The water in a vessel is sparkling; the water in the sea is dark. The small truth has words which are clear; the great truth has great silence.

St. Paul reminds us that all Christians, as ambassadors for Christ, are entrusted with the ministry of reconciliation.

It is as queen of Canada that I am here. Queen of Canada and all Canadians, not just one or two ancestral strains.

Experience shows that great enterprises seldom end with a tidy and satisfactory flourish. Together, we are doing our best to re-establish peace and civil order in the Gulf region, and to help those members of civil and ethnic minorities who continue to suffer through no fault of their own. If we succeed, our military success will have achieved its true objective.

In the turbulence of this anxious and active world many people are leading uneventful, lonely lives. To them dreariness, not disaster, is the enemy. They seldom realize that on their steadfastness, on their ability to withstand the fatigue of dull repetitive work, and on their courage in meeting constant small adversities depend in great measure the happiness and prosperity of the community as a whole. The upward course of a nation’s history is due in the long run to the soundness of heart of its average men and women.

As we mark this anniversary, it gives me pleasure to renew to you the pledge I gave in 1947 that my life will always be devoted to your service.

That consent, or the lack of it, is expressed for you, prime minister, through the ballot box. It is a tough, even brutal, system but at least the message is a clear one for all to read. For us, a royal family, however, the message is often harder to read, obscured as it can be by deference, rhetoric or the conflicting currents of public opinion.

When I was 21, I pledged my life to the service of our people and I asked for God’s help to make good that vow. Although that vow was made in my salad days, when I was green in judgement, I do not regret nor retract one word of it.

Football’s a difficult business, and aren’t they prima donnas? But it’s a wonderful game.

I have been aware all the time that my peoples, spread far and wide throughout every continent and ocean in the world, were united to support me in the task to which I have now been dedicated with such solemnity.

To what greater inspiration and counsel can we turn than to the imperishable truth to be found in this treasure house, the Bible?

I have sometimes thought that humanity seemed to have turned on itself: With wars, civil disturbances and acts of brutal terrorism… this world is not always an easy or a safe place to live in, but it is the only place we have.

I hope that tomorrow we can all, wherever we are, join in expressing our grief at Diana’s loss, and gratitude for her all-too-short life. It is a chance to show to the whole world the British nation united in grief and respect.

For Christians, as for all people of faith, reflection, meditation and prayer help us to renew ourselves in God’s love, as we strive daily to become better people. The Christmas message shows us that this love is for everyone. There is no one beyond its reach.

I believe that there is a great fear in our generation of being labeled as priggish.

Family does not necessarily mean blood relatives but often a description of a community, organisation or nation.

They are an inspiration to those who know them.

They teach us all a lesson – just as the Christmas story does – that in the birth of a child, there is a new dawn with endless potential.

“Let the light of Christmas — the spirit of selflessness, love and above all hope— guide us in the times ahead.

While Covid again means we can’t celebrate quite as we may have wished, we can still enjoy the many happy traditions. Be it the singing of carols (as long as the tune is well known); decorating the tree; giving and receiving presents; or watching a favourite film where we already know the ending, it’s no surprise that families so often treasure their Christmas routines.

While I may not have attended every event in person, my heart has been with you all; and I remain committed to serving you to the best of my ability, supported by my family.

Through the many changes I have seen over the years: faith, family, and friendship have been not only a constant for me, but a source of personal comfort and reassurance.

None of us can slow the passage of time and while we often focus on all that has changed in the intervening years, much remains unchanged, including the Gospel of Christ and his teachings.

It is easy enough to define what the Commonwealth is not. Indeed this is quite a popular pastime.

For many, Christmas is also a time for coming together. But for others, service will come first.

At Christmas, I am always struck by how the spirit of togetherness lies also at the heart of the Christmas story. A young mother and a dutiful father with their baby were joined by poor shepherds and visitors from afar. They came with their gifts to worship the Christ child.

The British constitution has always been puzzling and always will be.

I have behind me not only the splendid traditions and the annals of more than a thousand years but the living strength and majesty of the Commonwealth and Empire; of societies old and new; of lands and races different in history and origins but all, by God’s Will, united in spirit and in aim.

These wretched babies don’t come until they are ready.

At its heart, engineering is about using science to find creative, practical solutions. It is a noble profession.

Therefore I am sure that this, my Coronation, is not the symbol of a power and a splendor that are gone but a declaration of our hopes for the future, and for the years I may, by God’s Grace and Mercy, be given to reign and serve you as your Queen.

The lessons from the peace process are clear.

By being willing to put past differences behind us and move forward together, we honour the freedom and democracy once won for us at so great a cost.

I know just how much I rely on my own faith to guide me through the good times and the bad.

Each day is a new beginning, I know that the only way to live my life is to try to do what is right, to take the long view, to give of my best in all that the day brings, and to put my trust in God.

The importance of family has, of course, come home to Prince Philip and me personally this year with the marriages of two of our grandchildren, each in their own way a celebration of the God-given love that binds a family together.

I am reminded of a lady of about my age who was asked by an earnest, little granddaughter the other day ‘Granny, can you remember the Stone Age?’ Whilst that may be going a bit far, the older generation are able to give a sense of context as well as the wisdom of experience which can be invaluable.

I cannot lead you into battle, I do not give you laws or administer justice but I can do something else, I can give you my heart and my devotion to these old islands and to all the peoples of our brotherhood of nations.

With a growing spirit of mutual understanding on so many levels, we stand ready to face the global challenges ahead, knowing that when we work together we can produce effective and enduring results.

In these testing times, it is my hope that you can draw strength and inspiration from what we share, as we work together towards a healthy, sustainable and prosperous future for all.

Sadly we in Britain have been all too familiar with acts of terror and members of my generation… know that we have been here before. But those who perpetrate these brutal acts against innocent people should know that they will not change our way of life. Atrocities such as these simply reinforce our sense of community, our humanity, and our trust in the rule of law. That is the clear message from us all.

The function of constitutional monarchy is to personify the democratic state, to sanction legitimate authority, to assure the legality of means, and guarantee the execution of the public will. It is my ardent desire that no citizen in my realms should suffer restraint.

We have all felt those emotions in these last few days.

It has turned out to be an annus horribilis.

I myself prefer my New Zealand eggs for breakfast.

To all those who have suffered as a consequence of our troubled past I extend my sincere thoughts and deep sympathy. With the benefit of historical hindsight we can all see things which we would wish had been done differently or not at all.

True patriotism doesn’t exclude an understanding of the patriotism of others.

There are long periods when life seems a small, dull round, a petty business with no point, and then suddenly we are caught up in some great event which gives us a glimpse of the solid and durable foundations of our existence.

And so as I look forward to continuing to serve you with all my heart, I hope this Jubilee will bring together families and friends, neighbours and communities – after some difficult times for so many of us – in order to enjoy the celebrations and to reflect on the positive developments in our day-to-day lives that have so happily coincided with my reign.

The time for words has now moved to the time for action.

Reflecting on these events makes me grateful for the blessings of home and family, and in particular for 70 years of marriage. I don’t know that anyone had invented the term ‘platinum’ for a 70th wedding anniversary when I was born. You weren’t expected to be around that long.

But read it we must.

It’s inevitable that I should seem a rather remote figure to many of you, a successor to the kings and queens of history.

The ceremonies you have seen today are ancient, and some of their origins are veiled in the mists of the past. But their spirit and their meaning shine through the ages never, perhaps, more brightly than now.

I think it was one of the most memorable nights of my life.

We cheered the king and the queen on the balcony and then walked miles through the streets. I remember lines of unknown people linking arms and walking down Whitehall, all of us just swept along on a tide of happiness and relief.

I often draw strength from meeting ordinary people doing extraordinary things: volunteers, carers, community organisers and good neighbours; unsung heroes whose quiet dedication makes them special.

It is difficult to realise that it was less than 50 years ago that women in Britain were first given the vote, but parliament was first asked to grant this 100 years ago.

I for one believe there are lessons to be drawn from her life and from the extraordinary and moving reaction to her death. I share in your determination to cherish her memory.

His sense of service, intellectual curiosity and capacity to squeeze fun out of any situation – were all irrepressible. That mischievous, enquiring twinkle was as bright at the end as when I first set eyes on him.

All too often, I fear, Prince Philip has had to listen to me speaking. Frequently we have discussed my intended speech beforehand and, as you will imagine, his views have been expressed in a forthright manner.

If I am asked what I think about family life after 25 years of marriage, I can answer with equal simplicity and conviction, I am for it.

The events that I have attended to mark my Diamond Jubilee have been a humbling experience. It has touched me deeply to see so many thousands of families, neighbors and friends celebrating together in such a happy atmosphere.

Madam President, speaking here in Dublin Castle it is impossible to ignore the weight of history, as it was yesterday when you and I laid wreaths at the Garden of Remembrance.

In remembering the appalling suffering of war on both sides, we recognise how precious is the peace we have built in Europe since 1945.

Like all the best families, we have our share of eccentricities, of impetuous and wayward youngsters and of family disagreements.

First, I want to pay tribute to Diana myself. She was an exceptional and gifted human being. In good times and bad, she never lost her capacity to smile and laugh, nor to inspire others with her warmth and kindness. I admired and respected her – for her energy and commitment to others, and especially for her devotion to her two boys.

My husband has quite simply been my strength and stay all these years, and I owe him a debt greater than he would ever claim.

Whatever life throws at us, our individual responses will be all the stronger for working together and sharing the load.

At the heart of our faith stand not a preoccupation with our own welfare and comfort but the concepts of service and of sacrifice as shown in the life and teachings of the one who made himself nothing, taking the very form of a servant.

I know of no single formula for success, but over the years I have observed that some attributes of leadership are universal, and are often about finding ways of encouraging people to combine their efforts, their talents, their insights, their enthusiasm and their inspiration, to work together.

Inevitably, a long life can pass by many milestones; my own is no exception.

Such a blend of traditions serves to make us stronger, individually and collectively, by providing the ingredients needed for social, political and economic resilience.

We know the reward is peace on earth, goodwill toward men, but we cannot win it without determination and concerted effort.

No age group has a monopoly of wisdom, and indeed I think the young can sometimes be wiser than us. But the older I get, the more conscious I become of the difficulties young people have to face as they learn to live in the modern world.

The path, of course, is not always smooth, and may at times this year have felt quite bumpy, but small steps can make a world of difference.

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

If we resolve to be considerate and to help our neighbours; to make friends with people of different races and religions; and, as our Lord said, to look to our own faults before we criticise others, we will be keeping faith with those who landed in Normandy and fought so doggedly for their belief in freedom, peace and human decency.

I believe that, young or old, we have as much to look forward to with confidence and hope as we have to look back on with pride.

Our modern world places such heavy demands on our time and attention that the need to remember our responsibilities to others is greater than ever.

Perhaps we make too much of what is wrong and too little of what is right. The trouble with gloom is that it feeds upon itself and depression causes more depression.

In times of doubt and anxiety the attitudes people show in their daily lives, in their homes, and in their work, are of supreme importance.

Although we are capable of great acts of kindness, history teaches us that we sometimes need saving from ourselves–from our recklessness or our greed.

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

Over the years, those who have seemed to me to be the most happy, contented and fulfilled have always been the people who have lived the most outgoing and unselfish lives.

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.

People are touched by events which have their roots far across the world.

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

Right around the world, people gather to compete under standard rules and, in most cases, in a spirit of friendly rivalry. Competitors know that, to succeed, they must respect their opponents; very often, they like each other too.

The wartime generation — my generation — is resilient.

It’s worth remembering that it is often the small steps, not the giant leaps, that bring about the most lasting change.

They are not royal. They just happen to have me as their aunt.

Think what we would have missed if we had never… used a mobile phone or surfed the Net or, to be honest, listened to other people talking about surfing the Net.

What were once only hopes for the future have now come to pass.

I hope people will think very carefully about the future.

Cowards falter, but danger is often overcome by those who nobly dare.

For I know that, despite the huge constitutional difference between a hereditary monarchy and an elected government, in reality, the gulf is not so wide and each, in its different way, exists only with the support and consent of the people.

1992 is not a year on which I shall look back with undiluted pleasure. In the words of one of my more sympathetic correspondents, it has turned out to be an ‘annus horribilis’.

To be inspirational you don’t have to save lives or win medals.

What I say to you now, as your queen and as a grandmother, I say from my heart.

We see our own children and their families embrace the roles, traditions and values that mean so much to us, as these are passed from one generation to the next, sometimes being updated for changing times. I see it in my own family and it is a source of great happiness.

It is almost exactly 13 years since the overwhelming majority of people in Ireland and Northern Ireland voted in favour of the agreement signed on Good Friday 1998, paving the way for Northern Ireland to become the exciting and inspirational place that it is today.

I have to be seen to be believed.

It has perhaps always been the case that the waging of peace is the hardest form of leadership of all.

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

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

It reminds us of the potential in our societies that is yet to be fully unlocked, and it encourages us to find ways to allow all girls and women to play their full part.

This new power, which has proved itself to be such a terrifying weapon of destruction, is harnessed for the first time for the common good of our community.

I simply ache from smiling. Why are women expected to beam all the time? It’s unfair. If a man looks solemn, it’s automatically assumed he’s a serious person, not a miserable one.

Families, friends and communities often find a source of courage rising up from within. Indeed, sadly, it seems that it is tragedy that often draws out the most and the best from the human spirit.

Even the power of faith which frequently inspires great generosity and self-sacrifice can fall victim to tribalism.

Some cultures believe a long life brings wisdom. I’d like to think so. Perhaps, part of that wisdom is to recognize some of life’s baffling paradoxes such as the way human beings have a huge propensity for good, and yet a capacity for evil.

We may hold different points of view but it is in times of stress and difficulty that we most need to remember that we have much more in common than there is dividing us.

Sport has a wonderful way of bringing together people and nations.

You’ve all seen pictures of the earth taken from space. 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.

It has always been easy to hate and destroy. To build and to cherish is much more difficult.

I don’t like to badmouth people. But I’m the head of a monarchy that began in the ninth century, and I’m apparently more modern than Chris Christie. Look, I know he has to appeal to the crazy right-wingers in his party, but the fact is, he’s not as forward-thinking as an eighty-seven-year-old lady who wears a crown on her head. It’s pathetic.

I should like to be a horse.

Many… have kindly noted another significance attaching to today, although it is not one to which I have ever aspired.

No one who knew Diana will ever forget her. Millions of others who never met her, but felt they knew her, will remember her.

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

We lost the American colonies, because we lacked the statesmanship to know the right time and the manner of yielding what is impossible to keep.

Prince Philip is, I believe, well-known for declining compliments of any kind. But throughout he has been a constant strength and guide.

We all need to get the balance right between action and reflection. With so many distractions, it is easy to forget to pause and take stock.

When peace comes, remember it will be for us, the children of today, to make the world of tomorrow a better and happier place.

Work is the rent you pay for the room you occupy on earth.

The Bible tells how a star appeared in the sky, its light guiding the shepherds and wise men to the scene of Jesus’s birth.

I have in sincerity pledged myself to your service, as so many of you are pledged to mine. Throughout all my life and with all my heart I shall strive to be worthy of your trust.

I can never wear beige because nobody will know who I am.

Even when your life seems most monotonous, what you do is always of real value and importance to your fellow men.

Giant leaps often start with small steps.

With age does come experience and that can be a virtue if it is sensibly used.

While we may have more still to endure, better days will return: we will be with our friends again; we will be with our families again; we will meet again.

For me, heaven is likely to be a bit of a come-down.

The world is not the most pleasant place. Eventually, your parents leave you and nobody is going to go out of their way to protect you unconditionally. You need to learn to stand up for yourself and what you believe and sometimes, pardon my language, kick some a**.

It’s all to do with the training: you can do a lot if you’re properly trained.

While we have faced challenges before, this one is different. This time we join with all nations across the globe in a common endeavour, using the great advances of science and our instinctive compassion to heal. We will succeed – and that success will belong to every one of us.

It has been women who have breathed gentleness and care into the harsh progress of mankind.

Often a child’s helplessness and vulnerability bring out the best in us.

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.

Good memories are our second chance at happiness.

Grief is the price we pay for love.