Q: Hilary - Berkshire
I understand that The Queen honours some female members of her family with the Family Order, a brooch with her portrait. Did the Princess of Wales receive one?

Yes, Diana, Princess of Wales was presented with a Royal Family Order. The badge bears a picture of The Queen on the front, and her cypher on the reverse.

The Princess first wore her order at a banquet at Hampton Court Palace November 1982.

Q: Jenni - Islington
The Queen is referred to as Duke of Lancaster, why is the term Duchess not used for females in this instance? Can a woman never be a Duchess in her own right as the Queen is Queen in her own right?  Can a daughter of the Sovereign ever be granted the title Duchess, such as Duchess of York or Kent?

It is the custom that The Queen is toasted as 'The Queen, Duke of Lancaster'. All Sovereigns from George V have approved the use of the toast to the Sovereign as The Duke of Lancaster; The Queen has approved the continued use of the traditional toast by those who wish to use it in the north-west of England and those with Lancastrian connections elsewhere.
 
The granting of the title Duchess to a daughter of the Sovereign, as with other titles for the Sovereign's children, is a matter for the Sovereign's choice.

Q: Kate - Dubai
May I inquire who Lady Sarah Chatto is and how she is related to the Royal Family?

The Lady Sarah Frances Elizabeth Chatto (née Armstrong-Jones) is the only daughter of the late Princess Margaret and Antony Armstrong-Jones, 1st Earl of Snowdon. She is 15th in the line to the throne.

She was born in Kensington Palace in London on 1 May 1964 and married Daniel Chatto on 14 July 1994. Together the couple have two children, Samuel David Benedict Chatto and Arthur Robert Nathaniel Chatto.

Q: Rita - Australia
I get very confused by the usage of the Royal coat of arms. I would presume that it is for the Sovereign's own use, but it appears all over the place. Why is this?

The Royal Coat of Arms is used to identify the Head of State, in this case, The Queen.

The symbol is therefore used as a symbol of the state and can be found on objects connected with the administration and government of the country. You will see the coat of arms in many places, from public buildings, to government websites (such as those of 10 Downing Street and the Department of Constitutional Affairs), to coins.

The coat of arms is also used in Royal rather than governmental contexts, such as on this web site, and on the packaging of products sold by Royal warrant holders.

The prolific use of this symbol can therefore be attributed by the wide variety of governmental and Royal bodies which choose to use it.

Q: Martha - the Netherlands
I know that The Queen made a broadcast on Children's Hour when she was young. What did she say in her speech and when exactly was it?

The Queen, as Princess Elizabeth, spoke on Children's Hour in October 1940, accompanied by her sister, Princess Margaret.

Made at a time when many British children had been evacuated to the countryside or overseas where they were safe from German bombs, Princess Elizabeth spoke to them as 'friends and companions' and wishing them luck in their new homes.

The full text of the speech can be found in the Media Centre of this web site. Read Princess Elizabeth's speech in full.

> Next page