Q: Carol, Kendal
Can you tell me which carriage The Queen travelled in with President Sarkozy in the procession to Windsor Castle on the first day of the French State Visit to the UK?  Also, who travelled with The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall?

The carriage procession to Windsor Castle was led by The Queen who travelled in the Australian State Coach with The President of France.  The Duke of Edinburgh and Madame Nicolas Sarkozy followed in the Scottish State Coach.

The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall travelled in a Semi-State Landau with Monsieur Bernard Kouchner, the Secretary of State for Foreign and European Affairs and the Lord Vestey, who is Master of the Horse.

Q: Sylvia, Weymouth
Can you tell me about The Queen's Service Order which was recently given to The Queen's former private secretary, Lord Janvrin?

The Queen's Service Order is one of two Orders of New Zealand, the other being the Order of New Zealand.

The Queen's Service Order was instituted by Her Majesty on 13 March 1975 and comprises the Sovereign and one level of recipient - Companions.  These are chosen in two divisions: 'For Community Service' and 'For Public Service' and only 30 may be appointed each year. 

Recipients, who can place the letters QSO after their names, are awarded the honour in recognition of valuable voluntary service to the community, or 'meritorious and faithful service' to the Crown. 

There are two ex-officio officers of the Order: the Governor-General, who serves as Principal Companion, and the Clerk of the Executive Council of New Zealand, who is the Order's Registrar and Secretary. 

Three former Private Secretaries to The Queen have been appointed to the Order, in addition to Lord Janvrin: Lord Charteris of Amisfield  (1978), Lord Moore of Wolvercote (1986) and Sir William Heseltine (1990).  Lord Charteris was much involved with the setting up of the Order. 

The Order is primarily awarded to New Zealanders.  However, the Private Secretaries were awarded it in their capacity as servants of The Queen of New Zealand.

The Duke of Edinburgh and The Prince of Wales are both Extra Companions of the Order.

Q: Hans, Berlin, Germany
I note from the Court Circular that The Queen recently received the winner of the 2008 Commonwealth Writers' Prize.  Please can tell me more about the prize?

The Commonwealth Writers' Prize was established by the Commonwealth Foundation in 1987 to encourage and reward new Commonwealth fiction and ensure that works of merit reach a wider audience outside their country of origin.

The objectives of the Prize are to promote new voices, reward achievement, encourage wider readership and greater literacy, thereby increasing appreciation of different cultures and building understanding between cultures.

The Commonwealth Writers' Prize is organised and funded by the Commonwealth Foundation and is chaired by Justice Nicholas Hasluck, distinguished Australian author and leading judicial officer.

The Prize for 2008 was awarded to Lawrence Hill of Canada for his novel, "The Book of Negroes".

As well as winning the £10,000 prize, Mr. Hill had an audience with The Queen at Buckingham Palace and also met Commonwealth Secretary-General Kamalesh Sharma at the Commonwealth's Marlborough House headquarters in London.

"The Book of Negroes" was also published in the USA as "Someone Knows My Name".

Q: Allegra, Boston, United States of America
I have been told that there are a number of cartoons in the Library of Congress in Washington which originally belonged to the Royal Family.  Is this true?

This it correct.  King George III and King George IV both built up collections of caricatures which were disposed of around 1920 and are now in the Library of Congress in Washington DC. 

Q: Daniel, Southampton
Can you please tell me more about the role of Dean of Windsor.  Thank you.

The Dean of Windsor is the senior Domestic Chaplain to the Sovereign and is responsible for the day-to-day running of the College of St. George in conjunction with the Canons.  Together they form the Chapter of St. George.  The Dean is Chairman of the Governors of St. George's School, in which the 24 choristers of St. George's Chapel are among the pupils.  He is also Chairman of the Governors of St. George's House, a conference centre co-founded by The Duke of Edinburgh in 1966. 

The Dean's routine centres round the worship in St. George's Chapel, with over 20 services a week as well as special services for Garter Day in June and other national occasions. 

The Dean is Register (i.e. Registrar) of the Order of the Garter and is one of six Officers of the Order.  He has custody of and responsibility for the historic registers and is also involved in the investiture of each Knight by the Sovereign.

The first Dean of Windsor was appointed in 1348.  The early holders of the office were styled Warden; the term Dean became the regular title in the fifteenth century. 

All the Deans of Windsor have lived in the historic Deanery, which is jointed to the Chapel by the Dean's Cloister.