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| Queen opens Women's Institute centenary annual meeting | Queen opens Women's Institute centenary annual meeting |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| The Queen has opened the centenary annual meeting of the Women's Institute (WI) at the Royal Albert Hall in London. | The Queen has opened the centenary annual meeting of the Women's Institute (WI) at the Royal Albert Hall in London. |
| The monarch, who became a member of Sandringham WI in 1943, received its commemorative baton. | The monarch, who became a member of Sandringham WI in 1943, received its commemorative baton. |
| She also cut a celebration fruit cake. | She also cut a celebration fruit cake. |
| The baton has been travelling to some of the WI's 6,600 branches across 69 federations in England, Wales, Jersey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man. | The baton has been travelling to some of the WI's 6,600 branches across 69 federations in England, Wales, Jersey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man. |
| Declaring the meeting open, the Queen congratulated members on the "significant occasion". | Declaring the meeting open, the Queen congratulated members on the "significant occasion". |
| "Over the past 100 years the Women's Institute has continued to grow and evolve with its members to stay relevant and forward-thinking," she said. | "Over the past 100 years the Women's Institute has continued to grow and evolve with its members to stay relevant and forward-thinking," she said. |
| "In 2015 the Women's Institute continues to demonstrate it can make a real difference to the lives of women of all ages and backgrounds." | "In 2015 the Women's Institute continues to demonstrate it can make a real difference to the lives of women of all ages and backgrounds." |
| Duchess may join | Duchess may join |
| The Queen attended the event with the Princess Royal and Countess of Wessex - all three are members of their local branches or federations. | The Queen attended the event with the Princess Royal and Countess of Wessex - all three are members of their local branches or federations. |
| Janice Langley, the WI's chairwoman, revealed hopes that the Duchess of Cambridge may join her local branch, the Amner WI. She said the branch had written to the Duchess, who apparently expressed some interest in the organisation. | Janice Langley, the WI's chairwoman, revealed hopes that the Duchess of Cambridge may join her local branch, the Amner WI. She said the branch had written to the Duchess, who apparently expressed some interest in the organisation. |
| Mrs Langley added: "It would be wonderful if she carried on a long tradition of members of the royal family enjoying WI membership and everything that's on offer through the WI - and hopefully Princess Charlotte will follow in due course." | Mrs Langley added: "It would be wonderful if she carried on a long tradition of members of the royal family enjoying WI membership and everything that's on offer through the WI - and hopefully Princess Charlotte will follow in due course." |
| The Queen, who over the years has attended meetings near her Sandringham estate in Norfolk, will present the Lady Denman Cup to the winner of the WI's creative writing competition. | The Queen, who over the years has attended meetings near her Sandringham estate in Norfolk, will present the Lady Denman Cup to the winner of the WI's creative writing competition. |
| The WI's centenary baton has been designed to celebrate the friendship and community between the organisation's 212,000 members. | The WI's centenary baton has been designed to celebrate the friendship and community between the organisation's 212,000 members. |
| Footage of its journey around the UK will be shown at the Royal Albert Hall and the event is due to link live to members in Anglesey, where the first Women's Institute was formed. | Footage of its journey around the UK will be shown at the Royal Albert Hall and the event is due to link live to members in Anglesey, where the first Women's Institute was formed. |
| 'Clearly touched' | 'Clearly touched' |
| At the scene: Sangita Myska, BBC news reporter | At the scene: Sangita Myska, BBC news reporter |
| The Queen walked on stage here at the Royal Albert Hall to rousing applause and cheers from members of the WI. | The Queen walked on stage here at the Royal Albert Hall to rousing applause and cheers from members of the WI. |
| Her Majesty was clearly touched by the greeting: looking around the hall, she smiled and waved at the thousands of delegates. | Her Majesty was clearly touched by the greeting: looking around the hall, she smiled and waved at the thousands of delegates. |
| The ceremony has both formal and personal significance for the Queen, for it was in 1943 that she joined the Women's institute in Sandringham, becoming president and attending annual meetings. | The ceremony has both formal and personal significance for the Queen, for it was in 1943 that she joined the Women's institute in Sandringham, becoming president and attending annual meetings. |
| It was also in the 1940s that the WI earned its reputation for jam making - turning 12 million pounds of fruit into preserve, to help with food shortages during World War Two. The first WI was founded over two decades earlier in Anglesey. | It was also in the 1940s that the WI earned its reputation for jam making - turning 12 million pounds of fruit into preserve, to help with food shortages during World War Two. The first WI was founded over two decades earlier in Anglesey. |
| A formidable, practical force, it brought education to poor women living in rural areas. Though a non-political organisation, it backed revolutionary campaigns including voting rights for women, demands for equal pay and better information about sexual health. | A formidable, practical force, it brought education to poor women living in rural areas. Though a non-political organisation, it backed revolutionary campaigns including voting rights for women, demands for equal pay and better information about sexual health. |
| The WI currently has around 212,000 members countrywide - a membership some political parties would envy. But the organisation is not resting on its laurels and is aware that to remain relevant it will have to attract a diverse and younger membership. | The WI currently has around 212,000 members countrywide - a membership some political parties would envy. But the organisation is not resting on its laurels and is aware that to remain relevant it will have to attract a diverse and younger membership. |
| Inspired by an idea from Canada, the first WI was founded in the village of Llanfairpwllgwyngyll - famous for having Britain's longest place name - on 16 September 1915. | Inspired by an idea from Canada, the first WI was founded in the village of Llanfairpwllgwyngyll - famous for having Britain's longest place name - on 16 September 1915. |
| The WI was set up during World War One to rejuvenate rural communities and encourage women to become more involved in food production amid German naval blockades. | The WI was set up during World War One to rejuvenate rural communities and encourage women to become more involved in food production amid German naval blockades. |
| But today the WI says its aims have broadened and it is now the largest voluntary women's organisation in the UK. | But today the WI says its aims have broadened and it is now the largest voluntary women's organisation in the UK. |
| On Tuesday, the Countess of Wessex and the Duchess of Cornwall hosted a garden party at Buckingham Palace to celebrate the centenary. | On Tuesday, the Countess of Wessex and the Duchess of Cornwall hosted a garden party at Buckingham Palace to celebrate the centenary. |
| They met some of the WI's most famous members - the Calendar Girls - whose semi-nude appearance in a fundraising calendar in 1999 was immortalised in the hit movie starring Helen Mirren and Julie Walters. To date they have raised more than £3m for research into leukaemia and lymphoma. | They met some of the WI's most famous members - the Calendar Girls - whose semi-nude appearance in a fundraising calendar in 1999 was immortalised in the hit movie starring Helen Mirren and Julie Walters. To date they have raised more than £3m for research into leukaemia and lymphoma. |
| Read the terms and conditions. | Read the terms and conditions. |