The DUP’s new interim leader was appointed to the official body that advises King Charles a matter of hours before the controversy involving his predecessor broke.
East Belfast MP Gavin Robinson’s appointment as a privy counsellor on was announced on Thursday night by the Cabinet Office.
East Derry MP Gregory Campbell was awarded the CBE in the same tranche of appointments, which are recommended to the king by British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.
His Majesty’s Most Honourable Privy Council, to give it its full title, is a formal body of advisers to the UK sovereign.
Its members, known as privy counsellors, are mainly senior politicians who are current or former members of either the House of Commons or the House of Lords.
Among Thursday’s other appointees to the Privy Council were SNP Westminster leader Stephen Flynn, his party colleague Owen Thompson and Labour First Minister of Wales Vaughan Gething.
It is understood Sir Jeffrey Donaldson remains a privy counsellor, having first been appointed in 1999.
