The Queen's Gold Medal for Poetry is given for a book of verse published by someone from the United Kingdom or a Commonwealth realm.
Recommendations for the award of the medal are made by a committee of eminent men and women of letters, under the chairmanship of the British Poet Laureate.
The obverse of the medal bears the crowned effigy of The Queen. The idea of the reverse, which was designed by Edmund Dulac, is: 'Truth emerging from her well and holding in her right hand the divine flame of inspiration - Beauty is truth and Truth Beauty.'
Instituted in 1933 by King George V, the Queen's Medal for Poetry was the idea of the then Poet Laureate, John Masefield.
Past winners have included W. H. Auden (1936), John Betjeman (1960), Philip Larkin (1965), Robert Graves (1968), Stevie Smith (1969), Stephen Spender (1971), and Ted Hughes (1974).
Source: http://www.royal.gov.uk/MonarchUK/Prizesandawards/TheQueensGoldMedalforPoetry.aspx Sighted: 3/12/2013
The Gold Medal for Poetry was instituted by King George V in 1933 at the suggestion of the Poet Laureate, Dr John Masefield. Recommendations for the award of the Medal are made by a committee of eminent men and women of letters, under the chairmanship of the Poet Laureate. The announcement of the award is made on Shakespeare's birthday. The Medal is given for a book of verse published by someone from the United Kingdom or the Commonwealth. Originally the award was open only to British people, but in 1985 the scope was extended to include people from the Commonwealth.
Source: http://www.royal.gov.uk/output/Page1118.asp (Sighted 7/5/02)
