The Queen's Jubilee Loyal Address to Parliament

There have been just five occasions in the past 60 years when the Queen

has come to Westminster to make a special address to both Houses of

Parliament. Today it is the 6th. In this special occasion we will be

enjoying one of the first major ceremonial events of the Queen's

The Queen will arrive at Westminster arrived -- welcome up

by senior parliamentary figures. The formal launch of junior -- of

Dudi Sela Britain started in February to mark the 60th

anniversary of the accession to the throne -- the formal launch of

jubilee celebrations. The only other queen to celebrate a Diamond

Jubilee was Queen Victoria but there was no ceremony. The oldest

part of Westminster Hall, dating back to 1097. The building,

commissioned by William Rivers, the setting for some of the biggest

occasions, sad and joyful, in the history of the United Kingdom.

Before long, we will be joined by the Lord Speaker for the House of

Lords, and the Speaker of the House of Commons. They will each present

addresses to the Queen, and following that, Her Majesty will

then reply. Proceedings to be watched by members of both Houses

of Parliament, including the current Prime Minister, David

Cameron, and two of the toll of prime ministers who have served

during the Queen's reign. We have the Deputy Prime Minister, Nick

Clegg here. Harriet Harman, former Deputy Leader of the Labour Party.

Tony Blair, who served as prime minister for a decade. That is the

Speaker's wife, Sally burka. And Gordon Brown, who had three years

at Number 10 and many years at Number 11 as Chancellor, and Sarah

Brown as well. There is a busy man in the second row, George Osborne,

who will be delivering his third Budget to the House of Commons

tomorrow. He is here with his wife, and Ed Balls, sharing a joke, but

across that dispatch box tomorrow, I suspect we will not be seeing any

of those smiles, when Ed Balls answers the Budget speech, after Ed

A very good morning, welcome to the River Room. We are just a few yards

from the River Thames, it is a magnificent setting. Just a few

feet from the House of Lords. This is where we will be following the

morning's events. I have two expert guides with me, the royal

commentator and author, Robert Hardman, whose book, Our Queen, has

been a bestseller, and the royal historian, Kate Williams. Delighted

to have you with us. It is a formal event, marking a very formal thing,

a very special and rare event, a Diamond Jubilee. It is quite

extraordinary. We have only had one before in history and the tone and

pace of that was very different. This is history unfolding before us.

This is one of the great set-piece occasions of the Jubilee. There

will be razzmatazz, there will be tours around the country, a lot of

walkabouts, great scenes on the river with the river pageant and a

pop concert outside the palace, but you have to have these big events

like today. It is Parliament's chance to say thank you to Her

Majesty. Exactly. The Queen is going to talk over the country and

see so many of her loyal subjects, this is Parliament's chance to

speak to the Queen and express their gratitude. She says herself,

she thinks Parliament is the best place for this formal occasion

because she sees herself as this great constitutional monarch.

will be back with you in a second. It is only the 6th time that the

Queen has made a special address to both Houses of Parliament. I am not

talking about the State Opening of Parliament which is a different

thing which happens virtually every year. Some of you will remember a

similar occasion a decade ago for the golden jubilee. Some of us even

Queen Mother, in very pale be -- This tour has been the scene of so

many events, splendid or sombre, which have marked the course of our

I cannot forget that I was crowned Queen of the United Kingdom of

Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Three cheers for Her Majesty, the

We salute with pride, the valour of armed forces, who brought us to

victory. We remember the dark days of the Battle of Britain, when the

pilots of the Royal Air Force fought in our skies to protect us

from invasion. Edward Heath, prime minister Mr

I would like to express my pride in our past, and my confidence in our

future. I would like, above all, to declare my resolve to continue with

the support of my family, to serve the people of this great nation of

ours to the best of my ability, There we are. A flavour of past

events in Westminster Hall. It is fair to say, not without an element

of controversy. I certainly remember the coverage in 1977, when

the debate about devolution was raging at the time. The Queen went

out of away in that speech to say, I came to the throne... I cannot

forget that I was crowned... Are we likely to see an equally

controversial contribution today? suspect, probably not. Different

jubilees have a different tone and atmosphere. I think in 77, it was

quite an AG time. Certainly her remarks, they certainly raised a

few hackles in Scotland -- quite an The golden jubilee was a matter of

weeks after the death of the Queen Mother, it was 9/11, just after,

there was a lot of change in the air and I think this time it will

David Cameron, taking his place next to Ed Miliband and his wife,

Justine Thornton. We were mentioning elements of potential

controversy. Do you think that the address today will be used to

deliver a precise message about something, or will it be to take

stock after 60 remarkable years? agree with Robert. It is a very

different type of jubilee. This is her at a high watermark of her

popularity. Since the Coronation, since her wedding, when you look at

2002, there was talk that there would be no coverage of the Jubilee

at all. Now it is almost like the Jubilee is bigger than the Olympics.

I think she is going to be looking back on their great rain. We are a

nation of range and -- change and transition. It seems incredible

that in 19 some G7, she said, we have to get used to no longer being

an imperial power -- in 1977. It is a completely different country that

she now reigns over and she is incredibly popular now, and I think

she is looking back on 60 years of success. A guaranteed seen today

will be links with the Commonwealth and the value that the Queen places

on that relationship. Commonwealth to her is a bit like

the Duke of Edinburgh's Award Scheme to the Duke, she did not

inherit it, she built it herself, she created it from eight nations

We have seen remarkable images of Prince Harry on a trip to Jamaica.

Despite the fact that there is a very big debate about the future of

some of these countries in the Commonwealth, we saw one of the

grandchildren on the world stage, making a point in quite some style.

That was a great example of how the younger generation are doing it

their way. The Queen is still head of state of 16 countries, a large

part of the Earth's surface. There will be debates in those countries

but you can see the underlying human warmth that exists between

these countries and the Royal Family. Whatever the constitutional

position, there is a great deal of bonhomie. You can't buy that kind

of PR. It is very important because her father saw herself as the king

of empire, the Queen sees herself as the queen of Commonwealth. It is

incredible, her touring around the country and it is brilliant to see

the young boys taking that over. I think the Commonwealth theme will

be very firmly underlined. We have seen the Prime Minister, his place

is secure in the front row. If we look across the aisle, a very

interesting group of people. We caught a glimpse of the Archbishop

of Canterbury, there he is, chatting to Baroness Royal, the

Labour leader in the House of Lords. We have the Bishop of London,

interesting to see him here. Just a few days ago, we learned that the

Archbishop of Canterbury will step down at the end of the year, and

lots of people are mentioning the Bishop of London as a possible

successor. They are sitting within a few feet of each other. If we

look at the other side of that group of people, just to the left,

we see the Archbishop of York. For lots of people, is the front runner

They are all in that block. It is not just politics to do with party

here, but to do with the Church as well. In Westminster everyone loves

a leadership challenge. They are mingling. Lord Strathclyde and Lord

Falconer, chatting there. Lord Falconer and former Lord Chancellor,

Lord Strathclyde, who has been leading the Conservatives in the

House of Lords and has been in the House of Lords for many years. If

we look behind them, other members of the cabinet on the other side.

There is a very familiar face, Michael Martin, at Lord Martin now,

the former Speaker of the Commons. He had a turbulent time and he left

the chair in 2009. Baroness Hayman, standing to greet her successor as

Lord Speaker. The Lords because procession is under way. -- Lord

Speaker's procession is under way. Lord Speaker is a position that did

not exist a decade ago when the golden jubilee was being celebrated,

but it is now a position where the Lord Speaker represents the House

of Lords, in effect an ambassador for the House of Lords, and

presiding at sessions of the House of Lords, where the Lord Chancellor

did before. The principal doorkeeper leading the way, and we

have the Deputy Serjeant of arms carrying the mace, dating from the

days of Charles II. And then we have the Lord Speaker herself,

Baroness D'Sousa or, who was elected for her term in last summer,

June last year. Followed by the clerks and the assistants and the

Gentleman Usher of the Black Rod, who is at the end of this

procession. Just coming up the stairs now, David Leakey, he has

been in charge of all the practical Let's look at the placing of the

mace on the stand. Later on, we will see the mace being covered by

the red velvet cloth. That is for a special reason, the mace is there

to symbolise the sovereignty and authority of the Queen. Because of

the Queen's presence, that symbol will no longer be required, so it

will be covered. The next recession is the speaker's procession, led by

the principal doorkeeper, Robyn felt. And the Serjeant at Arms,

And a glimpse of the Speaker, John Bercow, who has been Speaker for

nearly three years. John Bercow, at times a controversial figure, not

afraid to deal robustly with matters from the chair. He was re-

elected after the election of 2010. A very published public speaker,

and I'm sure that his contribution today will be noted for the fluency

that he has developed in his time in Parliament. The same pattern on

this side of the aisle, because the mace will be rested, and when the

Queen arrives later on, we will catch a glimpse of the cloth being

used to cover the mace to symbolise the presence of the Queen. If we

look at the vast crowd in Westminster Hall today, there is

One man in particular who has a special interest in today's

proceedings, he is Michael Ellis, a Conservative MP, chairman of the

All-Party Parliamentary Group on the Queen's Diamond Jubilee, he is

the one who persuaded MPs and peers to dig deep into their pockets to

contribute �85,000 towards a gift, and that gift is a new stained

glass window, for the Queen, which will be formally unveiled later on.

We can give you a sneak preview, because we visited the studio in

north London where it was made. thought stained glass would work

well, it came about because in 1977, the House of Commons got together

and organise the fountain below Big Ben for the Queen's Silver Jubilee.

In 2002, for the Golden Jubilee, a sundial was put in near the House

of Lords, but it looked as though nothing was in the pipeline, about

15 months ago, for the Queen's Diamond Jubilee, as a gift from

members of both Houses. It is looking splendid. I like the way

the unicorn looks a bit fierce. It is supposed to, is it? Yes, you do

not want to mess with these things, it is a wild animal! It is a very

traditional technique, it has not changed. Fundamentally you take two

pieces of glass and join them with a piece of lead. It is like a

jigsaw puzzle. When you're banging the nail in, if you slip, you can

break the glass, which is really not what is needed at this go back

in time. Once you have cut it, you paint it, and in this case, we

paint all of these a minimal of three times. It has gone into the

kill three times to be fired, and then there is a silver oxide

staying put on. In the light, you can see the gorgeous golden colour.

The effect of the green has a background, it makes the colours

stand out. The colours come out more. That's magnificent. It is

also quite heavy. Yes, let's put it down. Like all good gifts, we are

keeping this under wraps from Her Majesty, and in a short time, when

it is unveiled, it will be the very first occasion that Her Majesty

will have seen it. There you are, you have seen it already, but it

will be unveiled a little bit later on. That's the light box which will

house the window for the next year, so that visitors will be able to

see it when they come through Westminster Hall. Eventually, it

will be installed in the window above the North Door. It will be in

that central panel, so it will be in a very, very prominent position,

directly facing the coat-of-arms of the Queen's father, King George VI.

That was installed in 1952 to commemorate those members of

parliament and parliamentary staff who lost their lives in the Second

World War. And this completes a kind of symmetry which dates back

to the days of Henry VIII. When he refashioned Westminster Hall, there

were two great windows with royal arms facing each other, north and

south. So, when the new window goes in, we will have that symmetry re-

established. The ceremonial is continuing inside Westminster Hall.

The state trumpeters are taking their place underneath that window.

And we have the unmistakable white plumes of the gentlemen at Arms.

And then, lining the stairs, left and right, we have the Yeomen of

the Guard, whose history goes right back to the days of Henry Tudor.

They first made their appearance at the coronation of Henry Tudor in

the time immediately after the Battle of Bosworth. Great heritage,

and of course, well known for the splendid uniforms, dating all of

the way back to the late 15th century. Under the window, the Her

Majesty's Bodyguard of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen at

Arms. Those uniforms date from the 1840s, that famous red coat, and of

course, bearing the ceremonial battle axes, more than 300 years

old. And the captain of the Her Majesty's Bodyguard of the

Honourable Corps of Gentlemen at Arms is in fact a politician, in

this case it is the Chief Whip in the House of Lords. The Queen will

be making her address in response to the initial addresses by the

Lord Speaker, House of Lords and the Speaker of the House of Commons.

We are now in a position where we are awaiting the arrival of the

Queen. A lot of thought will have gone into the addresses by the Lord

Speaker, House of Lords and the Speaker of the House of Commons.

Yes, obviously, everyone is waiting to see what the Queen will say.

This will be her sixth address here. It is a very interesting speech,

because we are used to the Queen's speech in Parliament. This is very

much her own words, she and her officials have gone through this,

rather like her Christmas broadcast. So, the politicians do not know

what she is going to say. Do you think the Prime Minister will be

aware of the content? I imagine that maybe the officials will have

had a discussion between each other, they will probably want to make

sure there is nothing which is going to surprise him, but no, he

will be listening to this fresh, as will pretty much everybody in the

hall. It is not like the Queen's Speech, and also, it is a speech

where she does speak from the heart. What we hear today, everyone loves

reading between the lines, but there will be some strong messages,

I'm sure, about the Jubilee, and about the state of the nation. I

imagine it is going to be a much happier event than the last time

she was here. That's crucial, because in the past decade, it is

worth noting that we have been going on about 60 years and the way

that Britain has been transformed in that time, which it certainly

has been, but really, the UK is a very different country to what it

was 10 years ago. Yes, the Queen, she is the 20th century. She was

born in the Great Depression, lived through the Second World War, the

1950s, the 1960s, and in 2002, she was perhaps much less popular than

she is now, but the country was riding high. Ever since then, we

have seen the financial collapse, the press being undermined, but the

Queen has remained constant. She has always talk about family,

community and the importance of service. She always stresses how

she is continuity in a world of change. Back in 2002, I suppose you

could say, Robert Hardman, that the royal family was not been as good a

position as it is today. No, it was five years after the death of Diana,

Princess of Wales. Also, there had been a lot of constitutional change,

with the emergence of the Scottish Parliament and the Welsh Assembly.

The Queen Mother had recently died, and there was a general sense that

the royal family, particularly the Queen, had been through a tough

period, and things were turning. But that Jubilee was a turning

point. Now, we see a monarch who is absolutely at the top of her game,

unquestionably the most respected public figure in the land, and the

best-known person in the world. musicians working very hard today,

and the band of the Scots Guards playing beautifully for us. And

then, of course, in the audience, we have an array of very, very

familiar faces, some of them have served in Cabinet going back 20 or

30 years. We had a glimpse of Norman Lamont, the former

Chancellor, and Iain Duncan-Smith, now, in Cabinet, a former

Conservative leader. Lord Steel, a very familiar face, and Lord Howe,

former Chancellor. The Queen has just left Buckingham Palace, and is

making the short journey along the Mall towards the Palace of

Westminster. It is a good moment to underline what happened at the last

diamond jubilee, Kate Williams, because Queen Victoria did not make

this journey, the journey was in reverse. Exactly, they all had to

go to the Palace ballroom. Queen Victoria, she was younger than our

Queen, but she was much more infirm. The celebration was on the steps

outside St Paul's because she could not get up them. So, what we see

today is testament to the incredible good health of the Queen.

It is incredible, she is always around, always visiting, she is not

put off by the weather or exhaustion. She is no stranger to

this journey. Previous monarchs may not have bothered with the State

Opening of Parliament at all. Even the Queen's birthday Parade, in the

time of Queen Victoria, did not really bother with that, either.

But this Queen has been steadfast... Steadfast, diligent, she takes

things extremely diligently. It would take a lot for her not to be

at something like a State Opening of Parliament. That's one of Her

Majesty's representatives in Parliament. He will lead her in.

Queen Victoria, the MPs were so disappointed with her at their

reception that they had to go again to Windsor Castle, because they did

not get enough from her. The route taking the Queen alongside St

James's Park, past the Citadel, as it is called, along Horse Guards

They're going straight on, I think, so they will come down into

Parliament square itself. Back at the Palace of Westminster, that is

the man who is in charge of the royal bits of the Palace of

Westminster. Technically it is still in part a royal Palace. He is

responsible for places like the Royal Gallery, and he has joint

stewardship with the Speakers for Westminster Hall, which is such an

historic and essential part of the fabric of the Palace of Westminster.

That is his formal role. He looks after the Queen's business, if you

like, within the Palace, a very familiar figure when we see the

State Opening of Parliament, he is the one in charge of the timings

and the Queen's movements within the Palace itself. He will be there

to greet the Queen when she arrives and he will escort the Queen when

she departs later on. What a magnificent sight. This is my

favourite part of the Palace. The roof, English oak, it was framed in

Surrey and commissioned at the end of the 14th century, but it is

still one of the great splendours of our built heritage in the United

Kingdom. It really is a miraculous construction, and people come from

all over the world to admire it. So, all over the world to admire it. So,

the Queen, arriving at the Palace of Westminster, turning in, the

crowds here in bright sunshine to mark the royal addresses, which

will be heard at Westminster Hall for this diamond jubilee. Gently

turning in, and down to the North Door, which leads directly into

Accompanied by the Duke of Edinburgh, who is over that health

scare that he had last Christmas. There we have the symbol to the

world that the Queen is that the The mace has been covered, as

arranged. The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh are led to the pair of

thrones under the great South The Queen passes the Archbishop of

Canterbury and the Prime Minister. She makes her way to the throne,

and to the microphone that has been set there, ready for her response.

To the Lord Speaker, Baroness D'Sousa and two John Bercow, the

Speaker of the House of Commons. The Yeomen of the Guard, the

Gentlemen at Arms aligning the The hall is ready for Baroness

D'Sousa, the Lord Speaker. Most gracious sovereign, we, the Lord

spiritual and temporal, are assembled here today to celebrate

60 years of your brain. We recall with warmth and affection our

appreciation of your dedicated service to your people, and dual

unequalled sense of public duty over the years. -- your unequalled.

Service and duty to which you have only recently and so movingly

rededicated yourself. We celebrate, too, your stewardship of your high

office. You have personified continuity and stability, while

ensuring that dual role has evolved imperceptibly, with the result that

the monarchy is as integral a part of national life today as it was 60

Has involved. We rejoice in this jubilee and give thanks for that it

represents. We recall our gratitude for the support you have received

proud dual reign from his Royal Highness, Prince Philip, for in

this year of jubilee, we celebrate his service, too. This is one of

the first of many celebrations to -- up and down the land. You and

the Duke will travel widely through the kingdom but today you have come

to Parliament, the constitutional heart of the nation, and granted as

the privilege of being the first of your people formally to honour your

jubilee -- granted us. Where better to begin the celebrations than here

in the splendour of Westminster all? A haul of kings and queens for

almost a millennium -- of Westminster Hall. While this hall

has seen many historic events, few are permanently commemorated. So we

look forward, with great anticipation, to the unveiling of

the stained glass window which members of both Houses have

commissioned in one of this day. When placed in the window above the

great doors, your coat of arms and royal cipher will pave the ball in

colour, and be seen to be by members of staff as they walk

through to their offices, as well as by the many thousands of

visitors we receive weekly from home and abroad. We must remember

that your jubilee will be celebrated with joy in your other

Roms and territories, and throughout the rest of the

Commonwealth. -- other realms. The Commonwealth is of course one of

the great achievements of your rain, and under your leadership,

continues to flourish, with a membership of 54 countries. It is

still growing, it is a tremendous force for good in the world and we

are aware of its special personal significance to you. Many of us

present here today take an active part in the work of the United

Kingdom branch of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association. We work

to share our experiences, to learn from one another and to promote

democracy. But our efforts are as nothing compared with those of your

Majesty, in the service of your beloved Commonwealth. Over the

years, you have visited all but two, of countries, some many times, and

attended all Heads of Government Meeting since 1997. We look on with

admiration and pride at the triumphs of some of your recent

tours, and it is significant that members of the Royal Family are

representing you this year at the Jubilee celebrations being held in

all of the lands of which your head of state. The Lords spiritual and

temporal in Parliament assembled give thanks for this, your Diamond

Jubilee. We look forward to the years to come, and we prayed that

you and your realms may enjoy the peace, plenty and prosperity that

have so distinguished your brain. - - your reign.

The Lord Speaker presents the address, on behalf of the House of

Lords, to the Queen. Which she accepts with a smile. Once the

applause has died down, the Speaker of the House of Commons, John

Most gracious sovereign, we, your faithful Commons, are honoured to

be here to commemorate and celebrate the 60 years of your rain.

We, too, are pleased to have contributed to the Jubilee window,

to be revealed shortly, and which will mark this occasion permanently.

Time is better preserved in this historic place, than it in a

fallible human memory. Time also tells its own story. 60 years ago,

rationing meant rather more than a short wait before the arrival of

the latest electronic item. 60 years ago, Britain had just emerged

from a war of an intensity never seen before, or since, and had

slipped into the shadow of the Korean conflict. 60 years ago, a

new Elizabethan era was awaited with enthusiasm, tinged with

uncertainty about the challenges ahead for the country. If, as

Gandhi asserted, the best way to find yourself is to lose yourself

in the service of others, then your Majesty must have found yourself

countless times over the last six decades. You have dedicated your

life to others. The Daily example that you set, it mirrored by our

courageous armed forces, of which you are commander of Chief --

commander-in-chief, is extraordinary. Yet perhaps your

Majesty's most profound contribution has been to the

continuity that has made change Mack and -- manageable.

Transformation is inevitably turbulent. It has been your

singular accomplishment, your unique capacity to hold together

that which could have been torn asunder. You have moved with the

times and allowed the Times to move around the rest of society. This is

a different Britain from 1952, but not one detached from then. We are,

in so many ways, a much bigger, brighter and better United Kingdom.

This is a land where men and women today are equal, under the law, and

to wear dual people are respected, regardless of how they live, how

they look or how they love -- and wear your people are respected.

This is a nation of many races, faiths and customs, beginning, now,

to be reflected in Parliament. All of this has occurred during your

rain. You have become too many of us, a kaleidoscope queen of a

kaleidoscope country, in a kaleidoscope Commonwealth. This

gathering is one of many diverse events across these islands, in

tribute to you and this great anniversary. Our affection as a

nation will rightly embrace the Duke of Edinburgh, and other

members of your family. These will be moments, striking for the

sincerity expressed, as much as for the scenery encountered. 60 years

of stability. 60 years of security. 60 years of certainty. 60 years of

sacrifice. 60 years of service. Gandhi also observed that, in a

gentle way, you can shake the world. Your Majesty, in a gentle way, you

have shaken this United Kingdom, and the world, for six decades. On

behalf of all the members of the House of Commons, may I thank you

wholeheartedly for all that you have done, are doing and will do

for the good of our country. It is the speaker's turn to

approach the throne and to present the address to Her Majesty, on

behalf of the House of Commons. John Bercow will turn took his seat,

and when he arrives back at his place, he will then signalled to a

colleague to unveil the gift, which is the window.

It is a magnificent sight. The design based on 17th century

heraldic art. Michael Ellis is the MP responsible for the scheme

itself. The Queen is preparing now, having received the gift, to

deliver her response, on the occasion of this Diamond Jubilee.

My Lords and Members of the House of Commons. I am most grateful for

your loyal addresses, and the generous words of the Lord Speaker,

and Mr Speaker. This great institution has been at the heart

of the country, and the lives of our people, throughout its history.

As parliamentarians, you share with your forebears a fundamental role

in the laws and decisions of your own age. Parliament has survived as

an unshakeable cornerstone of our constitution, and our way of life.

History links monarchs and Parliament, a connecting thread

from one period to the next. So, in an era where the regular and were

the rhythm of life is less eye- catching than doing something

extraordinary -- and were the rhythm of life, I am reassured that

I am merely the second sovereign to As today, it was my privilege to

address you during my silver and golden jubilees. Many of you were

present 10 years ago, and some of you will recall the occasion in

1977. Since my accession, I have been a regular visitor to the

Palace of Westminster, and at the last count, have had the

pleasurable duty of treating with 12 prime ministers.

Over such a period, one can observe that the experience of venerable

old age can be a mighty guide, but public office. I am, therefore,

very pleased to be addressing many younger parliamentarians, and also

those bringing such a wide range of background and experience to your

During these years, as your Queen, the support of my family house,

across the generations, been beyond measure. Prince Philip is, I

believe, well known for declining believe, well known for declining

Compliments of any kind. But throughout, he has been a constant

throughout, he has been a constant strength and guide. He and I are

very proud and grateful that the Prince of Wales and other members

of our family are travelling on my behalf in this Diamond Jubilee year,

to visit all the Commonwealth realms, and a number of other

Commonwealth countries. These overseas tours are a reminder of

our close affinity with the Commonwealth, encompassing about

one-third of the world's population. My own association with the

Commonwealth has taught me that the most important contact between

nations is usually contact between its peoples. An organisation

dedicated to certain values, the Commonwealth has flourished and

grown by successfully promoting and protecting that contact. At home,

Prince Philip and I will be visiting towns and cities up and

down the land. It is my sincere hope that the Diamond Jubilee will

be an opportunity for people to come together in a spirit of

neighbourliness, in celebration of their own communities. We also hope

to celebrate the professional and voluntary service given by millions

of people across the country, who are working for the public good.

They are a source of vital support to the welfare and well-being of

others, often unseen or overlooked. And as we reflect upon public

service, letters again be mindful of the remarkable sacrifice and

courage of our Armed Forces. Much may indeed have changed over the

past 60 years, but the valour of those who risk their lives for the

defence and freedom of us all remains undimmed. The happy

relationship I have enjoyed with Parliament has extended well beyond

the more than 3,500 bills I have signed into law. I am therefore

barely touched by the magnificent gift before me, generously

subscribed by many of you. It will bring just a little extra colour to

shine down upon this excellent place, and I shall gladly settle

for that. We are reminded here of our past, of the continuity of our

national story, and the virtues of resilience, ingenuity and tolerance

which created it. I have been privileged to witness some of that

history, and with the support of my family, we dedicate myself to the

service of our great country and its people now and in the years to

The Prime Minister and Ed Miliband leader standing ovation for Her

Majesty in Westminster Hall. Baroness D'Souza joining in

enthusiastically, and the Speaker of the House of Commons, Joe Balco

first all we. -- John Bercow too. What happens now is that the two

Speakers will approach the throne again, and the Queen will present

them with a copy of the royal The two Speakers take their place

The Queen once again acknowledges the applause, to the delight of Mr

Cameron and Mr Miliband. The Queen just taking in the prolonged

Apology for the loss of subtitles for 64 seconds

display of affection and loyalty The Lord Great Chamberlain steps

forward to escort Her Majesty into St Stephen's Hall. The Queen is

going to meet some members of Parliamentary Staff and thanked

them for their work and service, and then we'll go on to a reception,

a private reception, in the Royal Gallery, which is hosted by the two

Speakers. The Queen there referring I think to the great window, and

John Bercow explaining that the new window will be installed on the

north side. The Queen, of course, very familiar with the South window,

with her father's coat-of-arms displayed very prominently in it.

So, into St Stephen's Hall, and this is the main area which leads

up to the central lobby of the Houses of Parliament. St Stephen's

Hall, standing on the site of the royal Chapel of St Stephen's, a

very, very interesting part of the Palace, because this is where the

House of Commons sat until the chapel was destroyed in the great

fire of 1834. Back in Westminster Hall, now that the Queen has left,

the mace is being uncovered and retrieved, to be returned to the

chambers. These are very familiar symbols of royal authority. The two

chambers cannot sit to do business without the presence of those maces.

But, as I was explaining, there was a little bit of adjustment today

because of the presence of the Queen. The Queen now making her way

into the central lobby, where she will meet some of the staff, many

of them working in the offices, a cross section of staff, who will be

thanked by Her Majesty for their work within the Palace of

Westminster. So, as we enjoy the images in Westminster Hall, let's

stay with them, because we will see some of the main participants

leaving, including the Yeomen of the guard, who will be preparing to

leave in a second. In the meantime, Kate Williams and Robert Hardman

are still with me. I would like to reflect on what we have heard,

principally from the Queen's address, first of all, what did you

draw from it, Robert? I thought it was very upbeat, very forward

looking. It was interesting, both of the Speakers were keen to look

back on all the change that the Queen has been through. The Queen

really was focusing on the here- and-now, and, as you rightly

predicted, she paid a big tribute to the Commonwealth, clearly that

is something she feels very strongly about. There is a feeling

that she is a Queen of 16 countries, she cannot visit them all, she

wants to keep reminding them that she is thinking of them, this is

not just a British affair, it is an affair for all the realms. And

twice she singled out people in the country, who have engaged in public

service, professionally and voluntarily. I think everybody who

is in the service of the state will feel that someone is on her side.

mentioned before that you were an author of several books about the

royal family, and I am just wondering, applying your

journalist's viewpoint to the phrase is used by the Speaker,

kaleidoscope Queen, a shaker of things, what did you make of that?

I was interested by the idea of her shaking things. She is very much as

somebody who holds things together. But I know what he means. Yes, a

kaleidoscope nation. When she came to the throne, this was very much a

mono-cultural nation. The Archbishop of Canterbury, who will

be leaving office within seven months or so. As we see people

leaving, Kate Williams, preparing to enjoy that reception, What For

You was noteworthy in those addresses? As we expected, it was a

very joyous address, very humorous and light-hearted, she addressed

the Commonwealth and all of her prime ministers. It showed how much

a life has been one of duty, but she has also enjoyed her role as

Queen. I think that really came across, how much she is delighted

by it, and how important it it is to her. We must remember that at

the coronation, Prince Philip was not sitting next to her, she was

crowned at alone, and that was never repeated, she has been very

determined that the Duke of Edinburgh should be part of her

life. I think there was a great intimacy, great intimacy with her

prime Ministers, and so many of the people she deals with on a regular

basis. She talk about Prince Philip, saying that he is someone who does

not take compliments very well. It was very poignant, a tribute to the

Duke of Edinburgh. In her Golden Jubilee, she did not really mention

her family at all. But here, she singled out the Duke, and the

Prince of Wales got a big thumbs up for everything that he will be

doing during this Diamond Jubilee. So there was a feeling of a royal

team, taking this Diamond Jubilee around the world, which came

through very clearly. She was really saying, let's get started on

the party, I think. A very busy few weeks. What will be the highlight

of the Diamond Jubilee weekend? think the site of the monarch

coming down the River Thames, the biggest pageant since Charles II.

And we will see her in the state coach processing through the

capital. We will undoubtedly speak to you but again. Thank you very