LONDON, (Reuters) – Carol Ann Duffy was named  Britain’s Poet Laureate yesterday, the first woman to hold the  royal post in its 341-year history.

The 53-year-old, born in Glasgow, Scotland, said she had  thought “long and hard” about accepting the position, seen by  some as a poisoned chalice due to the public scrutiny that comes  with it.

“I look on it as a recognition of the great women poets we  have writing now,” Duffy told BBC Radio. “I’ve decided to accept  it for that reason.”

Poets Laureate are expected to compose poems to mark major  state occasions and other national events.
The post has been held by John Dryden, William Wordsworth  and Ted Hughes. It used to be for life but Duffy, like her  predecessor Andrew Motion, will hold it for 10 years.