Grace Millane's mother and cousin are among the thousands being celebrated by King Charles in the UK's New Year Honours list.
Gillian Millane has spearheaded campaigns against domestic violence following the brutal murder of her daughter Grace while she was backpacking in New Zealand in 2018.
She along with Grace's cousin, Hannah O'Callaghan, have received Orders of the British Empire (OBE) for services to charitable fundraising and tackling violence against women.
"When the letters arrived, we kept re-reading them as it was such a surprise," the pair said in a statement, as reported by the BBC.
"We are so humbled that Love Grace has been acknowledged and would like to thank those who nominated us."
After Grace's killing, Gillian started the charity Love Grace - which helps support victims of domestic abuse. One of its most notable appeals was the handbag appeal - where they fill toiletries into donated handbags for women to use after they fled an abusive relationship.
Grace's murder sparked international headlines after she disappeared in December 2018 while in Auckland on her OE.
Her body was found in the Waitākere Ranges a week after she was last seen at a central Auckland hotel. Jesse Kempson - who had been seen on CCTV footage entering an Auckland hotel with Millane - was found guilty of murder in November 2019 and sentenced to life in prison with a minimum non-parole period of 17 years.
Earlier this month, one of Grace's friends celebrated what would have been her 27th birthday with a 27km run in Auckland. It also marked five years since her murder.
