Ex Coronation Street actress Shobna Gulati – who played Sunita Alahan – is made an MBE by Princess Anne at Buckingham Palace

Actress Shobna Gulati has been appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire by Princess Anne at Buckingham Palace.

The former Coronation Stress actress, 58, who famously played Sunita Alahan, received the honor at an investiture ceremony in London on Wednesday.

Shobna, who was awarded an MBE for services to the cultural industries, looked glamorous for the momentous day.

She looked chic in a dark blue satin midi dress with cap sleeves, a bodice with draped neckline and an asymmetrical pleated skirt.

Shobna paired the dress with black suede heeled boots and a red and navy fedora hat.

She dressed up with a huge pair of statement earrings, featuring a huge sapphire gemstone surrounded by diamonds.

Shobna recently shared in an emotional Instagram post that she feels ‘rejected’ and is questioning her career choice after losing another audition.

It seems she has had a hard time getting cast in roles and acting jobs.

Shobna informed her followers, “The face of rejection of something I didn’t even know I wanted to do.

‘Honestly, why on earth did I choose this career, sometimes I really don’t know so it’s cold out there (sic)’

Her post comes after she revealed that since she let her long locks grow out gray after dying her hair dark brown for years, she now feels ‘comfortable’.

The soap star wrote: ‘Wiser? Definitely older! and very silvery – gray growing.

‘So many told me to dye it back to the dark brown hair I had: “I look old, why am I succumbing to being an old lady, it’s not attractive etc etc.”

“But times are changing and I’m so happy with what happened and I feel so comfortable now.

‘I don’t know, but I think my head feels better without the bi-weekly hair root dye… and that’s a positive, no harsh chemicals, no color protecting shampoo, just like when I was younger… at least I thought I it would share’.

Despite the star saying fans were negative about her new work, several people responded to the comments of her latest post saying she looked “gorgeous” and that they “wished they had the guts to do it too.”

She said she is ‘so happy’ with her new look after some fans told her to ‘dye it back’ to brunette.

‘Wow! That’s so beautiful! I can’t wait for my hair to completely change; I think it looks beautiful; You look beautiful…wish I had the guts to do it too; I love your hair color!! I will do this one day! Xx’

‘You look fantastic. I think it suits you, I would like to be brave enough to embrace the gray; I think the natural look looks great on you x; Some people really suit silver hair and you are definitely one of them; It really suits you. Don’t paint it!’

In 2021, Shobna spoke with Platinum Magazine about her age and looking older, explaining, “I don’t want to look a certain way, or what people think I should look like.

‘I think having my gray hair gives me a lot of strength because when people say to me, “Oh, you don’t look that old,” I can say, “Well, I am.”

She continued: ‘Our society is obsessed with youth, but the good news is that I’ve been watching a lot of European thrillers and dramas during lockdown and it seems that femininity of a certain age and experience is being represented on screen.

“No matter what you look like, it’s okay; faces move and gray hair is present, which I have allowed myself to do.’

The actress played Sunita Alahan in Corrie between 2001 and 2006 and returned to the popular role between 2009 and 2013.

In 2019, she took on the role of Ray in the West End production of Everybody’s Taking About Jamie and also reprized the role for the film adaptation.

Shobna reprized her role in Everybody’s Talking About Jamie for the 2023-2024 UK and Ireland Tour.