Queen's message to the moon on show to mark 50 years since Apollo 11

National Archive documents reveal Buckingham Palace thought messages 'a gimmick'

While the world awaited the historic launch of Apollo 11 half a century ago this week, Nasa invited many heads of state and government, including the Queen, to send messages to the moon.

Buckingham Palace may not have been immediately enthusiastic, however, apparently thinking that any such message could be "a gimmick", records at the National Archives suggest.