Queen Elizabeth II, two

 
 
 
 
 
 

Vocabulary

 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Video

 

 
 
 
 

Transcript

Keir Simmons, NBC News Senior International Correspondent: You have to be 80-plus to actually remember a time before there was a Queen Elizabeth II.

Daisy McAndrew, NBC News Royal Commentator: So there is a great sense of excitement and of course being Britain there’s a great sense of keeping everything crossed, that it won’t pour with rain.
 

The Platinum Jubilee

The queen is the first monarch of Great Britain who has ever reached this amazing milestone: 70 years on the throne and still going.

So what we’re celebrating is that Platinum Jubilee. There have been preparations going on for many, many years.

Keir Simmons, NBC New: Queen Elizabeth, unlike say Queen Victoria, is more modest. So she will take a somewhat downbeat approach. I think you’ll see the biggest smile on the day when she goes to the horse race; but also a huge smile for the numbers of people who are likely to come out and celebrate.

Daisy McAndrew, NBC News: Whenever Buckingham Palace organizes something on this scale, there are multiple things they’re trying to achieve. One is to show that they can pull off spectaculars.

They’re trying to show a sense of modernity, of diversity, a sense of knowing one’s place in history.
 

The Death of a King, the Birth of a Queen

Keir Simmons, NBC News: It’s 1952 the Queen’s father has just died — in that second she herself becomes Queen. She’s young. she’s in her twenties. Winston Churchill is prime minister.

It’s a completely different era.

Royal Official, in 1952: “Bless the Royal Princess Elizabeth II with long and happy years to reign overs us.”

Daisy McAndrew, NBC News: “I think she was quite written off back in those days, and I think she was determined to show a steely courage and nerve that she could get the job done.

Queen Elizabeth II, in 1947: “I declare before you all, that my whole life whether it be long or short shall be devoted to your service and to the service of our great Imperial Family to which we all belong.”

Daisy McAndrew, NBC News: “The amazing thing about that quote is that she summed up her monarchy before it had even started. Now 70 years she’s been on the throne and she has fulfilled every word of that quote, and more.”
 

Defining Her Role

Keir Simmons, NBC News: Kings and queens traditionally are there to rule, to go into battle. The modern monarchy doesn’t do any of that — there’s no necessary defined job description.

What’s amazing is that she has made that role her own. She’s seen enormous crises in this country: diplomatic crises, economic crises, cultural crises. The Queen’s cause I think has been the British people.

She enjoys meeting ordinary folks, hearing about what they have to say.

And she has another cause too a couple of them actually. One causes: horses Another cause is dogs, corgis in particular.”

The Middle Reign

She had the incredible support of her husband, who although he always walked behind her, Prince Philip at the same time was always by her side.

Queen Elizabeth is obviously close to her children; she’s also at many times had a difficult relationship with some of them.”

Daisy McAndrew, NBC News: One of the great sadnesses of the queen’s middle reign was three of her four children divorcing.

And then of course there was Diana’s death. And that really did present a moment of great jeopardy for the Queen’s Reign because the public sentiment was so big.

Diana was the ex-wife of Charles she didn’t have an official role. And so they didn’t read the mood; they read the rule book. And the rule book said that they didn’t have to really do very much.

And it took the Queen a while to realize that she was out of step with the sentiment of her people.

Queen Elizabeth Addressing the nation in 1997: We have all been trying in our different ways to cope. It is not easy to express a sense of loss.”

Keir Simmons, NBC News: “Princess Diana was more emotional . . . and when she died people turned and said, ‘Well hold on . . . we want the Royal Family to be like that to.”
 

70 Years on the Throne

Daisy McAndrew, NBC News: “I think the Queen’s legacy will be huge. School children don’t know the names of every monarch — there are just a few big ones who they know, whether it’s Henry VIII or it’s Queen Victoria. And queen Elizabeth II will be one of those.

She will be remembered for hundreds of years, not only because of the longevity of her reign, but because of the way that she kept the Royal Family together.

Nearly every leader who you analyze loses popularity the longer they’re around. Not with the Queen. This isn’t your average monarch.

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Questions

Monarch, Monarchy. Only people 80 years and older know and remember Queen Elizabeth II. True or false?

Queen and King. Has Queen Elizabeth made history? Has she “broken a record”? Was the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee prepared in one week?

Emperor and Empress. Queen Elizabeth is very flamboyant, conceited, vain, pompous, pretentious, vainglory, boastful and arrogant. Is this right or wrong?

Prince and Princess. Is the Queen very traditional and conservative, contemporary and cosmopolitan or both?

Royalty, Royal Family. Elizabeth became Queen of the United Kingdom after being selected after an interview and audition. Is this correct or incorrect?

Duke and Duchess. Has Elizabeth’s goal in life to live a life of pomp and pageantry, of grandeur and elegance, royal balls and parties? Does she only like dresses and shoes?

Lord and Lady. Has everything been perfect during Queen Elizabeth’s reign?

Count and Countess. All Britons know every king and queen in English history. Yes or no?
 
 
 
Nobility, Nobleman, Noblewoman. Does your country have monarchs (kings, queens, emperors, empresses)? Were there monarchs in the past?

Tsar and Tsarina. Are there noble families? Are there many palaces, castles and mansions where nobles or royalty lives or lived?

Baron and Baroness. When I was young, I read and heard stories about kings, queens, princes and princesses, castles and palaces. Yes or no?

Marquess and Marchioness. Do you think Britain should become a republic? Should countries get rid of monarchies?

Sultan and Sultana. What might happen in the future?

Maharajah, Raja. I wish to be a king, queen, prince or princess or other royalty or nobility.