The Queen celebrates 135 years of the Foreign Press Association

Published

Her Majesty met international journalists, judges and nominees at the annual Foreign Press Association Awards in London.

The Queen speaks at a lecturn

During the ceremony, The Queen made the keynote address and was presented with Honorary Membership of the Association. Awards included Environment Story of the Year, Young Journalist of the Year and Radio/Podcast of the Year. 

The Queen with winners and nominees

Her Majesty spoke of the extraordinary work of the Association in exposing domestic and sexual abuse of women across the world, and the risks taken by many to expose difficult truths. 

Ladies and gentlemen, yours is an awe-inspiring responsibility:  you question, debate and analyse and thus protect what is so easy for us to take for granted – true freedom of expression. 

The Foreign Press Association in London is the oldest and largest association of foreign correspondents in the world and was founded in 1888 when journalists from across Europe arrived in London to cover the story of Jack the Ripper. Finding it difficult to find their footing in a new and difficult city, they decided to join forces to gain access to sources and news, and so the FPA was founded. It now counts over 500 full members and is a member of the UK Press Card Authority, giving out over 2200 press cards a year to foreign journalists working in the capital.

The Queen at the FPA Awards

The King attended the awards as The Prince of Wales in 2008 and is also an honorary member of the FPA.

The Queen becomes and honorary member of the FPA

 

Related content

A speech by The Queen in celebration of the 30th anniversary of The Women's Prize for Fiction, Bedford Square

Careers have been launched, bestsellers have flown off the shelves into the hands and hearts of the public, and each year you distribute 3,000 books to people in need. And you...

11 June 2025
News

Royal Maundy 2025

17 April 2025
The King and Queen at the Maundy Service in Durham

A speech by Her Majesty The Queen at a Reception to mark the launch of The Queen’s Reading Room Medal

Making life better is the ultimate aim of my Reading Room. We believe that books make for a happier, healthier and more connected society.

26 March 2025

A speech by Her Majesty The Queen at a Reception to celebrate the 15th anniversary of WOW (Women of the World)

Without fail, wherever WOW gathers, I have met the most extraordinary and impressive women who have, quite simply, refused to take ‘no’ for an answer.

11 March 2025
News

The Queen visits Exeter

06 February 2025
The Queen visits Exeter
Press release 07 February 2025

The King and Queen will visit the Holy See and Italy

Read more

A speech by Her Majesty The Queen at a reception, hosted by the Anne Frank Trust, to mark Holocaust Memorial Day

Let’s unite in our commitment to take action, to speak up and to ensure that the words “Never Forget” are a guiding light that charts a path towards a better, brighter, and...

24 January 2025

A message from The King to the people of Glasgow celebrating the city’s 850th anniversary.

It goes without saying that people really do make Glasgow. As one of the most diverse cities in Scotland and beyond, it is entirely fitting that the celebrations to mark this...

13 January 2025

A speech by Her Majesty The Queen at a reception for winners of The Queen's Commonwealth Essay Competition 2024 at Buckingham Palace

Thanks to your talents, your readers are taken on amazing journeys with you across the Commonwealth, from Gambia to Grenada, from Bangladesh to Botswana, from Malta to...

21 November 2024

Her Majesty The Queen’s speech to the CHOGM Women’s Forum

Leaders from around the globe are willing to meet, as equals, and to have difficult, and constructive, conversations.

24 October 2024
Press release 11 October 2024

State Visit by the Amir of the State of Qatar

Read more
Press release 10 September 2024

The King and Queen will visit Australia and Samoa

Read more