Queen Elizabeth Visits UN, Ground Zero in NYC Tour

UNITED NATIONS (July 6) -- In her first address to the U.N. General Assembly in more than half a century, England's Queen Elizabeth II urged the world body to provide leadership on global challenges like climate change, poverty and terrorism, stressing that "so much remains to be done."

At the same time, in her eight-minute address the queen acknowledged that the United Nations had taken big strides in its humanitarian and peacekeeping missions in the past six decades. She last addressed the General Assembly in 1957, when she was 31 -- four years after being crowned.

"When I was first here there were just three United Nations operations overseas ... now over 100,000 men and women are deployed in 26 missions across the world," she said. "In my lifetime, the United Nations has moved from being a high-minded aspiration to being a real force for common good.

"But we are not gathered here to reminisce," she added. "In tomorrow's world we must all work together as hard as ever if we are truly to be United Nations."

The 84-year-old monarch spoke at the U.N. as part of a five-hour tour of New York City today with her husband, Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh. Later this afternoon, the royal couple braved 100-degree heat to visit ground zero and pay tribute to victims of the 9/11 terrorist attacks.

The queen not only greeted emergency responders and families of some of the Americans victims, but -- in a poignant reminder of terrorism's global reach -- also planned to meet with families of some of the 67 British citizens who died on 9/11 and open a British Garden of Remembrance in nearby Hanover Square.

The royal couple had spent the past nine days in Canada to celebrate Canada Day and the centenary of the Canadian Navy. After arriving in New York, they were received by U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and his wife, as well as the president of the General Assembly, Ali Treki.

"In a changing and churning world, you are an anchor for our age," Ban said. "Your reign spans the decades. From the challenges of the Cold War to the threat of global warming. From the Beatles to Beckham. From television to Twitter."

In her speech to the U.N., the queen singled out climate change and terrorism as new challenges that needed to be tackled by the international community. "Careful account must be taken of the risks faced by the smaller, more vulnerable nations, many of them from the Commonwealth," she said.

Queen Elizabeth is the queen of 15 countries and is head of the Commonwealth of Nations, made up of 54 countries that were formerly part of the British Empire. It represents 2 billion people from Africa, Asia, South America, the Caribbean and the British Isles.

The monarch also noted that people looking back at the U.N.'s work today might find it "old-fashioned," just as people today might view the world of 53 years ago -- when she first addressed the General Assembly.

"When people in 53 years from now look back on us, they will doubtless view many of our practices as old-fashioned," she said. "But it is my hope that, when judged by future generations, our sincerity, our willingness to take a lead and our determination to do the right thing will stand the test of time."

The queen previously visited New York City in 1976.