HE has often been seen in the company of the royal family in recent years ­— so it is no surprise that Saeed Atcha has been appointed to officially  represent Her Majesty the Queen at ceremonies and events.

At 22-years-old he has becomes the youngest royal representative as he takes on his new role as the Deputy Lieutenant of Greater Manchester ­— after the Queen gave her approval to the appointment.

The honour comes after the former Ladybridge High School pupil became the youngest recipient of an MBE this year for his services to young people and the community in Greater Manchester.

He was awarded it at a special ceremony at Buckingham Palace.

Saeed said: "I’m really excited to take up this new role.

"To be the youngest person ever to be appointed is something I need some time to get my head around!

"I can’t wait to get out and about across the county supporting charities and assisting the Lord-Lieutenant in his duties."

Saeed is the Chief Executive of Xplode Magazine which helps young people in Greater Manchester through volunteering, jobs and skills training.

He founded the charity aged 15 to promote a positive image of young people after the fallout from the 2011 riots.

He spent much of his teen years in and out of care and risking exclusion from school.

And his work has seen him rub shoulders with royalty, with Duke of Cambridge presenting him with the MBE and an invite to the wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle.

And in 2017 he met Prince Charles as the pair teamed up to encourage more young people to take part in social action, from volunteering to fundraising, in order to develop vital employability skills.

The Lord-Lieutenant of Greater Manchester, Warren Smith said: “As the Lord-Lieutenant of a young, exciting and diverse county, I’m keen for the Lieutenancy to be representative which is why I am very happy to welcome Saeed as a Deputy Lieutenant.

"This appointment also serves as recognition of Saeed’s dedication to public life supporting young people and the community in Greater Manchester."

Due to their expertise and role within the community, Deputy Lieutenants are asked to provide support in areas including honours nominations, assessments for The Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service, suggesting names for Royal Garden Parties and representing the Sovereign at Citizenship Ceremonies.

Saeed will combine the role with his studies at Manchester Metropolitan University as well as his other positions, including his trusteeships at social action charities Young Manchester, Step Up to Serve and his role as Government Social Mobility Commissioner.

The prime duty of those appointed to such a role is "to uphold the dignity of the Crown", through arranging visits by Members of the yoyal family and escorting Royal visitors; presentation of medals and awards on behalf of Her Majesty, such as The Queen’s Awards for Enterprise; participation in civic, voluntary and social activities with the lieutenancy; liaison with local units of the Royal Navy, Royal Marines, Army, Royal Air Force and their associated cadet forces; leading the local magistracy by chairing the Advisory Committee on Justices of the Peace.

The office of Lord-Lieutenant is military in origin and can be traced back to the mid 16th Century.

The role is voluntary and serves as recognition of the work of the individual in their county.

Deputy Lieutenants undertake a wide range of duties and engagements including representing the Lord-Lieutenant and participating in citizenship ceremonies, attending remembrance services and parades, and helping to assess local organisations nominated for awards and honours.