The prestigious King’s Award for Enterprise has a new recipient. London-based lingerie company Bluebella has been recognised for its “excellence in international trade”.

Bluebella’s founder and CEO Emily Bendell will receive the award later this year as well as attending a royal reception.

The firm, which employs 43 people from its base in Hoxton, East London, was chosen because of its “phenomenal growth overseas”, which has risen 263% since 2018 on global sales of £14.77 million.

Founded by Bendell in 2005 it now has operations in the UK, US, Australia, France and Italy and is sold in 17 countries.

She said: “Receiving the King’s Award… is a testament to the Bluebella team’s relentless pursuit of empowering confidence and celebrating sensuality worldwide. This quintessentially British award inspires us to continue breaking boundaries and redefining the future of lingerie.”

The King’s Awards for Enterprise, previously known as The Queen’s Awards for Enterprise, was renamed last year to reflect the king’s “desire to continue the legacy of HM Queen Elizabeth II’s by recognising outstanding UK businesses”.

The award programme, now in its 58th year, “is the most prestigious business award in the country, with successful businesses able to use the esteemed King’s Awards Emblem for the next five years”.