The Queen’s Medal for Music 2013

It is through this lens of history that we should view the conflicts of today, and so give us hope for tomorrow.

At Christmas I am always struck by how the spirit of togetherness lies also at the heart of the Christmas story.

Being united - that is, feeling a unity of purpose - is the glue that bonds together the members of a family, a country, a Commonwealth.

All great religions have such times of renewal, moments to take stock before moving on to face the challenges which lie ahead.

My hope this Christmas is that the Christian spirit of reconciliation may burn as strongly in our hearts during the coming year.

In the United Kingdom we have our own particular sorrows in Northern Ireland and I want to send a special message of sympathy to all those men, women and children who have...

My message today is one of encouragement and hope.

Then Christmas comes, and once again we are reminded that people matter, and it is our relationship with one another that is most important.

For every poppy a life; and a reminder of the grief of loved ones left behind.

We are forever grateful to all those who put themselves at risk to keep us safe.

When life seems hard, the courageous do not lie down and accept defeat; instead, they are all the more determined to struggle for a better future.

My grandfather, father, husband and two sons have all undergone training here, and I have had many visits over the years.

The Christmas story also draws attention to all those people who are on the edge of society

The birth of a baby brings great happiness - but then the business of growing up begins.

As Groucho Marx once said "Anyone can get old - all you have to do is to live long enough". And there are in my view many other anniversaries this year which are more...

These natural and human tragedies provided the headline news; they also provoked a quite remarkable humanitarian response.

I remember the bonfires along the coastline as we arrived and the enthusiastic welcome we received as guests of your grandfather, King Haakon.

Everyone is our neighbour, no matter what race, creed or colour.

Separation at this time is especially hard to bear.

Je chéris ma place dans la vie du Canada et mon lien avec tous les Canadiens et Canadiennes.

I thank you for the support you are giving me and my family as we come to terms with her death and the void she has left in our midst.

For Christmas marks a moment to pause, to reflect and believe in the possibilities of rebirth and renewal.

By any measure this Millennium year has been an unforgettable one.

This December we are looking back not just on one year, but on a hundred years and a thousand years.

Though we each lead different lives, the experience of growing older, and the joys and emotions which it brings, are familiar to us all.

I remember my own childhood Christmases here, with my father and mother, and a great family gathering, and now I delight in seeing my children and grandchildren enjoying the...

But I cannot think of any Christmas of my reign when the message of the angels has been more apt.

So, our Commonwealth hearth becomes more precious than ever before by the contrast between its homely security and the storm which sometimes seems to be brewing outside, in...

To see British and Russian veterans standing together, in memory of the sacrifices of their comrades-in-arms, was a moving experience.

We have indeed become a global village.

I first came here for Christmas as a grandchild. Nowadays, my grandchildren come here for the same family festival.

I am constantly amazed by the generosity of donors and subscribers, great and small, who give so willingly and often towards the enjoyment of others.

I hope that all of us lucky enough to be able to enjoy such gatherings this Christmas will take time to count our blessings.

Unlike all the other planets in the solar system, earth shimmers green and blue in the sunlight and looks a very pleasant place to live.

May the Christmas story encourage you, for it is a message of hope every year, not for a few, but for all.

I hope we will all help each other to have a happy Christmas and, when the New Year comes, resolve to work for tolerance and understanding between all people.

There are many serious and threatening problems in this country and in the world but they will never be solved until there is peace in our homes and love in our hearts.

These success stories are often pushed into the background but they are the guarantee of our future.