These celebrities are so respected - not just for their considerable talents, but for their winning personalities - that they have woven themselves into the fabric of British society.
They have achieved that rarest of honours - National Treasure status - a distinction worth more than any knighthood or damehood, because it is conferred upon them by the common people.
These distinguished characters from the worlds of TV, film and music, are pictured here long before they became National Treasures, when they were just starting out in their respective fields, or even earlier.
These are some of the earliest photos of them, in one case aged just six, along with details of their early careers and how the breakthroughs which helped establish them as household names.
Some of the famous faces pictured are almost unrecognisable in these early images, while others look like they’ve hardly changed.
How many of the stars in this retro gallery can you recognise from these early photos? And which other British celebrities do you think have earned National Treasure status?
5. Joanna Lumley circa 1965: Joanna Lumley, the 'Bond' girl and star of the TV series 'The Avengers' as Purdy beside an anti-war poster in the form of the American flag. (Photo by Keystone/Getty Images)
Joanna Lumley is pictured here in around 1965, when she would have been about 18 or 19. She began her career as a model before moving into acting. One of her earliest roles was a minor part as a Bond girl in the 1969 film On Her Majesty's Secret Service. Her first major role was as Purdey in The New Avengers, but she is perhaps best known today for playing Patsy in Absolutely Fabulous. | Getty Images Photo: Keystone
6. Paul McCartney
Sir Paul McCartney is pictured here in 1948, aged six, with his eight-year-old brother, Mike. He taught himself to play the piano and guitar as a teenager and was just 15 when he joined John Lennon's skiffle group, the Quarrymen, in 1957. Three years later, that band would become the Beatles, who exploded onto the charts in 1962, with their first hit, Love Me Do. | Getty Images Photo: Keystone
7. Trevor McDonald
Sir Trevor McDonald is pictured here in around 1970, when he would have been about 31. He was born in Trinidad and began his professional career as a reporter with Radio Trinidad, before becoming a newsreader and sports journalist for Trinidad Television. He briefly worked for the BBC before joining ITN as a reporter in 1973. In 1990, he conducted the first broadcast interview with Nelson Mandela following the anti-apartheid activist's release from prison. In 1992, he was promoted to become the presenter of News at Ten, the role which made him a household name and one of the nation's most trusted figures. | Getty Images Photo: Keystone/Hulton Archive
8. Michael Caine
Sir Michael Caine, whose real name is Maurice Micklewhite, is pictured here in February 1964, aged 30, at home with his mother Ellen and brother Stanley. He made his acting debut in 1950 and became a regular on stage, radio and TV before his role in the 1964 film Zulu catapulted him to stardom. His impressive CV includes leading roles in the films Alfie, Get Carter, Educating Rita and The Quiet American, and he has won two Oscars for best supporting actor. | Getty Images Photo: Harry Dempster