Queen hails Daily Mail’s ‘late nice’ correspondent Dame Ann Leslie

The Queen hailed the Daily Mail’s ‘late nice’ correspondent Dame Ann Leslie tonight as she praised the bravery of journalists in defending ‘true freedom of expression’.

Speaking at an occasion to mark the one hundred and thirty fifth anniversary of the Foreign Press Association (FPA), Camilla additionally praised journalists, photographers and their assist groups who’re at present risking their lives to report from Ukraine and the Middle East ‘in these most troublesome of instances’.

In her speech she singled out the Mail’s legendary author Dame Ann, who died earlier this 12 months, and reported from frontlines the world over over her unparalleled profession.

Queen Camilla mentioned: ‘As the late nice Dame Ann Leslie wrote, it’s among the many sacred duties of journalists to “face the glacier in the cupboard and to expose its coldness and cruelty to the bright, clear and humanising light of day.” That is what she, and all of you, do. ‘ 

Camilla was standing in on the FPA’s annual awards gala in London for her husband, King Charles, who’s an honorary member of the organisation – the world’s oldest and largest affiliation of international journalists. 

In her keynote speech, after which she was additionally offered with Honorary Membership of the FPA, the Queen raised a smile as she spoke of her ‘second-hand’ expertise of journalism and journalists, saying: ‘I’ve even been the topic of 1 or two tales myself through the years… ‘ 

And she singled out the work of trail-blazing and good ladies within the trade who ‘have been among the many bravest reporters of all, ‘regardless of the numerous hurdles they’ve confronted’.

She highlighted Marie Colvin and Daphne Caruana Galizia, who each tragically paid with their lives in pursuit of their career.

‘Their braveness was matched solely by their conviction that the reality issues,’ Her Majesty mentioned.

She added: ‘Perhaps this has by no means been extra evident than in our digital age, the place disinformation runs rife and the place feminine journalists are more and more focused on social media.’ 

She additionally expressed her due to journalists for elevating consciousness of home and sexual abuse towards ladies in each a part of the globe, a problem that she has campaigned on extensively.

‘You have the power to interrupt the corrosive silence that often surrounds abuse. You carry into the open the voices of victims, you break taboos, you shine a light-weight on these heinous crimes and also you information the general public on what they’ll do to assist,’ she mentioned.

Camilla concluded: ‘I imagine freedom of expression to be on the coronary heart of our democratic system. In this, you play a significant, if not pivotal function.’ 

Dame Ann, typically described as the primary woman of journalism, died in June on the age of 82.

Hailed as one of many biggest international correspondents of all time, she witnessed defining moments of world historical past together with the autumn of the Berlin Wall and the discharge of Nelson Mandela.

Her fearless method to reporting additionally noticed her flout Robert Mugabe’s ban on Western journalists to get into Zimbabwe, regardless of being pursued by his secret service, and don disguises to satisfy with dissidents in Iran.

Writing for the Daily Mail for the reason that Nineteen Sixties, she filed articles from greater than 70 international locations and gained quite a few accolades together with 9 British Press awards, two lifetime achievement awards and a damehood in 2007 for service to journalism.

Paying tribute to Dame Ann earlier this 12 months, Viscount Rotheremere, chairman of the Daily Mail’s mother or father firm DMGT, described her as a ‘good journalist with the braveness of a lion who ‘introduced dwelling to readers the horrible penalties of conflicts by viewing them by way of the prism of humanity.’

The annual awards happened on the Sheraton Grand, the place the Queen was acquired by Lord Lieutenant of Greater London, Sir Ken Olisa.

Camilla sported a inexperienced velvet ME+EM costume and Van Cleef and Arples diamond earrings for the occasion, styling her blonde tresses right into a her signature look.

She was then welcomed to the Foreign Press Awards by Deborah Bonetti, Director of the Foreign Press Association and Dagmar Seeland, President of the Foreign Press Association.

In the Tudor Rose Room, Her Majesty met the FPA Committee, the judges and the 33 nominees in each journalism class on the Awards.

The Queen then joined the ceremony within the Ballroom, the place she gave a keynote tackle and was offered with an Honorary Membership of the Foreign Press Association, earlier than departing.

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

The Foreign Press Association in London is the oldest and largest affiliation of international correspondents on the earth and was based in 1888. It now counts over 500 full members and is a member of the UK Press Card Authority, giving out over 2200 press playing cards a 12 months to international journalists working within the capital. 

It holds its annual awards gala yearly, in November. It’s the one awards ceremony of its variety that places collectively home and worldwide journalism.