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

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.

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.

We have all felt those emotions in these last few days. So what I say to you now, as your queen and as a grandmother, I say from my heart.

[To a woman whose cellphone rang during a formal meeting:] You'd better answer that. It could be someone important.

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

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