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CNN Live At Daybreak

Souvenirs Bring People Closer to Golden Jubilee

Aired June 03, 2002 - 05:09   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: We've got to talk about the Jubilee. There was a fire at Buckingham Palace, though. But it apparently will not spoil the fun of the queen's jubilee. Fire broke out in a room above the East Gallery near the main ballroom. No word yet on what sparked the flames. The building was evacuated, but members of the royal family weren't around for all that excitement because the royals were out celebrating.

And they will be around for tonight's all star concert at the palace. It's a musical tribute to Queen Elizabeth's 50 years on the throne. And tonight the queen will ride the crazy train. Oh, yes, a concert later today will feature the red hot Ozzie Ozborne. It's part of the royal family's effort to reach out and be more accessible to their subjects.

But as CNN's Richard Quest reports, the public has its own way of getting close to royalty.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

RICHARD QUEST, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Think of an object, almost any object, and chances are this weekend in Britain you'll find one showing a picture of the queen.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They're buying plenty of flags, mugs, so many, something to do with the queen.

QUEST: Just about anything and everything that could be has been turned into a royal souvenir, a chance to cash in on the celebration.

MARGARET TYLER, COLLECTOR: This is the Jubilee Room. This is silver jubilee, but in actual fact I've started collecting for the Golden Jubilee.

QUEST: Now take collecting in royal memorabilia to an entirely new level. Marjorie and her house full of more than 7,000 royal knickknacks. What's she got? She's got the lot.

TYLER: Once I started, once you get the bug, it never ends. Not really.

QUEST: Marjorie spends a great deal of time at the shop called Hope and Glory, where the more expensive souvenirs can be found. Mugs from Queen Mary, plats from King Edward, even original Victoriana. It's all here.

TYLER: And is this Beatrice or Ujane (ph)?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No, no. That's William.

TYLER: Oh, that's William?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.

TYLER: Oh.

QUEST: And it's here you'll get an opinion on that cheap mug you've just bought up the road.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It depends on rarity, if it's a limited edition. Some mugs are only made in a quantity of 100. So really a mug like that is for life.

QUEST: The royals have always done well in the souvenir stakes. The Golden Jubilee has pushed them to the premier league.

(on camera): So it seems no one's missed a trick or two when it comes to celebrating the Golden Jubilee, from the expensive souvenirs to the cheap and nasty or, indeed, simply being involved, as this shop wanted to become. Everyone, it seems, wanted to celebrate the Golden Jubilee in some way.

Richard Quest, CNN, London.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COSTELLO: And Richard will join us live in the next hour so you can look forward to that. So get yourself another chai because we've got a lot to talk about this morning.

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