Britain set to toast ‘Queen Mum’

Press, 14 July 1980, Page 1

Britain set to toast ‘Queen Mum’

NZPA Staff correspondent London

Britain tomorrow begins a three-week. public birthday celebration that will rival the Queen’s Silver Jubilee of three years ago for mass adoration of the monarchy. The celebrant this time is the Queen Mother, officially known as Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother, out known to millions simply as “the Queen Mum.” The Queen Mother, favourite member of the Royal House of Windsor, turns 80 on August 4. But Britain’s most public birthday party begins tomorrow, three weeks earlier, with a special thanksgiving service at St Paul’s Cathedral. Indicative of’ the public

feeling for the Queen Mother was an incident a fortnight ago when London streets were closed early one morning for rehearsals of the procession which will take the Queen Mother and other members of the Royal Family, including the Queen, to St Paul’s. A Cockney cab driver wishing to drive down Fleet Street, the main route towards St Paul’s, was stopped by a London “bobby.” In the colourful style that cab drivers seem to adopt at moments of strain, he started to complain about “bloody parades." The policeman explained it was a rehearsal for the Queen Mother’s birthday. Y “Oh, well why didn’t you' Say? That’s all right then,” the driver said, and

promptly got out of his cab so he could watch the (empty) Royal carriage pass.

Some members of the Royal Family forever in the sights of journalists and photographers must yearn for the adoration and veneration that the Queen Mother evokes.

Britain’s national newspapers, always (except the Communist “Morning Star”) pro-monarchy, but not always acceptably respectful, have gone to special efforts to wish the Queen Mother a happy birthday, and add to profits. on the side. Most newspaper - groups have published supplements, some of them in full colour. illustrating and itemising the Queen Mother’s 80 years. From her birth in the

Victorian era, her courtship and marriage to the Duke of York, the overseas tours (she was .in New Zealand in 1927, 1958, and 1966), the shock of the abdication and the rapid and unexpected accession to the Throne — the war years, the death of her husband King George VI and the Coronation of her daughter, and then the

dowager years. The newspapers, too. have been gathering quotes from those charmed by the winning smile and courtly but homely grace of the world’s best-known grandmother. The “Daily Mail” found the entertainment impresario, Lord Delfont. He told of a Royal variety show which was in danger of falling flat when

Tommy Steel wanted the audience to clap but noone did. No-one, except the Queen Mother — the rest followed suit. “It was a marvellous indication of her understanding,” Lord Delfont said. “She saved the evening. She is the most fantastic lady.” Another newspaper quoted the Queen Mother’s grandson, the Prince of Wales. He said: “She is a wonderful example of fun. laughter, warmth, infinite security and exquisite The “Daily Mirror” said: “It has been a life full of devotion to her job and all the formal duties that being a Duchess, a Queen and a Queen Mother have entailed. Her commitment to her country and her family has been second to none. She has always de-

lighted in meeting new people, making new friends, and she has been blessed with a heart big enough to make room for them all.”

On Thursday the Queen Mother will go visiting at her daughter’s place and be joint host at a garden party for civilian organisations with which she has been associated. The next week she will attend the annual Royal Tournament at Earls Court which, specially for the occasion, will feature Army regiments that have the Queen Mother as their Colonel-in-Chief.

The day of the birthday itself will be spent with her family at her official residence of Clarence House, and that night she will attend a gala ballet evening at Covent Garden.