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CNN Live At Daybreak

Queen Elizabeth Set to Open Parliament

Aired November 13, 2002 - 06:31   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.


CATHERINE CALLAWAY, CNN ANCHOR: Let's bring in CNN's Nic Robertson, who is standing by, along with our royal analyst, Robert Jobson.
Nic, it looked like the streets were lined with people waiting to see the queen this morning.

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: The queen is always popular here, really to a degree it almost doesn't matter what's been in some of the newspapers, because many people here will remain loyal to her.

It has been interesting to read in newspapers recently that although there are people raising questions around members of Parliament and raising questions about these allegations, and there are journalists raising questions, too, about the role of the monarchy, there has been very little outright criticism, the type of criticism that might sort of build a head of steam, whereby popular opinion might be driven to thinking that changes were desperately needed in the monarchy.

But the pageantry today, as it's been described and what we are seeing going on inside the House of Lords now, is a symbolism of the monarchy in Britain, is a symbolism of the queen's role, her role as -- her role today in announcing essentially what will be the issues Parliament will be discussing, the bills that will be discussed in this coming year.

I'm joined by royal analyst, Robert Jobson, royal author...

CALLAWAY: Nic, we're hearing the knock now of the Black Rod.

ROBERTSON: Yes.

CALLAWAY: Here we go.

ROBERTSON: Robert, talk us through what happens today here.

ROBERT JOBSON, ROYAL AUTHOR: Well, basically, Black Rod will bang on the door to ask permission to go into the House of Lords, so that all of the MPs and the Commons will actually file in so that they can hear the queen address them and actually tell them what they'll be doing in business for the forthcoming year.

It's really wonderful pomp and pageantry. It's what we do best in Britain, but it is a shame, in a way, that all of this is surrounding the queen, because really in the last 50 years, she hasn't really put her foot wrong. And so, it's only been with the death of Diana and this latest scandal and the controversy about the collapse (ph) of the (UNINTELLIGIBLE) that she's actually been embroiled in such controversy.

ROBERTSON: Some of those MPs who will now be filing in as Black Rod opens the door, some of those MPs will have serious questions on their mind about what's happened in the previous weeks.

JOBSON: They'll have them on their mind, but they won't actually be saying anything at the moment until the queen is back safely behind the Buckingham Palace doors, so that she -- they can then get on with the serious business of democracy, where they can debate in the House of Commons chamber. And those questions about money, cover-up and allegations of misuse of money being spent on gifts will all be raised. And I think the royal family will have to face up to these very, very serious allegations.

ROBERTSON: Prime Minister Tony Blair, will he be concerned at this time about the allegations that we've been hearing about?

JOBSON: Tony Blair will be concerned. He's a person that supports the monarchist ideals. I mean, I think as a younger man, he didn't necessarily, but he does support the queen. They have a good personal relationship, and he would want to give her all of the backing he possibly can.

And I think he will be leaning on some of those bench MPs with his whips and various other mechanisms he has in the House of Commons to say, let's debate it, but let's not go over the top. Let's not start talking about the end of the monarchy and things like that. Let's just say, yes, there needs to be an inquiry, and let's wait and see when that inquiry's results are published.

ROBERTSON: Among the members of Parliament, are there many who are vehemently against the monarchy?

JOBSON: Well, there's a big Labor majority in the House of Commons. It's not like years ago when it was very traditional Tories (ph) running the country. There's a lot of Labor back benches there who do have republican tendencies. And I think now that they've got a firm sort of foothold in the House of Commons, they've had in their second term, the reality is they believe they can now voice some of those concerns. And they have already started questioning the amount of money that is spent on the monarchy, on the transport system, and other issues like that.

So, yes, they do want to redress it. And I think in time, they will.

ROBERTSON: Indeed, the queen's family is a large family, and there are a large number of people supported by the British public through taxation. Are we likely to see a reduction in size of the royal family?

JOBSON: I think without doubt in time with the support of Prince Charles, who is a modernist and believes in the idea himself, there will be a reduction in the numbers of members of the royal family who are termed the hangers-on, even though to be fair to them, they do an awful lot of good work. They go out on missions abroad to represent the country for the foreign office and charitable work, too.

But, yes, I think the monarchy will eventually -- the royal family itself will be reduced in size.

ROBERTSON: Of all of the issues, of all of the allegations, what is the one issue that perhaps poses the biggest problems for the monarchy?

JOBSON: The one issue is money. I mean, it always comes down to the fact that the British public are paying for the royal family, so they need to see that they are getting value for money. And with all of the scandals and controversies that are going on and allegations of cover-up, it doesn't help people feel comfortable with the fact that the money in their back pocket is being spent on all of this pomp and pageantry. They want to get value for money.

ROBERTSON: Robert, thank you very much.

JOBSON: Thank you.

ROBERTSON: The economy, it drives everything, and it drives people's feelings about the royal family and will be one of those keenest items watched in this inquiry -- Catherine.

CALLAWAY: Yes, it will, Nic. I know you'll continue to stand by for us, as the queen formally opens this new session of Parliament.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.







Aired November 13, 2002 - 06:31   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CATHERINE CALLAWAY, CNN ANCHOR: Let's bring in CNN's Nic Robertson, who is standing by, along with our royal analyst, Robert Jobson.
Nic, it looked like the streets were lined with people waiting to see the queen this morning.

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: The queen is always popular here, really to a degree it almost doesn't matter what's been in some of the newspapers, because many people here will remain loyal to her.

It has been interesting to read in newspapers recently that although there are people raising questions around members of Parliament and raising questions about these allegations, and there are journalists raising questions, too, about the role of the monarchy, there has been very little outright criticism, the type of criticism that might sort of build a head of steam, whereby popular opinion might be driven to thinking that changes were desperately needed in the monarchy.

But the pageantry today, as it's been described and what we are seeing going on inside the House of Lords now, is a symbolism of the monarchy in Britain, is a symbolism of the queen's role, her role as -- her role today in announcing essentially what will be the issues Parliament will be discussing, the bills that will be discussed in this coming year.

I'm joined by royal analyst, Robert Jobson, royal author...

CALLAWAY: Nic, we're hearing the knock now of the Black Rod.

ROBERTSON: Yes.

CALLAWAY: Here we go.

ROBERTSON: Robert, talk us through what happens today here.

ROBERT JOBSON, ROYAL AUTHOR: Well, basically, Black Rod will bang on the door to ask permission to go into the House of Lords, so that all of the MPs and the Commons will actually file in so that they can hear the queen address them and actually tell them what they'll be doing in business for the forthcoming year.

It's really wonderful pomp and pageantry. It's what we do best in Britain, but it is a shame, in a way, that all of this is surrounding the queen, because really in the last 50 years, she hasn't really put her foot wrong. And so, it's only been with the death of Diana and this latest scandal and the controversy about the collapse (ph) of the (UNINTELLIGIBLE) that she's actually been embroiled in such controversy.

ROBERTSON: Some of those MPs who will now be filing in as Black Rod opens the door, some of those MPs will have serious questions on their mind about what's happened in the previous weeks.

JOBSON: They'll have them on their mind, but they won't actually be saying anything at the moment until the queen is back safely behind the Buckingham Palace doors, so that she -- they can then get on with the serious business of democracy, where they can debate in the House of Commons chamber. And those questions about money, cover-up and allegations of misuse of money being spent on gifts will all be raised. And I think the royal family will have to face up to these very, very serious allegations.

ROBERTSON: Prime Minister Tony Blair, will he be concerned at this time about the allegations that we've been hearing about?

JOBSON: Tony Blair will be concerned. He's a person that supports the monarchist ideals. I mean, I think as a younger man, he didn't necessarily, but he does support the queen. They have a good personal relationship, and he would want to give her all of the backing he possibly can.

And I think he will be leaning on some of those bench MPs with his whips and various other mechanisms he has in the House of Commons to say, let's debate it, but let's not go over the top. Let's not start talking about the end of the monarchy and things like that. Let's just say, yes, there needs to be an inquiry, and let's wait and see when that inquiry's results are published.

ROBERTSON: Among the members of Parliament, are there many who are vehemently against the monarchy?

JOBSON: Well, there's a big Labor majority in the House of Commons. It's not like years ago when it was very traditional Tories (ph) running the country. There's a lot of Labor back benches there who do have republican tendencies. And I think now that they've got a firm sort of foothold in the House of Commons, they've had in their second term, the reality is they believe they can now voice some of those concerns. And they have already started questioning the amount of money that is spent on the monarchy, on the transport system, and other issues like that.

So, yes, they do want to redress it. And I think in time, they will.

ROBERTSON: Indeed, the queen's family is a large family, and there are a large number of people supported by the British public through taxation. Are we likely to see a reduction in size of the royal family?

JOBSON: I think without doubt in time with the support of Prince Charles, who is a modernist and believes in the idea himself, there will be a reduction in the numbers of members of the royal family who are termed the hangers-on, even though to be fair to them, they do an awful lot of good work. They go out on missions abroad to represent the country for the foreign office and charitable work, too.

But, yes, I think the monarchy will eventually -- the royal family itself will be reduced in size.

ROBERTSON: Of all of the issues, of all of the allegations, what is the one issue that perhaps poses the biggest problems for the monarchy?

JOBSON: The one issue is money. I mean, it always comes down to the fact that the British public are paying for the royal family, so they need to see that they are getting value for money. And with all of the scandals and controversies that are going on and allegations of cover-up, it doesn't help people feel comfortable with the fact that the money in their back pocket is being spent on all of this pomp and pageantry. They want to get value for money.

ROBERTSON: Robert, thank you very much.

JOBSON: Thank you.

ROBERTSON: The economy, it drives everything, and it drives people's feelings about the royal family and will be one of those keenest items watched in this inquiry -- Catherine.

CALLAWAY: Yes, it will, Nic. I know you'll continue to stand by for us, as the queen formally opens this new session of Parliament.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.