A ROYAL Navy captain from Stourbridge has a date at Buckingham Palace with her husband after both were honoured by the Queen.

Captain Suzi Nielsen, who now lives in Devon, has been recognised in the Queen's Birthday Honours list for services to the navy, alongside her husband Major Erik Nielsen.

Stourbridge raised Capt Nielsen, who is commanding officer of HMS Raleigh in Torpoint, has been made an OBE while her Royal Marine husband, based at the Commando Training Centre in Lympstone, near Exeter, has been awarded the MBE.

Capt Nielson has been decorated for managing the movement of the Royal Navy's logistics training - more than 60 staff and personnel plus equipment - from Torpoint to a new purpose-built combined services complex at Worthy Down near Winchester.

A navy spokesman said: "She learned of her award 24 hours after her husband excitedly phoned with good news of his own."

Maj Nielsen has been made an MBE for his role as the second-in-command of the Commando Training Wing, responsible for providing the Royal Marines with freshly trained recruits.

He devised a four-week pre-joining course to help prepare would-be Royal Marines for the rigours of the 32-week course which ends with successful candidates receiving the coveted green beret to become fully fledged commandos.

The navy spokesman said: "He's ensured feeding the Royal Marines' front-line units with those fresh green berets has persisted throughout the pandemic by devising a safe plan for instructors and recruits to allow training to continue."

Capt Nielsen, who went to Ridgewood High School and King Edward VI College in Stourbridge, joined the navy in 1999 as a warfare specialist before leaving and then returning in 2004 as a logistics officer.

The 45-year-old said receiving the award had been a "total surprise" and she added: "I’m absolutely thrilled and humbled to be awarded the OBE and am so grateful for my hard working team who made it all possible. This recognition is as much about them as it is me. I have very fond memories of my time at King Edward VI College and am always proud to tell everyone of my West Midlands heritage."

She said it had been a "surreal week" since hearing about the honour and she added: "It doesn't really get much better than this. The fact that Erik is an MBE as well is the icing on the cake. I could not be more proud of him."

Her husband, aged 53, added: "It's a real honour and privilege to be awarded the MBE but you don't get these accolades from being an individual.

"This award is as much for the team, as it is for me, as without their support we would not have achieved the successes we have."