Queen Elizabeth II
Elizabeth II calls the Windsor family a ‘Firm’. She thinks of it as a business rather than a family. And the main business of the royal family is … well, probably being royal. And they are paid for it. The Queen is one of the richest women in the world and yet she gets about 8 million pounds a year to be Queen. But many people agree that she does her job well and she deserves her salary.
Being Queen is a really busy job. Elizabeth II gets up early and begins the day by looking through the newspapers. Then she reads letters from the public (she gets more than 1000 each week!), and tells her staff how she would like them to be answered. The Queen has daily meetings with her Private Secretary who helps her to go through her paperwork, and lots of meetings with ambassadors, new judges, and bishops.
In the afternoon Elizabeth II often goes out on public engagements – she gets thousands of invitations each year. She opens new hospitals, bridges and factories. Once a week the Queen has a meeting with the Prime Minister and they discuss government business and important things that are happening in the country.
In the evening the Queen reads the report of the day from Parliament. She is not a politician, and in modern Britain the power belongs to the government, but she must agree to every new law. It is a formal agreement; no king or queen has refused a new law since 1701!
Queen’s Favourite Hobby
Being Queen is not a nine to five job, and Elizabeth II has to work from early in the morning until late at night. And people watch her all the time. Of course, she has some free time, and some private life, but less than most people. In her spare time Elizabeth II enjoys fishing and walking in the countryside. Horse racing is a great priority with the Queen. And she is really good at it! She also enjoys photography and likes taking photos on her travels.
According to a survey conducted during the Queen’s Golden Jubilee, six out of ten people in Britain thought the monarchy was not out of date. But young people were less sure. Those aged twenty-four were split evenly. One half liked the Royals, the other thought they were not important anymore and said they were not happy with the cost of keeping the Royal Family.
Many people think that the Royals are useless and monarchy is outdated. But… the British people seem to like them that way. They like to read about the royal family, royal scandals and shocking secrets. They like to watch royal ceremonies, they are proud of the tradition of monarchy. Britain has had kings and queens for a thousand of years – probably they will have them for another thousand.
3. Reading. Read the text again and mark these statements True (T), False (F), or Doesn’t Say (DS).
1. Many people are of the opinion that the Queen gets the money she really deserves.
2. Elizabeth II answers 1000 letters every week.
3. The Queen has four children – two sons and two daughters.
4. The Queen is fond of horse racing, fishing and walking.
5. The Queen has all the power in her hands.
6. Elizabeth II has weekly meetings with her Prime Minister.
7. The Prime Minister helps the Queen to do her paper work.
8. The Queen cannot turn down a bill.
9. Reading the newspapers is one of the Queen’s daily routines.
10. Those people who think the Queen and the Royals are useless offer to abolish the monarchy.
Robert Burns: a Poet of Love
1. Reading. Read the biography of Robert Burns, Scotland’s national poet, and insert the paragraphs into the right order.