A TECH expert has received an MBE from the Queen for her work with international trade and diversity.

Nicola Whiting, 48, runs Titania Limited, a cyber security and penetration testing company, based at Security House in Barbourne Rd, Worcester with her husband Ian, 45.

However, this year, Buckingham Palace dispensed with traditional hand shakes during the ceremony and instead used a namaste greeting.

Mrs Whiting said: “It was an amazing day - I loved it.

“Prince Charles and I used a namaste greeting for hygiene so we didn’t touch because of coronavirus.

“The day went by in a blur - I can’t remember much of it.

“But I can remember Prince Charles being well informed on cyber security.

“The day was run so well and we were briefed on all aspects of what was going to happen.”

The company came from humble beginnings but it has made a name on the international market with customers including UK government, FBI, PayPal and Deloitte and US military.

The company also works with the Government’s Department for Industry and Trade and Mrs Whiting is on the advisory board of BetaDen and Worcester LEP.

Mrs Whiting added: “Seeing everyone collect their awards on the day made me want to do more.

“I found them all incredibly inspiring.

“I don’t see this award being the end of a journey but a point in a longer one.”

Representatives of Titania Limited have visited Buckingham Palace in 2017, where the company collected the Queen’s Award for Enterprise in Innovation.

Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry founded in 1917 by King George V and MBE is the third highest rank, behind CBE.