The Queen at 90: Pupils take part in Commonwealth service

Three lucky students from King Edward VI High School have taken part in a special international service in London after winning a school competition. Ellie Mills, Jonty Harte and Carenza Price were just three of many students to take part in The Queen's Commonwealth Essay Competition 2016. Their entries were judged to be the best in the school by teachers and so had the honour of representing King Edward's at the Commonwealth Day Observance at Westminster Abbey in London on 14th March in the presence of Her Majesty The Queen.
The service involved schools from across the UK and dignitaries and performers from across the Commonwealth, celebrating the unity and diversity of the association of nations. Her Majesty The Queen, His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh, Their Royal Highnesses The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry, were just some of the VIPs in attendance, along with current British Prime Minister, David Cameron, as well as former leader, Sir John Major. There were performances from Ellie Goulding and reflections and readings from the Prime Minister of Malta and the former UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan. 
All three students said they were "proud and excited" to have taken part in such a special service, coinciding with The Queen's 90th Birthday in April this year. 
Each student wrote a piece of literature for the competition on a theme of "An Inclusive Commonwealth", each of which can be read below. 
In-school competition organiser, Mr Lomas, said "All three students should be very proud of their work and for having represented their school at such an important international event. The Commonwealth shares many of the values which the school believes in, including democracy and human rights, and it was a great honour for the school to be able to play its part this year". 
The event was broadcast on BBC One and can still be viewed on BBC iPlayer.