Elizabeth II: "The lessons from the peace process are clear; whatever life throws at us, our individual responses will be all the stronger for working together and sharing the load."

Elizabeth II: "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."

Elizabeth II: "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."

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

Elizabeth II: "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."

Elizabeth II: "The British constitution has always been puzzling and always will be."

Elizabeth II: "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."

Elizabeth II: "It's all to do with the training: you can do a lot if you're properly trained."

Elizabeth II: "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."

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

Elizabeth II: "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."

Elizabeth II: "These wretched babies don't come until they are ready."