"He is an entrepreneur, visionary, knight and adventurer, Sir Richard can now also add AirAsia flight attendant to his long list of credentials, " joked Fernandes.

CNN: Richard Branson does drag after losing bet

Prof Sir Peter Knight, president of the Institute of Physics, said his organisation "will be working with them to establish the best way to identify Scotland's most promising young physicists".

BBC: Scotland

This really is rather odd: especially as Jony Ives is now Sir Jony, a Knight of that very British Empire.

FORBES: Apple Ignores the British Empire: This Could Be a Problem For Apple Maps

So far the only white knight on the scene who fits the bill is Sir Richard himself.

ECONOMIST: Virgin Atlantic

Others named in the New Year Honours list include Nottinghamshire's Lord Lieutenant Sir Andrew Buchanan, who was made a Knight Commander of the Royal Victorian Order (KCVO).

BBC: Honour for founder of Child Migrants Trust

It is less thrilling than yesterday's weather forecast, yet Mr Gillmeister's opinions become ever more fanciful, until he finds himself maintaining that Count Voss's trip to the green courts of the British Isles resembled the quest of Sir Gawain, King Arthur's itinerant knight.

ECONOMIST: History of the net

Sir Alan, a professor of economics, has been made a Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the British Empire, for services to economic policy and the Office for Budget Responsibility.

BBC: Sir Alan Budd and Hector Sants on New Year Honours list

Sir Alan Budd, who was on the first Monetary Policy Committee in 1997, is promoted to knight grand cross.

BBC: Sir Alan Budd and Hector Sants on New Year Honours list