Scouts were honoured at a ceremony in Windsor Castle for achieving the highest award.

Three scouts from Watford were awarded the Queen’s Scout Award (QSA) at the royal residence on Sunday, April 23.

Christopher Farman, Katie Anne Monnington and Harriet Stromberg joined the 300 that were honoured as newly made Queen’s Scouts.

Harriet Stromberg said: “The main thing that I learned from completing my QSA is that acceptance is unequivocally necessary in this world.

“Acceptance is also important within friendships, and I found it to be based in trust.

"As we would sit about sharing and talking about often really quite intimate private things, we trusted that there would be an acceptance in the group, which of course there was.”

In order to obtain the QSA, the scouts must attend for 18 months, learn a new skill and provide a service to the public for a year, complete many expeditions and make a presentation about their experience.

Christopher Farman said: “The QSA has given me many life experiences and future connections that will form the foundations of my future, and I am glad to have Scouting as a core part of it.

“Even though there was a lot of responsibility with helping out and tough walks twice a day each day in the week, it was great fun and the team were fantastic and very welcoming seeming as I was an outsider.

Chief Scout Bear Grylls and the Duke of Kent were to celebrate the hard work of the young people aged 16-25 who gained the distinction.

He said: "All these young people have strived so hard to learn new skills and achieve their Queen’s Scout Awards, and I am full of admiration for their spirit, grit and determination.

“They have all served their community, lead others and undertaken expeditions in the UK and around the world.

“As Queen's Scouts they are massive inspirations to over half a million Scouts in the UK and I am so pleased that Scouting has honoured them today. They are truly amazing.”

The event has taken place at Windsor Castle on the nearest Sunday to St George’s Day since 1934.