The Duke of York has told of how the Queen is conducting a tougher schedule now than she did for her Silver Jubilee 25 years ago.

In a personal tribute on the Queen's Golden Jubilee, Prince Andrew spoke of a "fantastic mother" and a "compassionate" monarch.

He recalled special aspects of his life growing up with a mother as monarch, in an exclusive interview with the BBC's David Frost.

Here we have a monarch who is 25 years older and yet she is sustaining the same level of commitment, if not more

Prince Andrew

But he remained coy about his own personal views on the future for the institution of the British monarchy.

The Prince, speaking on the BBC's Breakfast With Frost, said there are no signs of his mother reducing her royal duties as she reaches her 50th anniversary on the throne.

"If you look at the 1977 schedule that the Queen undertook it is nowhere near as tough as this one," he said.

Commitment

"Here we have a monarch who is 25 years older and yet she is sustaining the same level of commitment, if not more and the same if not a greater amount of work than she was.

"I don't think there is any other way.

Asked about the future when the Queen does descend the throne the Duke of York said: "That's for other people to decide, not me."

The prince spoke of his mother's tremendous "compassion and understanding" for the British people.

"She has a touch that can calm everybody but at the same time she can get something back from the community," he said.

I have a tremendous respect for her as a serving officer and an undying and devoted love for her as a son

Prince Andrew

Added to this, she managed to convey an air of mysticism to the role of Queen, he added.

The Prince also spoke about growing up with a mother who was Queen of England.

He said the Queen often delighted her children with tales of her travels and visits around the world.

"But it was often the funny bits that she told us about," he said

"Times when the car broke down and things like that."

On a personal level, he said it was when he himself joined the armed forces that he began to appreciate his mother's standing.

'Tremendous respect'

"She went from just being a mother to something more, she is also the Queen and the epitome of what one is serving," he said.

"I have a tremendous respect for her as a serving officer and an undying and devoted love for her as a son," he said.

He said his daughters, Beatrice and Eugenie would be attending the pop concert at the palace for the Jubilee celebrations on Monday.

He confirmed that the Queen is expected to go on stage, although he said: "I believe she is going on to meet the performers, rather than to do anything on stage."