A speech by The Queen at Mansion House for Her Majesty's 80th Birthday
Published
As Groucho Marx once said "Anyone can get old - all you have to do is to live long enough". And there are in my view many other anniversaries this year which are more deserving of celebration.
My Lord Mayor,
I am most grateful to you for inviting Prince Philip and me to this lunch today to mark both my eightieth birthday and the eighty-fifth birthday of Prince Philip last weekend.
The Corporation's generous hospitality is well-known, and I have no doubt that this is now even more the case thanks to the "Great British Menu" which I look forward to sampling shortly.
Creating a good menu is a familiar dilemma for any host, but the solution of competitive cooking is a new concept to me - although I understand there are as yet no penalty shoot-outs.
My Lord Mayor, as one gets older, birthdays seem to come round quicker; they are therefore less obviously excuses for wider celebration than personal moments to count one's blessings.
As Groucho Marx once said "Anyone can get old - all you have to do is to live long enough". And there are in my view many other anniversaries this year which are more deserving of celebration.
I hope you will permit me to single out two for mention: the Fiftieth Anniversary of The Duke of Edinburgh's Award and the Thirtieth Anniversary of The Prince's Trust.
Both organisations in their different ways have changed - and continue to change - countless people's lives for the better. This success has been the result of the imagination, energy and endless hard work of many dedicated people combined with the leadership and drive of The Duke of Edinburgh and The Prince of Wales.
I am very happy to take this opportunity to draw attention to their achievement and to thank them both for all the support they give me each and every day.
And as I count my blessings on my birthday I am aware of the value of the advice and encouragement that I am lucky enough to receive from every quarter - from my family, from my friends, from all of you.
My Lord Mayor, I cannot do better than to use this wonderful occasion to express my heartfelt appreciation to the many, many thousands of people from this country and from overseas who have sent me letters, cards and messages of goodwill over the last couple of months.
This has been truly overwhelming and I would like to thank you all for your kindness.
I would now ask you to rise and drink a toast to:
"The Lord Mayor and the City of London Corporation."
Related content
A speech by The Queen at the International Olympic Committee Reception, 2012
The success of the modern Olympiads owes much to the significant role that you, the Members of the IOC, play in promoting the Olympic spirit across the world.
A speech by The Queen in Burnley, Lancashire, 2012
I look forward to seeing much of the hospitality and the dynamism for which this part of England is rightly renowned.
Announcement of Diamond Jubilee events taking place on 5 June 2012
Announcement of plans for the central Diamond Jubilee weekend in 2012
Outfits for The Queen, The Duchess of Cornwall and The Prince of Wales
Her Majesty The Queen gives formal consent to the marriage of Prince William and Catherine Middleton
A speech by The Queen at the opening of CHOGM, 2009
Our shared pledge to “the pursuit of peace, liberty and progress” that my father helped to enshrine in the London Declaration in 1949 means as much today as it did then.
Christmas Broadcast 2008
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.
A speech by The Queen at The Prince's Trust Headquarters
As The Prince of Wales, our son, approaches his own sixtieth birthday, may I say that we are both enormously proud to have been reminded here today of his personal...
A speech by The Queen at the '1914-1918 Vigil' at Canada House
Among the millions who lost their lives in the Great War were many Canadians who came to Europe to fight for peace.
A speech by The Queen at the Royal Naval College, Dartmouth
My grandfather, father, husband and two sons have all undergone training here, and I have had many visits over the years.
Christmas Broadcast 2007
The Christmas story also draws attention to all those people who are on the edge of society
A speech by The Queen at CHOGM, Uganda, 2007
Recognising that each one of us is made up of layer upon layer of identity and that each of our unique personalities has ties to culture, religion, community, country and...
Diamond Wedding Anniversary: Service of Celebration at Westminster Abbey
A speech by The Queen at Imperial College
By discharging this academic mission, you play a vital role in supporting this country's position on the world stage.
A speech by The Queen at the 90th anniversary of the Battle of Vimy Ridge
The Canadian Corps transformed Vimy Ridge from a symbol of despair into a source of inspiration.
Christmas Broadcast 2006
The birth of a baby brings great happiness - but then the business of growing up begins.
A speech by The Queen at the Children's Literature Garden Party
We have been reminded that this magic of our childhoods - the characters, the stories, the imagination of it all - is an enduring and essential part of our culture.
A speech by The Queen at the opening of the new Ascot racecourse
May I wish all of you here today and watching at home a most enjoyable day's racing.
A speech by The Queen at the Royal Hospital Chelsea's Founder's Day Parade, 2006
You are a shining illustration of the history of the British Army and of this great institution.
State Banquet in Singapore, 17 March 2006
The links between Britain and Singapore are as strong as ever, and our future relationship is bright indeed.
Australian Prime Minister's Commonwealth Games luncheon, 15 March 2006
Australia has an enviable record at the Commonwealth Games.
A speech by The Queen at the XVIII Commonwealth Games, Australia, 2006
Tonight we celebrate the value of sport as a means of bringing together people from seventy-one nations and territories.
State Visit, President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva of Brazil, 7 March 2006
I have vivid and happy memories of my visit to Brazil with Prince Philip in 1968, especially the warmth and hospitality of the Brazilian people.
Christmas Broadcast 2005
These natural and human tragedies provided the headline news; they also provoked a quite remarkable humanitarian response.