Writers Margaret Drabble and Oliver Sacks were among several in the arts and entertainment world to be named in the Queen's Birthday List.

Drabble was accorded the highest honour — that of a dame, the equivalent of a knight.

Drabble's first novel, A Summer Bird-cage (1963), was an examination of the relationship between two sisters. Drabble's older sister is the novelist A.S. Byatt, who was made a dame in 1999.

The 68-year-old writer, born in Sheffield, Yorkshire, has written 17 books as well as several plays, short stories and screenplays. Other notable, award-winning novels include The Millstone and Jerusalem the Golden. She has also served twice as editor of The Oxford Companion to English Literature.

Neurologist Oliver Sacks, the New York-based author of The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat, Awakenings and An Anthropologist on Mars, was bestowed a Companion of the British Empire (CBE) for services to medicine.

Fellow London native Anna Wintour, editor-in-chief of the U.S. edition of Vogue, was made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire, or OBE.

"I am totally thrilled at this recognition, particularly since it coincides with my 20th anniversary as editor of American Vogue," Wintour said.

Queer As Folk creator makes list

Other notable names on the list this year include writer Russell T Davies, 45, and actor Chiwetel Ejiofor. Both are to become OBE's as well.

Davies created the gay drama Queer As Folk — a series which was picked up in North America. Davies also revived the sci-fi series Doctor Who in 2005.

"I'm delighted to accept, and I hope it does the whole industry a bit of good, for the writing of television drama to be recognized," Davies told BBC News.

Ejiofor has appeared in Dirty Pretty Things, Inside Man, Love Actually and American Gangster.

Committees of civil servants select honourees from nominations made by the government and the public. They are awarded twice a year, once on the New Year and once on the queen's official birthday, which is in June.

The highest honours are the knighthoods which confers a "sir" or "dame" on the person. Second to that would be the CBE and then OBE and lastly, a member of the Order of the British Empire.

With files from the Associated Press