Duran Duran frontman Simon Le Bon has said he is “beyond thrilled and surprised” to be made an MBE in the King’s Birthday Honours.

The singer, 65, has been appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire for services to music and charity.

Le Bon studied drama at university in Birmingham, where Duran Duran was formed.

The singer, who was born in Hertfordshire and grew up in Pinner, west London, said: “What an incredible and totally unexpected honour.”

Le Bon said the last few years had been “some of the most important” in Duran Duran’s career.

“It is fitting that the honour has been awarded not just for my role in music, but also for the work I’ve been fortunate to be involved with outside the band for some of the causes I believe in,” he said.

“To name but two of them, I hope this moment helps to raise awareness for the Blue Marine Foundation and the importance of their conservation work, and for Centrepoint.”

Pop-rock band Duran Duran formed in 1978 in Birmingham, with Le Bon auditioning to be part of the group two years later.

The band’s self-titled debut album was released in 1981, with the group achieving 30 top 40 singles in the UK over the past five decades.

Le Bon has three children with his wife, model Yasmin Le Bon, whom he married in Oxford in 1985.

Duran Duran, which features keyboardist Nick Rhodes, bassist John Taylor and drummer Roger Taylor, received a lifetime achievement award in 2011 at the GQ Men Of The Year awards.

The group are set to headline Latitude Festival in what will be their “sole UK performance” of the summer in July.