Britain last Friday awarded the role of national poet laureate to Carol Ann Duffy - the first woman to hold a post that has been filled by William Wordsworth, Lord Tennyson and Ted Hughes.

Duffy, who once said "no self-respecting poet" should have to write verses about the wedding of Queen Elizabeth II's youngest son, will be expected to produce poems for royal weddings, funerals and other state occasions.

A witty and popular writer whose work is widely taught in British schools, Duffy is also the first openly gay laureate.

High-profile job

Duffy, 53, said she had thought "long and hard" before accepting the high-profile job, which has a 10-year term. She said she'd given the final decision to her 13-year-old daughter.

"She said, 'Yes, Mummy, there's never been a woman'," Duffy said.

The laureate is officially appointed by the queen on the advice of the government. Prime Minister Gordon Brown called Duffy "a truly brilliant modern poet who has stretched our imaginations by putting the whole range of human experiences into lines that capture the emotions perfectly."

Duffy has published more than 30 books - plays and children's stories as well as poems that mix accessible modern language with traditional forms such as the sonnet. Her work often displays a sly, feminist take on history and contains a strong vein of social commentary.

Her collections include 'The World's Wife', verses that adopt the voices of female historical figures and of the wives of famous men. It includes the poem 'Mrs Darwin'.

Britain's first poet laureate was John Dryden, way back in 1668.