December 3, 2004: Queen Elizabeth visits the Union Jack Club, near Waterloo Railway Station, in London. The club, which is celebrating its 100th anniversary, provides hotel accommodation for rank-and-file members of the armed forces, veterans and their families, while visiting London
December 7, 2004: Queen Elizabeth throws a Christmas Reception at the Buckingham Palace. Among the 500 guests are the unsung heroes of charity and community work as well as some famous names
The Royal Engagements have announced that Italian President will pay his State Visit to the United Kingdom from 15th March to 17th March 2005 by the invitation of The Queen.
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"God save our Gracious Queen,
Long live our Noble Queen,
God save The Queen"
God save Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II
it's time closed for HM Queen and Prince Philip's news and pictures we have moved to new thread of HM Queen and Prince Philip's news and pictures but we have limit 10 pages.
There's no point people making a new thread unless they've got something to say. If someone has a series of pictures they want to post or an article they want to discuss or something, they're welcome to start a new thread. Otherwise, I wouldn't worry about it.
At State Banquets,The Queen usually wears Family Order but at at the State Banquets in France(April) and Berlin(November) The Queen did not.Do you know why?
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"God save our Gracious Queen,
Long live our Noble Queen,
God save The Queen"
God save Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II
At State Banquets,The Queen usually wears Family Order but at at the State Banquets in France(April) and Berlin(November) The Queen did not.Do you know why?
Perhaps some presidents prefer something of less formal.
For example orders weren't worn at the State Banquet in Italy in 2000.
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I declare before you all that my whole life, whether it be long or short, shall be devoted to your service and the service of our great imperial family to which we all belong. HRH Princess Elizabeth, Cape Town, 21st April 1947
According to scotsman.com,it told that this year Christmas Service will attend by a lot of British Royals members.It said that The Earl and Countess of wessex will take Louise to the service.Viscount and Viscountess Linley,Lady Sarah Chatto and Danei Chatto will attend too.
__________________
"God save our Gracious Queen,
Long live our Noble Queen,
God save The Queen"
God save Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II
Attached picture from Getty Images. You can watch it online at BBC, or at the official website of the British monarchy.
Queen calls for tolerance in UK
The Queen has appealed for tolerance and understanding between cultural and religious groups in Britain's multicultural society.
She said religions were often in the news as "sources of difference and conflict", whereas they all bore message of tolerance and respect.
She also pointed out that diversity was "a strength, not a threat".
Christmas is the one time of the year when the Queen writes her speech with no advice from the government.
The Queen, who will be 79 in April, warned of the risk that the terrorist threat may have a negative impact on the co-existence of different cultures and heritage in Britain.
"We can certainly never be complacent," she added.
She went on to praise tolerance and fair play as "strong British values", and added that the need to look after fellow human beings was stronger than any ideological divide.
But she also acknowledged that many challenges still needed to be overcome, and that discrimination still existed.
"But there is every reason to be hopeful about the future," she said.
"I certainly recognise that much has been achieved in my lifetime," she added.
Important festival
The Queen, said that as a Christian she particularly valued the parable of the Good Samaritan, with its teaching that everyone is our neighbour, regardless or "race, creed of colour".
But she also warned that the original and traditional meaning of Christmas as "a great religious festival, one of the most important in the Christian year", should not be forgotten.
Last year's Christmas speech by the Queen was watched by 6.5m people in Britain alone.
The BBC and ITV alternate in producing the 10-minute programme every two years.
The theme of the speech is chosen months in advance, and an independent TV crew follows the Queen on special events which are later used to go with the script.
This year, the television version of the broadcast shows royal visits to a Sikh temple and a Muslim centre.
They were exchanging Christmas gifts and there was Louise too. I suppose it was yesterday. Is it possible?
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I declare before you all that my whole life, whether it be long or short, shall be devoted to your service and the service of our great imperial family to which we all belong. HRH Princess Elizabeth, Cape Town, 21st April 1947
Christmas is for most of us a time for a break from work, for family and friends, for presents, turkey and crackers. But we should not lose sight of the fact that these are traditional celebrations around a great religious festival, one of the most important in the Christian year.
Religion and culture are much in the news these days, usually as sources of difference and conflict, rather than for bringing people together. But the irony is that every religion has something to say about tolerance and respecting others.
For me, as a Christian, one of the most important of these teachings is contained in the parable of the Good Samaritan, when Jesus answers the question, 'Who is my neighbour?'
It is a timeless story of a victim of a mugging who was ignored by his own countrymen but helped by a foreigner - and a despised foreigner at that.
The implication drawn by Jesus is clear. Everyone is our neighbour, no matter what race, creed or colour. The need to look after a fellow human being is far more important than any cultural or religious differences.
Most of us have learned to acknowledge and respect the ways of other cultures and religions, but what matters even more is the way in which those from different backgrounds behave towards each other in everyday life.
It is vitally important that we all should participate and cooperate for the sake of the wellbeing of the whole community. We have only to look around to recognise the benefits of this positive approach in business or local government, in sport, music and the arts.
There is certainly much more to be done and many challenges to be overcome. Discrimination still exists. Some people feel that their own beliefs are being threatened. Some are unhappy about unfamiliar cultures.
They all need to be reassured that there is so much to be gained by reaching out to others; that diversity is indeed a strength and not a threat.
We need also to realise that peaceful and steady progress in our society of differing cultures and heritage can be threatened at any moment by the actions of extremists at home or by events abroad. We can certainly never be complacent.
But there is every reason to be hopeful about the future. I certainly recognise that much has been achieved in my lifetime.
I believe tolerance and fair play remain strong British values and we have so much to build on for the future.
It was for this reason that I particularly enjoyed a story I heard the other day about an overseas visitor to Britain who said the best part of his visit had been travelling from Heathrow into central London on the tube.
His British friends were, as you can imagine, somewhat surprised, particularly as the visitor had been to some of the great attractions of the country. What do you mean they asked? Because, he replied, I boarded the train just as the schools were coming out.
At each stop children were getting on and off - they were of every ethnic and religious background, some with scarves or turbans, some talking quietly, others playing and occasionally misbehaving together - completely at ease and trusting one another. How lucky you are, said the visitor, to live in a country where your children can grow up this way.
I hope they will be allowed to enjoy this happy companionship for the rest of their lives.
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