Britain appointed bestselling poet and writer Carol Ann Duffy as its newest poet laureate on Friday, marking the first time a woman has been selected for the job in its more than 400-year history.

The award-winning 53-year-old writer, considered among the U.K.'s most widely read poets and whose work is taught in British schools, is also the first openly gay poet to hold the post.

Prime Minister Gordon Brown praised Duffy as "a truly brilliant modern poet who has stretched our imaginations by putting the whole range of human experiences into lines that capture the emotions perfectly."

Duffy told British media that she accepted purely because a woman had never been chosen before and that her daughter helped her make the decision.

The job, which has a 10-year term, carries an annual salary of £5,750 pounds (nearly $10,000 Cdn). The poet laureate is expected to compose works to mark special occasions, including royal weddings, funerals, birthdays or other state events.

Duffy, who has published more than 30 books of plays, children's works and poetry, said she would donate her poet laureate salary to the Poetry Society to fund a new prize.

The position, which has been filled by the likes of John Dryden, William Wordsworth, Alfred Lord Tennyson, Ted Hughes and Andrew Motion, is officially appointed by the Queen on the advice of the government. Female poets such as Elizabeth Barrett Browning and Christina Rossetti were passed over for the post.

Duffy once said that "no self-respecting poet" should be forced to write about the wedding of the Queen's youngest son. Upon her appointment, she told reporters that while she would take the job seriously, she wouldn't feel compelled to compose something for every occasion — only if something inspired her.

"If not, then I'd ignore it."

With files from The Associated Press