Sir Andrew Motion was named Britain's poet laureate on this day in 1999. Motion is the first poet laureate to hold the post for a fixed 10-year term, and the first not to die in office since 1668.
Carol Ann Duffy was named Britain's poet laureate on this day in 2009, succeeding Sir Andrew Motion. She is the first woman, the first Scot, and the first openly bisexual person to hold the post, as well as the first since 1668 to not gain the post as the result of the demise of her predecessor.
