his property and took a 100kg safe.

Davies said it was "rather nice" to receive the replacement from King Charles, which arrived from Buckingham Palace just 10 days after the break-in.

"I received the box special delivery from Buckingham Palace," he said.

"There's Charles' royal stamp on it, which just goes to show they have to pay postage as well because it was £9.85.

"It was all rather nice and there was a most lovely brief letter inside. They didn't need to that."

During the break in, thieves stole cash in yen and dollars, which Davies had ordered for a holiday to Japan, as well as car keys and sentimental items.

He said he had been able to replace many of the contents of the safe, but was sad to lose items from family members.

"A number of sentimental things from my parents and my brother were in there, and from my wife's mum, along with some jewellery of my wife's," he said.

Police told Davies he was unlikely to see the original medal again, but he said the replacement meant he had now received an MBE from both a king and a queen.

"When I first got the award, it was 'by appointment to Her Majesty the Queen', but, of course, inside this presentation box is 'by appointment to His Majesty the King'.

"It's nice to have that back. Even though it wasn't the original, it's exactly the same medal," he said.

Davies founded The Principle Trust in 2011 to provide holidays and support to thousands of children from disadvantaged, disabled, trauma-affected and low-income families throughout Yorkshire.

He was appointed MBE for services to business and to disadvantaged children in North Yorkshire, and was awarded his medal by the Prince of Wales, who at the time was the Duke of Cambridge.

If a recipient loses or damages an MBE, they can apply for replacement from the Central Chancery of the Orders of Knighthood.

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