A royal bash: Britain throws a party to celebrate Elizabeth II’s 70 years as Queen

Elizabeth II is the longest-reigning monarch in the history of the United Kingdom

Today's expression: Look down on
Explore more: Lesson #478
June 20, 2022:

Queen Elizabeth II is the longest-reigning monarch in the over 1,000-year history of the United Kingdom. She has been Queen of the U.K. for 70 years, or since 1952, when she was just 25 years old. The U.K. through her an epic party to celebrate. Plus, learn “look down on.”

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Britain throws a smashing party to celebrate Elizabeth II’s 70 years as Queen

Lesson summary

Hi there, I’m Jeff and you’re listening to Plain English, where we help you upgrade your English with current events and trending topics. This is lesson number 478. JR is the producer and he has uploaded this full lesson to PlainEnglish.com/478.

On today’s lesson: Elizabeth II became Queen in February 1952, when she was just 25 years old. She is the longest-reigning monarch in the over 1,000-year history of the United Kingdom. And this year, the U.K. threw her an epic party to celebrate her seventy years as the leader of England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland.

In the second half of the lesson, I’ll show you what it means to “look down on” something. And we have a quote of the week. Let’s get going.

Epic party celebrates Queen’s 70 years as monarch

Queen Elizabeth II has been the monarch of England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland for seventy years. She is also the head of state for a handful of other countries, like Canada and Australia, and she leads the Commonwealth, a group mostly of former British colonies. Fourteen prime ministers have served her and she has met four popes and thirteen American presidents. Fully 87 percent of British citizens have lived under no other monarch.

This year’s celebration is not just a celebration of a round number, though it certainly is that. But this is also likely to be the 96-year-old Queen’s last big public celebration. Though she did make several appearances, she is limited in her mobility and has already begun to transfer some of her official duties to her son, Prince Charles.

But for one weekend, all eyes were on the spectacle—and Britain knows how to throw an ostentatious party. The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations kicked off on Thursday, June 2, with the Trooping the Colour parade, a 260-year-old tradition to celebrate the monarch’s birthday.

The Queen traditionally participates in the parade; she has even ridden a horse in the parade before. But this year, owing to her health, she instead watched from the balcony of Buckingham Palace. The balcony looks down on the Mall, a long street that connects the palace to Trafalgar Square.

This year, 1,200 soldiers, 240 horses, and 400 musicians make their way down the Mall toward Buckingham Palace, where they saluted the Queen. From high above, the Queen then inspected the troops, all of them dressed in their bright-red ceremonial uniforms and bearskin hats.

In this first appearance, at about 11 in the morning, the Queen was accompanied by her cousin, the Duke of Kent, one of the only living royals of her own generation. Hours later , the Queen appeared again to greet the cheering crowd. This time she was flanked by her extended family of “working royals,” the family members who actively work in public service.

The Queen was wearing a soft blue dress and matching hat. She used a cane as she walked out onto the balcony. The next three people in the line of succession were all with her: Her son, the 73-year old Prince Charles; the Queen’s grandson, Prince William; and his eldest son, the eight-year old Prince George.

All together, four generations lined up to greet the cheering crowds below. Young Prince George managed to grab the attention for a moment, when he covered his ears and complained about the noise as seventy air force jets roared overhead, marking the end of the parade.

Thursday was the exuberant celebration and display of patriotism, but Friday was much more solemn. The highlight was a religious service of thanksgiving at London’s famous St. Paul’s Cathedral. The service included readings, prayers, and hymns on the topic of public service. The Queen intended to participate; however, after the first day, her office revealed a statement saying she experienced “some discomfort” during Thursday’s parade and could not appear at the cathedral. She watched the service on television.

On Saturday, Buckingham Palace threw a Platinum Jubilee concert and party in her honor, where a who’s-who of celebrities came to pay tribute to her seven decades on the throne. The party featured performances from Elton John, George Ezra, Duran Duran, Alicia Keys, and Rod Stewart.

The Queen could not attend herself, but she recorded a video of herself having tea with Paddington Bear, a character from children’s literature. Among the 22,000 people in attendance were 10,000 lucky citizens who won tickets in a lottery and 5,000 front-line workers. The party was broadcast live on the BBC.

British workers were given two days off for the occasion, and people all over the U.K. found ways to celebrate. In addition to Thursday’s parade, British citizens also attended special Jubilee brunches on Sunday. Big cities and small towns throughout the U.K. and the Commonwealth lit beacons of light on Thursday to celebrate the Jubilee. Many hosted their own small parades, festivals, and parties.

Hundreds of town criers also marked the occasion. Town criers are a throwback to an age before mass media: one appointed person would verbally announce the news and gossip to the town. Today, the post is entirely ceremonial, but 200 volunteer town criers across Britain read a Jubilee proclamation aloud in their town squares.

Seen to be believed

They know how to throw a good patriotic party in Britain, that’s for sure. The Queen is 96 years old, seventy years she has been the monarch. She hasn’t appeared much in public lately. Since the start of the pandemic, she has been living in Windsor Castle, outside of London, and has limited her public appearances. She even contracted COVID-19 in February. But she herself has said, she has to be seen to be believed.

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Expression: Look down on