Queen of England honours four Nigerians

Queen Elizabeth II
| credits: www.biography.com

Four Nigerians will be presented the inaugural Queen’s Young Leaders Awards, on Monday, at the United Kingdom’s Buckingham Palace.

The awards will be presented by the Queen of England, Queen Elizabeth II. The four Nigerians are: Isaiah Owolabi, Kelvin Ogholi, Nkechikwu Azinge and Oladipupo Ajiroba.

According to a statement issued by the QYL, the awards are being given to exceptional young people from across the Commonwealth. Apart from the four beneficiaries from Nigeria, Canada, India, Cameroon and South Africa have three winners each.

The award winners aged between 18 and 29 are being recognised by the UK monarch for taking the initiative to support others, raise awareness and inspire change on a variety of different issues including education, gender equality, mental health and disability equality.

“We are very much looking forward to welcoming the first Queen’s Young Leaders to London on the 22nd (of June). It will be such an honour to witness these exceptional young people receiving their awards from Her Majesty the Queen for their incredible work in their countries and across the Commonwealth,” the Executive of the Queen Elizabeth Diamond Jubilee Trust, Dr. Astrid Bonfield, said.

One of the winners, Owolabi, a co-founder of Hacey’s Health Initiative, told SUNDAY PUNCH, during a courtesy visit on Wednesday by the British High Commission represented by Theresa Adeniyi and the QYL Nigerian ambassador, Stephanie Okereke-Linus, that the QYL award placed further responsibilities on him.

“The success is collective. I am happy and also surprised by the award. I see the award as a bigger responsibility and an opportunity to further impact on the life of others. This award will provide needed boost to our efforts at the HHI to continue to engage the public and private sectors and the people on the need to pay more attention to health, women and girls issues in the society,” he said.

In addition to meeting the UK monarch, the winners before receiving their awards at the palace will meet the UK Prime Minister, David Cameron, visit the UK headquarters of Twitter and the British Broadcasting Corporation.

Punch 

PHOTOS: Queen Elizabeth Celebrates Her Birthday

Queen Elizabeth II marked her official birthday Saturday with a spectacular military parade and awards for actors, sportsmen and sportswomen, business leaders and community workers.

The queen's actual birthday is on April 21 -- when the British monarch this year turned 89. But in line with tradition, her birthday is also celebrated on a summer Saturday when the weather is likely to be better for the parade, known as Trooping the Colour.

The queen was joined by her husband, Prince Philip, and other members of the royal family for the ceremony in central London, led this year by the Welsh Guards.

Prince William, left, appears at the 1984 Trooping of Colour with his father Prince Charles. More than twenty years later a similarly dressed Prince George appears and the 2015 Trooping of Colour held by Prince William.

After the parade, the queen joined other members of the royal family on the balcony of Buckingham Palace for a flypast by the Royal Air Force.

At that point, Prince George, now a month from his second birthday, stole the show as he made his first balcony appearance in the arms of his father, Prince William, more pictures after the cut..

 

Source:CNN

Soldier hits young girl in the face while saluting the Queen

It was such a lovely moment. Six-year-old Maisie Gregory, resplendent in her finest traditional dress and clutching a posy of pretty flowers, curtseying for Queen Elizabeth II. The Queen, in turn, remarking that Maisie looked "very pretty" and saying: "God bless."

Then a soldier went and smacked Maisie in the face.

The accidental wallop took place Thursday at the Millenium Stadium in Cardiff while the Queen was in town to present the Royal Welsh regiment with their new colours.

Wales Online reporter Ruth Mosalski caught it on camera.

The BBC got it from another angle.

The Queen didn't seem too bothered, just striding away as Maisie cried "owwwah."

IMAGE: TWITTER/MASHABLE

She just walked right off as if nothing had happened.

The Queen leaves Maisie to deal with it alone.

IMAGE: STEVE PARSONS/PA WIRE/ASSOCIATED PRESS

The soldier did say sorry after the blow. Maisie's mum said she was fine, and just a bit tired.

Mashable 

Adorable kid takes off his top hat to shake Queen's hand

One was impressed or one was not impressed? We'll never know what the Queen thought about the moment when a young boy walked up to her and shook her hand, but we think it's pretty sweet.

In a video from Saturday's Epsom Derby, which was posted to Facebook, a young boy walks up to the Queen, who was in conversation with someone off camera, takes off his top hat, extends his hand to the monarch, gives her a firm handshake and walks away and flashing a broad grin to the camera.

Nothing defines respect better than a proper handshake!

Nothing defines respect better than a proper handshake! Epsom Derby with Queen Elizabeth II

The Daily Mail says the boy is believed to be part of the Dubai royal family who joined the British royal family and the horse race-loving Queen in Epsom for 236th running of the Derby.

Mashable