Queen Camilla hails Daily Mail’s ‘late great’ correspondent Dame Ann Leslie as she praises the bravery of journalists in protecting ‘true freedom of expression’ at Foreign Press Association awards

READ MORE: Lady in red! Princess Charlene wows in a ruby gown as she and Prince Albert attend glitzy gala to celebrate Monaco National Day

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

Speaking at an event to mark the 135th anniversary of the Foreign Press Association (FPA), Camilla also praised journalists, photographers and their support teams who are currently risking their lives to report from Ukraine and the Middle East ‘in these most difficult of times’.

In her speech she singled out the Mail’s legendary writer Dame Ann, who died earlier this year, and reported from frontlines across the world over her unparalleled career.

Queen Camilla said: ‘As the late great Dame Ann Leslie wrote, it is among the 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 at the FPA’s annual awards gala in London for her husband, King Charles, who is an honorary member of the organisation – the world’s oldest and biggest association of foreign journalists.

The Queen, pictured, hailed the Daily Mail’s ‘late great’ correspondent Dame Ann Leslie tonight as she praised the bravery of journalists in protecting ‘true freedom of expression’

In her speech she singled out the Mail’s legendary writer Dame Ann (pictured), who died earlier this year, and reported from frontlines across the world over her unparalleled career

Speaking in the five-star hotel’s ballroom, while sharing a stage with the host, comedian Alexander Armstrong, Camilla said: ‘It is a huge pleasure to be here with you this evening to celebrate the 135th anniversary of the Foreign Press Association and to reflect on your many achievements as the world’s oldest and biggest association of foreign journalists.’

‘But I cannot begin without also reflecting that as we gather, journalists, photographers and their support teams are even now risking their lives.

‘We think particularly of those reporting from Ukraine and the Middle East in these most difficult of times.’

In her keynote speech, the Queen raised a smile as she spoke of her ‘second-hand’ experience of journalism and journalists, saying: ‘I have even been the subject of one or two stories myself over the years… ‘

And she singled out the work of trail-blazing and brilliant women in the industry who ‘have been among the bravest reporters of all, ‘despite the many hurdles they have faced’.

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

‘Their courage was matched only by their conviction that the truth matters,’ Her Majesty said.

She added: ‘Perhaps this has never been more evident than in our digital age, where disinformation runs rife and where female journalists are increasingly targeted on social media.’

Camilla shook hands with a nominee at the annual awards ceremony of the Foreign Press Association, which is celebrating its 135th anniversary

Camilla concluded that she believes freedom of expression to be at the heart of our democratic system

Queen Camilla received honorary a membership from Foreign Press Association director Deborah Bonetti (right)

The Queen appeared to be in deep conversation with guests at the awards ceremony this evening

The royal shook hands with other attendees, smiling as she spoke with them, at the awards ceremony

Camilla posed with award nominees at the event tonight, which saw the Foreign Press Association celebrating its 135th anniversary

The Foreign Press Association in London is the oldest and largest association of foreign correspondents in the world and was founded in 1888

In the Tudor Rose Room, Her Majesty met the FPA Committee, the judges and the 33 nominees in every journalism category at the Awards

The Queen grinned as she arrived for the annual awards ceremony at Sheraton Grand Park Lane

Camilla was wearing a green velvet ME+EM dress and Van Cleef and Arples diamond earrings for the event

Queen Camilla pictured meeting a guest at the annual awards ceremony of the Foreign Press Association

In her keynote speech, after which she was also presented with Honorary Membership of the FPA, the Queen raised a smile as she spoke of her ‘second-hand’ experience of journalism and journalists

The Queen then joined the ceremony in the Ballroom, where she gave a keynote address and was presented with an Honorary Membership of the Foreign Press Association, before departing

She also expressed her thanks to journalists for raising awareness of domestic and sexual abuse against women in every part of the globe, an issue that she has campaigned on extensively.

‘You have the ability to break the corrosive silence that frequently surrounds abuse. You bring into the open the voices of victims, you break taboos, you shine a light on these heinous crimes and you guide the public on what they can do to help,’ she said.

She referred to the King’s attendance at the awards ceremony in 2008 when he was Prince of Wales, reiterating his observation that journalists held an ‘awe-inspiring responsibility’ to protect ‘true freedom of expression which she believed to be ‘at the heart of our democratic system’.

‘The FPA was, of course, founded in 1888, when foreign correspondents came to the United Kingdom to report on the Jack the Ripper murders and decided to band together to secure better access to information and sources,’ the Queen said.

‘Although we might now deplore some of the more sensational approaches to those terrible events, the fact is that the FPA grew out of the need to reveal and condemn violence against women.

‘And this remains a key part of journalism today.’

Camilla was made an honorary member of the FPA at the Sheraton Grand Park Lane hotel in Piccadilly, west London, ‘following in the footsteps’ of the King, who has also received honorary life membership.

Presenting the Queen with honorary membership, FPA director Deborah Bonetti said: ‘There are not many associations who can show off that they have two crowned kings and queens as their honorary members.’

Dame Ann, often described as the first lady of journalism, died in June at the age of 82.

Hailed as one of the greatest foreign correspondents of all time, she witnessed defining moments of world history including the fall of the Berlin Wall and the release of Nelson Mandela.

Her fearless approach to reporting also saw her flout Robert Mugabe’s ban on Western journalists to get into Zimbabwe, despite being pursued by his secret service, and don disguises to meet with dissidents in Iran.

Writing for the Daily Mail since the 1960s, she filed articles from more than 70 countries and won numerous accolades including nine British Press awards, two lifetime achievement awards and a damehood in 2007 for service to journalism.

Paying tribute to Dame Ann earlier this year, Viscount Rotheremere, chairman of the Daily Mail’s parent company DMGT, described her as a ‘brilliant journalist with the courage of a lion who ‘brought home to readers the terrible consequences of conflicts by viewing them through the prism of humanity.’

Dame Ann, often described as the first lady of journalism, died in June at the age of 82. Pictured in 2013

Hailed as one of the greatest foreign correspondents of all time, she witnessed defining moments of world history including the fall of the Berlin Wall and the release of Nelson Mandela

The annual awards took place at the Sheraton Grand, where the Queen was received by Lord Lieutenant of Greater London, Sir Ken Olisa.

Camilla, wearing a green velvet dress by Me+Em and Van Cleef & Arpels earrings from her own collection, was surrounded by journalists holding up their phones as she made her way into a reception room to greet the 33 award nominees, before meeting the FPA committee.

Nominees for TV Documentary Story of the Year Kavitha Chekuru and Laila Al-Arian, a Palestinian journalist from the US, told the Queen about their film about the death of their Al Jazeera colleague.

Titled The Killing of Shireen Abu Akleh, they told the PA news agency that their colleague was ‘killed in May 2022 by an Israeli sniper in the West Bank’.

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

The FPA in London is the oldest and largest association of foreign correspondents in the world, founded in 1888 by foreign journalists who came to London to cover the case of Jack the Ripper.

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.

It holds its annual awards gala once a year, in November. It’s the only awards ceremony of its kind that puts together domestic and international journalism.

Source: Read Full Article