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Queen Elizabeth's 90th Birthday Celebration; Euro 2016 Kicks Off as Host France Clinches First Victory; Israeli Military Closes Gaza-West Bank Crossing; Romney Criticizes Trump; Bidding Farewell to Muhammad Ali. Aired 5-6a ET
Aired June 11, 2016 - 05:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[05:00:08]
GEORGE HOWELL, CNN ANCHOR: Ahead this hour Queen Elizabeth's birthday celebration. We have live coverage from events marking official observances of the Queen's 90th birthday.
Euro 2016 kicks off in grand style as host France clinches its first victory amid controversy over the selection of players for its national team.
And Donald Trump, he tries to stick to script after a week of criticism from his own leaders in the Republican Party while the Democratic contender, Hillary Clinton, receives backing from her top party's top guns.
Live from CNN World Headquarters in Atlanta welcome to our views here in the United States and around the world, I'm George Howell, "CNN NEWSROOM" starts right now.
There is a great deal of excitement in the British capital. The U.K. is officially celebrating Queen Elizabeth's 90th birthday all through this weekend even though she actually reached that milestone back in April.
Three days of festivities kicked off Friday with a special thanksgiving service at St. Paul's Cathedral in London.
In just about 45 minutes time, carriages will take the Queen and members of the royal family from Buckingham Palace down the mall for the spectacular "Trooping the Color" military parade. CNN will bring it all to you live and the very person to do so, CNN royal correspondent Max Foster is live in London at Buckingham Palace with us this hour.
Max, good to have you with us. A very, very busy couple of days ahead. Set the scene for us, what's happening there this hour?
MAX FOSTER, CNN ROYAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, this is the day of pomp and pageantry if you like. Think about the royal weddings you remember from the past and it's the one day of the year where all of that is put in full color. And it's something that Britain does particularly well. What's what people often say which is why we have huge crowds out here. Many of them tourists.
I'll just step out of shot to describe the scene for you. You might be able to hear a band marching by. We're going to have lots of that a bit later on. They're heading up to (inaudible) up the road, but all of the crowds have come out here and they're filling up the space and they've all got their phones and cameras out of course George, to try to catch the band over there which you probably can't quite make out. But you can see the bare skins hovering above them as they head up to Horse Guard's Parade.
So that will be a big military occasion, it happens every year, and it officially marks the Queen's birthday. She has more than one because she is the Queen.
A bit later on they'll come in their carriages back down the mall in the big grand procession as well. All members of the royal family, the key ones, and always the highlight of these occasions is the balcony moment. And it's bedecked and ready to go. And what everyone is talking about this year George is whether or not Prince George will be there. He wasn't there last year, but in particular, his little sister, Princess Charlotte, everyone very keen to see her. So that's why a lot of people are out here today, a chance to see all those towering figures in British history.
HOWELL: Max, always good to have two birthdays in a year. Could you help our viewers understand who may not be aware of why there are two different celebrations? One official and one more private?
FOSTER: Well, it's a bit murky really, but it goes back in you know centuries of tradition. But the reason it works for the Queen and why she's continued adopting it is her birthday is in April and when you have these big events, if you want to share them, it's nearly always raining in April here in the U.K.
So this tradition of having a second official birthday in the summer is something that she kept up so all the big crowds could come out and mark it in some way.
Another big event tomorrow which is when there's going to be a big street party and everyone is invited to come along and have a picnic here, anyone attached to her charity. So full sets of all the charities she's been involved with. Unfortunately though George it is expected to rain tomorrow so we'll have that true British styling tomorrow and that British spirit will have to come into action.
HOWELL: Max Foster live for us in London. Max thank you very much. And Max will be with us, back with us for live coverage of the royal birthday celebrations including the Topping of the Colour Military Parade. It begins in just about 40 minutes and we'll have it for you live here on CNN.
We'll be going to France now and football fans are celebrating. That nation is hosting Euro 2016 won the opening round.
France beat Romania 2-1 on Friday in the national stadium just outside Paris. 80,000 fans went through multiple security checkpoints to attend that
match. You will remember that was the site of one of the terrorist attacks back in November. Amid fears the month long football championship could be a target. The national stadium again was hit last year.
But the opening match victory was much need --much needed good news for France after it's been suffering through labored turmoil, fuel shortages and even bad weather there.
CNN's Amanda Davis, has this story for us in Paris.
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AMANDA DAVIS, CNN WORLD SPORT: The flags are flying, the horns are blaring, and the ticker tape is flying. This is a city starting to allow itself to get excited about the fact that France is hosting Euro 2016. And after the opening match France as a country with a new footballing hero.
The France coach Didier Deschamps had called for his side to set the tone for the tournament in their opening game to give the country some escape from the threats of terror and social unrest in recent times. And after a tense, nervous game against Romania, the mood on the pitch in many ways reflected that off it. A sensational performance from Dimitri Payet helped the pretournament favorites to victory. He set up their first and scored a spectacular second with just a minute left to play to get us up and running and France off to that winning start.
DAVIS: But that is just one match down. 50 still to go on the road to crowning the 2016 European champions. There is a tournament that's really tough to call. Spain are the two-time defending champions but haven't been in the best form, beaten by Georgia earlier this week. The world champion's Germany have been struggling with injuries and definitely aren't as solid at the back as they have been in the past.
And then of course there's Belgium, supremely talented. Can Mark Willmott make his squad full of riches finally prove their worth at major tournament? There is plenty to look forward to over the next month. I'm
I'm Amanda Davis in Paris, France.
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HOWELL: Amanda thank you. England and Russia are set to face off in Marseille in the coming hours.
But some of their fans faced off Friday instead. French police used tear gas to break up scuffles between English and Russian fans. They reportedly taunted each other and threw bottles at police. Authorities say several people there were arrested. Clashes also broke out on Thursday when around 100 English fans clashed with local residents.
A former reality show contestant has been shot to death in Florida.
22-year-old singer Christina Grimmie from the T.V. competition "The Voice" was signing autographs after a concert Friday night in Orlando. Police say a man with two guns walked up to her and opened fire. Grimmie's brother tackled the gunman who ended up killing himself. Police have not said anything about a possible motive or link between Grimmie and her attacker. "The Voice" just tweeted this, "There are no words. We lost a beautiful soul with an amazing voice. Our hearts go out to the friends, fans and family of the real Grimmie."
This is "CNN NEWSROOM" still ahead.
aN extraordinary story is emerging about an off duty police officer who helped capture one of the suspects in the deadly Tel Aviv shooting. Details on that straight ahead.
Plus Hillary Clinton calls out Donald Trump as she marches towards the U.S. General Election and gains another big endorsement. Stay was.
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HOWELL: Welcome back to "CNN NEWSROOM" I'm George Howell. In the Mediterranean Sea, medical teams rescued 1,300 migrants on Wednesday and Thursday who were stranded there.
Doctors Without Borders says there were more than a third women and children in that group including unaccompanied minors. Many of the migrants were suffering from dehydration or hypothermia. One of the three rescue ships is now back at sea looking for more stranded boats.
Police in Dallas, Texas say that they had to shoot a man outside the Love Field Airport after a domestic disturbance.
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HOWELL: You see the video there and can hear gunshots in the background. Police say that the suspect rushed officers with a rock. Authorities say before the shooting, the man was throwing large landscaping stones as his ex-girlfriend's car.
Police say she was afraid of him and he hit her earlier in the day. The man is expected to survive his gunshots.
The Israeli military says crossings from Gaza into the West Bank and to Israel will be closed through Sunday.
his all due to security concerns following this week's deadly shootings in Tel Aviv. The military says crossings will be open for humanitarian and medical cases only and for Palestinians wishing to worship at the Temple Mount.
Let's bring in CNN's Fred Pleitgen, live in Jerusalem following developments for us.
Fred, good to have you this hour. There have been a great deal of tensions after this attack. What's the latest that we know so far.
FRED PLEITGEN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, so far, the big question is whether or not there is going to be further actions taken by the Israelis in the wake of these attacks that happened in Tel Aviv.
And then, of course, the big question is also when all these restrictions are going to be lifted and how things are going to move forward. Right now what's happening is that the village where the two attackers came from in the West Bank is still surrounded by Israeli security forces. There have been raids that took place there. People are able to get in and out on foot, however not on cars.
And also what happened overnight is that a house in that village was demolished as well. That stems from a separate incident that happened earlier in the year where the person who lived in that house killed a woman here in Israel and now that house demolition has happened. But of course it is very significant that it happened so shortly after the attacks happened in Tel Aviv and also in the same village that the two attackers came from.
Now one of the important things that happened here is that Friday prayers at the Al Aqsa Mosque here in Jerusalem went by without any major incidents. That's one of the big moment that authorities here had been bracing for. There were massive security precautions in place. There were a lot more police officers in the street, there were also some restrictions on the people actually allowing to attend those Friday payers. But those have gone past without incident is certainly quite an milestone here for both Israelis and Palestinians. And now really what people here are waiting to see is how things are going to evolve over the next couple of days. Whether or not these tensions in the wakes of those attacks will somewhat ease or whether or not there will be an escalation George.
HOWELL: And Fred, one of the police officers has become a hero. What can you tell us about that?
PLEITGEN: An off-duty police officer you are absolutely right. This was an off-duty police officer who lived in the vicinity or who lives in the vicinity of where the attacks took place in Tel Aviv. And what happened was that they essentially had one of the attackers that they took into their house. He and his wife allowed some people into their house after the attacks, obviously people fleeing the scenes of the attacks and one of them was the attacker mixed into the group.
Now the police officer then took his gun and rushed to the actual seen of the attacks to try and help out there.
And when he said he saw the other attacker being arrested and realized that he was dressed in exactly the same way as the man whom he just allowed in his house.
So this police officer then rushed back to his apartment. He was expecting the media here he says to find a blood bath there, but then found the attacker was unarmed, that nothing had happened and that at that point, he called in the authorities and the attacker was arrested.
So certainly this police officer was off-duty very much being hailed as a hero here in Israel for helping to apprehend that attacker. And he himself obviously very happy that even though he let this man into his house, nothing further happened to his family and some of the other people that he let into his house, as well, George.
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HOWELL: Fred Pleitgen following developments live in Jerusalem for us. Fred, thank you for your reporting.
This is "CNN NEWSROOM." Donald Trump he's no stranger to attacks. But now leaders from his own party are criticizing his comments. We'll have that story ahead.
Plus Hillary Clinton snags another big endorsement as she works unite the Democratic Party behind her. Stay with us.
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HOWELL: Donald Trump says that no one should be judged by their race or religion.
In Washington the presumptive Republican Presidential nominee tried to appeal to evangelical voters. Trump said that the U.S. is divided by religion and race and that he is the least racist person and that he will bring the country together.
In the key state of Virginia, Trump tried to win over minority voters.
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DONALD TRUMP (R), PRESUMPTIVE PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE: These poor sad people. Never Trump. They're still going, never Trump, never Trump. These poor guys, never Trump. I saw it today, I saw it today.
By the way, I am the least, just so you know, I am the least racist person, the least racist person that you've ever seen. The least. I mean, give me a break, but they're saying is Donald Trump a racist? I am the least racist person that you've ever looked at. Believe me, but these poor people, you know, they're trying to never Trump, never Trump. They've been doing this like for months. They did it with Indiana. They did it with New York. We're going to win New York. I win in a massive landslide.
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HOWELL: Donald Trump on the campaign trail. In the meantime another key Republican figure is strongly condemning the Donald.
Former U.S. Presidential candidate Mitt Romney is hosting a private retreat with Republican donors and in a CNN exclusive interview, Romney says a credible Republican alternative is unlikely to Trump, but he also warns that electing Donald Trump as President would be dangerous for the United States.
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MITT ROMNEY, FORMER U.S. PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I myself will not be voting for either one of them. : I just can't bring myself to vote for Hillary Clinton and Mr. Trump I think is too great a departure from the values of our country for me to sign up as a voter for him either. So I'll be writing in somebody else's name, it will be, probably another Republican.
WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR: But isn't that sort of - I mean you're going to write in some other name that has no chance. But isn't that copping out right now of your responsibility?
ROMNEY: Well, my responsibility was to express to the American people what I believed was right about the potential nominee of our party. And I did so plainly and clearly. And the people who made the choice decided to go a different direction. That's their right, but as an individual, I simply can't put my name down as someone who voted for principals that suggest racism or xenophobia, misogyny, bigotry. Who's been vulgar time and time, and the most recent attach on Judge Curiel, a racist approach is one which I think says to me I can't be part of that. I will not sign up for that. I don't want to be associated with that in any way, shape, or form.
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HOWELL: Mitt Romney also said that Trump would change the American social fabric with quote, "trickle down racism."
Hillary Clinton is also echoing Mitt Romney's concerns about Donald Trump as she looks toward the General Election. The Democratic presumptive Presidential nominee is blasting her Republican rival. And one of Clinton's biggest new supporters is now joining in.
Michelle Kosinski explains it all.
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MICHELLE KOSINSKI, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Hillary Clinton, her feet firmly planted as the presumptive Democratic nominee [Chanting] now pushing on toward November.
HILLARY CLINTON (D), PRESUMPTIVE PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE: Do we want to put our health, our lives, our futures in Donald Trump's hands?
KOSINSKI: Starting with a speech for planned parenthood a setting to both appeal to women and blast Donald Trump.
CLINTON: When Donald Trump says a distinguished judge born in Indiana can't do his job because of his Mexican heritage or mocks a reporter with disabilities or denigrates Muslims and immigrants, it goes against everything we stand for. He does not see all Americans as Americans.
KOSINSKI: Earlier Friday morning, Senator Elizabeth Warren spotted arriving at Clinton's Washington, D.C. Home for a private conversation. Adding fuel to speculation she could be the VP pick only hours after she endorsed Clinton on television.
SEN. ELIZABETH WARREN (D), MASSACHUSSETTS: I am ready to get in this fight and work my heart out for Hillary Clinton to become the next President of the United States.
KOSINSKI: On her prospects as running mate, she would say that she is ready for the job. She would be able to draw on the independent progressive younger voters that Hillary Clinton needs on board. And she hasn't exactly been at Clinton's side from the start. She is proving more than willing and able to do battle with Trump.
WARREN: A loud, nasty, thin-skinned fraud who has never risked anything for anyone and who serves no one but himself. A thin-skinned, racist bully.
KOSINSKI: Trump's treat back just as incendiary torching warren with the nickname he gave her. "Pocahontas is at it again, goofy Elizabeth Warren, one of the least productive U.S. Senators has a nasty mouth. Hope she is VP choice."
She got in the last word though. "No seriously, delete your account."
Thursday night, Vice President Biden also called Trump's recent comments racist. So where's Bernie Sanders in this Democratic power coalition? Thursday night, still rallying his supporters in D.C. ahead of Tuesday's primary.
SEN. BERNIE SANDERS (I-VT), DEMOCTRATIC PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: And we're still standing.
KOSINSKI: Not a mention there of Hillary Clinton nor has he endorsed her yet. It will be a quiet weekend at Bernie's in Vermont a day after pledging to work with Clinton from now on.
Michelle Kosinski, CNN, the White House.
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HOWELL: Well let's talk about a stormy weekend. Over 90 million Americans are threatened with some form of severe weather today and our meteorologist Derek Van Dam is here to give us the details about this.
DEREK VAN DAM, AMS METEOROLOGIST: It's not a large area of the United States that is under the threat of severe weather. It's just that it's a highly densely populated part of the world or at least the U.S. We're talking about New York City, into Boston, parts of Chicago, and we'll get to all the details right now.
[05:25:11]
We've tried our best to actually zoom in on these regions so you can get a better handle on what to expect. Our greatest threat of severe weather comes across the high plains. This is the Dakotas and into Minnesota, that's where we have a moderate risk of severe weather, larger hail, damaging winds and isolated tornados.
But when we talk about the major population density today we're talking about Central Iowa into Northern Illinois, Chicago. And look at this, New York, Boston, Pittsburgh, Buffalo that's where we have a slight risk of severe weather today.
So, we will be keeping a close eye on that to say the least. Look out for thunderstorms popping up across that region even on Friday alone we had over 100 severe weather reports. We have more thunderstorms expected to fire especially across the New England coastline, once we get that daytime heating from the sun, all the parameters are there. The dynamics and the atmosphere including this heat dome we've been talking about for the past several days. This is set to shatter or at least flirt with shattering some long standing records that have been in place for decades.
Look at Cincinnati and Indianapolis, flirting with records from back 1933. By the way FDR was in the Oval Office at that particular time. Look at the temperatures going forward New york you're spared the brunt of the heat and do I need to remind you, June 20 is, in fact, the first day of summer.
Get a load of this, we've got celebration taking place in London of course celebrating the Queen's 90th birthday, "Trooping the Colour" this afternoon and George unfortunately it looks like it might rain on her parade, quite literally, the festivities getting under way at 1:00 p.m. and that's when I expect the rain to settle in.
HOWELL: Raining on a Queen's parade hey, that's not cool. Derek Van Dam, thank you so much.
VAN DAM: All right.
HOWELL: Talking about the Queen's parade. It is the first day of big celebrations in the British capital, a birthday bash fit for a queen. Official celebrations set to resume to mark Queen Elizabeth's 90th birthday. Live coverage from London ahead.
Live from Atlanta and across the U.S. and around the world this hour, you're watching "CNN NEWSROOM."
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HOWELL: Welcome back to our viewers here in the United States and around the world, you are watching "CNN NEWSROOM" it's good to have you with us. I'm George Howell with the headlines we're following for you this hour.
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HOWELL: Amid floods, strikes and terrorism concerns host nation France won the opening match of Euro 2016. France beat Romania 2-1 scoring the winning goal in the match's 89th minute. Three matches are set for Saturday including England vs. Russia. The tournament continues for one month.
The medical aid group, Doctors Without Borders has rescued 1,300 migrants over two days. They had been stranded in the Mediterranean Sea. Rescuers say more than a third were women and children including unaccompanied minors.
A domestic dispute led to police shooting a man outside the Love Field airport in Dallas, Texas. Airport surveillance video shows him throwing large landscaping rocks at his ex-girlfriend's car. Police say they then rushed him, forcing an officer to fire several shots. He is expected to survive.
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HOWELL: In Louisville, Kentucky the greatest has been laid to rest. People line the street to say their last good-bye to Muhammad Ali.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
[ chanting Ali ]
HOWELL: His body was driven through the town where his legendary career began. Fans there chanted his name as you hear just like the days of his time in the ring. Then thousands gathered for a memorial service. People had lined up since Tuesday to get tickets there. They joined Ali's friends and family to cap what has been a week-long celebration of his extraordinary life. Ali's widow explained how he came along at just at the right time.
LONNIE ALI, MUHAMMAD ALI'S WIDOW: You know, as I reflect on the life of my husband, it's easy to see his most obvious talents, his majesty in the ring as he danced under those lights enshrined him as a champion for the ages. Less obvious was his extraordinary sense of timing, his knack for being in the right place at the right time seemed to be ordained by a higher power. Even though surrounded by Jim Crowe, he was born into a family with two parents that nurtured and encouraged him. He was placed on the path of his dreams by a white cop. And he had teachers who understood his dreams and wanted him to succeed.
The Olympic Gold medal came, and the world started to take notice. A group of successful businessmen in Louisville called the Louisville Sponsoring Group saw his potential and helped him build a runway to launch his career. His timing was impeccable as he burst into the national stage just as television was hungry for a star to change the face of sports. You know, if Muhammad didn't like the rules, he rewrote them. His religion, his name, his believes were his to fashion. No matter what the cost.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HOWELL: Muhammad Ali, laid to rest in Louisville, Kentucky at 74 years old.
Let's go back now live to London for the official celebrations of Queen Elizabeth's 90th birthday in just about 15 minutes time. Carriages carrying the Queen and other members of the royal family will be leaving Buckingham Palace for the "Trooping the Colour Military Parade." And CNN's royal correspondent, Max Foster is live in London following all of the events for us this hour. Max, good to have you.
George we're also joined by a royal commentator, Kate Williams, who is an expert on the pomp and pageantry.
KATE WILLIAMS, CNN ROYAL COMMENTATOR: Good morning.
FOSTER: Which will be fully on display today.
WILLIAMS: Yes, I think we do pomp and pageantry pretty well in United Kingdom and we're going to see huge amounts today. 1,400 soldiers, 400 musicians, the fly past, the Queen herself is going to be in that carriage, it's going to be a huge spectacle. And already, I mean the crowds are gigantic here.
FOSTER: We've got a huge amount of fans gathering around us which is going to launch an almighty burst just to warn the viewers. There's going to be lots of noise, you probably are not going to be able to hear us.
WILLIAMS: Lots of Trumpets, lots of drums and pipes.
FOSTER: But the process is about quarter of an hour the carriages will leave Buckingham Palace so you'll have the more junior royals going first then the Queen with a huge procession of cavalry. So that's going to be a great moment to start things off.
[05:35:05]
WILLIAMS: It will be a great moment. The Queen will be in these fabulous carriages. We saw the Queen yesterday for the thanksgiving service. But this is the real celebration. The Trooping The Colour we see it ever year for her birthday but we never see it to this big an extent and it does celebrate what a huge year it is for her majesty. And she did actually ride herself on a horse until 1987 and then she moved into the carriage.
FOSTER: And she had that famous incident where someone shot a blank.
WILLIAMS: Yes, in 1981. She was shot at. A few blanks, I believe actually. And that's one of the few attempts on Her Majesty's life. But it is amazing in a time of heightened security, the Queen has absolutely refused. She said I'm going to be out there, I'm going to be in my carriage because I want to see - I want to be there with the people.
FOSTER: It's interesting there's a huge amount of security and obviously on these occasions you have - you know these are all military servicemen and women aren't they. So huge, you couldn't have more security in a way. But at the same time there's this freedom and people are allowed to wonder in and out at will and they're not being checked or anything in any particular way. But as you say, that plays very much into her vision of what monarchy should be. WILLIAMS: Yes, definitely, people aren't being checked, we aren't
being searched at all coming in and out of these areas, we could have anything possibly with us as could the members of the public. And I think essentially that does underline the fact that she doesn't want to live in a police state. And although they've asked security experts who I know who have been consulting with the palace and said this is very -- we can't possibly do this and particularly tomorrow for the huge lunch we're going to see she should be wearing bulletproof vest and all this kind of thing. She absolutely refuses. It's not as you say what she believes monarchy should be.
FOSTER: A big public lunch tomorrow which is what Kate's talking about there. The big picnic effectively all the way down the Mall recognizing all the various people involved in the charities that the Queen has established and supported over the years.
And whilst we associate her with this tradition, actually she's modernized the monarchy in many ways. And one of them has been the way she's increased that charitable monarch voluntary side of the monarchy and made it relevant to people when she doesn't actually have any actual power.
WILLIAMS: Yes, the Queen has very much modernized the monarchy. I think partly its broadcasting, the emphasis on broadcasting not only the yearly Christmas message, but also times as crisis such as after the death of Diana in 1997 and the visibility of the monarchy. But particularly as you say this key role with charity, monarchs have always participated in patronage, but not to the extent that the Queen has. 506 organizations are all patronized by the Queen and as you say they will be here tomorrow with what's called the Patrons Lunch. 10,000 people all raising money for charity, all having a private, well as private as you can be with 10,000 people lunch here just outside Buckingham Palace.
FOSTER: Let's go outside the crowd behind us because we do have a camera in there operated by Cameron. And let's just have a look around so we can possibly see what it's like down there. Because at this point in the day people do get incredibly excited don't they. And that's what the Royals do, they create these tumbleweed moments don't they where everyone builds up their anticipation and suddenly they are there in front of them.
WILLIAMS: They do and for many people this is a slice of history. That's what they're saying to me when I was coming along here. They're saying I feel like I'll never see this again. We obviously hope that Her Majesty reaches 100, but she is our oldest monarch and indeed the oldest monarch in the world and people really feel this is a great moment to celebrate both her longevity and also the great changes that have occurred in Britain since she came to the throne in 1952.
If you think it was a time which many of us didn't have a car or an inside bathroom and certainly we didn't have washing machines or fridges or overseas travel. And you think of how many changes she's seen, technology, the moon landings, and changes in her own family. So it does commemorate both her long reign and also Britain's history. FOSTER: We got some information from the military on how they prepare
for these occasions and we've got these spectacular uniforms on display. So much - literally months and months work and rehearsals, overnight rehearsals and some members of the band. What have we got here, the musicians of a household cavalry band, I'm reading this because when I get it wrong I get in trouble. They wear these priceless gold coats don't they? Made of gold.
WILLIAMS: Made of gold. They are made of gold so there - it is a busy night of polishing and cleaning and polishing shoes because it is very important to look exactly perfect.
And I think it really sums up how important the armed forces are to Her Majesty. She herself did server as a veteran - in the Second World War, the ATS, the women's service. She was a young participant of that. And so veterans are always important to her. (inaudible) ultimate head of the armed forces is crucial to her. And this moment she really sees this as a way of giving back to those people who have given their service, their lives sometimes to the country.
FOSTER: And we're going to see all three royal colonels accompanying her as well riding horses behind her. Prince of Wales, Duke of Cambridge, and Princess Anne as well.
So they're all fully involved and as you say military is such a big part of the monarchy here. The carriages will be leaving very soon so don't miss it
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[05:41:18]
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FOSTER: The first carriage is coming. So here we are, we're at Buckingham Palace and we have a carriage leaving the Palace on the day of "Trooping the Colour." This is Kate, the Queen's official birthday.
Lots of people keep asking me why she has so many of them.
WILLIAMS: She has two birthdays like Paddington Bear and I think he's the only other person in the world who has two birthdays. And the reason is it's because of the great British weather. It is - it goes back to 1748, George the II had a birthday in November and it's always been - there's always been processions for the monarchs birthday and he said it's going to be too cold so let's have one in June. So ever since then it's been the second (inaudible) in June and it's always been a tradition that the monarchy has participated in two birthdays.
FOSTER: You have the Duchess of Cornwall and the Duchess of Cambridge in the first carriage. So the next two generations.
WILLIAMS: Prince Harry as well. FOSTER: And Prince Harry in the front. So we expect - so the more
junior members of the royal party go first.
WILLIAMS: Yes. We won't expect to see of course Prince George and Princess Charlotte in the carriages, they're far too young to participate, but there it looks like there goes Eugene I think first.
FOSTER: Yes and Prince Andrew and his family.
WILLIAMS: Prince Andrew.
FOSTER: So we can expect to see Prince Charles probably -
WILLIAMS: Coming soon.
FOSTER: soon and then the Queen and Prince Phillip after that.
[05:45:02]
WILLIAMS: And Prince William we have to see as well.
FOSTER: And as we look out, over the crowds here, this really says so much about the celebrity of royalty, doesn't it?
WILLIAMS: Yes, the Queens' popularity rating has absolutely soared over the past years. 2012 it hit 90%, it really is very high. And for so many people this is a chance to see the Queen and also to see this pomp and pageantry that we do so well and to celebrate her birthday. But it is a chance as you say to touch some of the celebrity. Because certainly this woman who was born a little girl so far from the throne never intended to be Queen has become perhaps one of the most famous and most photographed women in the world.
FOSTER: And as the crowd sort of stand there they're all waiting aren't they for the Queen to come along.
WILLIAMS: Yes, she's the one.
FOSTER: That's just a taster isn't it really, you have these amazing sets of cavalry going before and after her.
WILLIAMS: Yes.
FOSTER: And of course the royal colonels as well.
WILLIAMS: The royal colonels, Princess Anne of course is one of them. And it really does summarize the importance of the military to Her Majesty. And Trooping the Colour essentially the colour each regiment has its own colour and if they embattle, if they lose the colour it goes back to losing the flag, it's very symbolic, it means they've been defeated. So the idea is it's about pride, it's about the symbols of the regiment, it's about nationhood, and it is about the Queen also inspecting her troops. And I think nothing underlines it better to us that is - we have change the law during the Queen's reign, 2013, no longer a boy didn't have precedence over a girl for ascending the throne. You wouldn't expect to see a woman being a head of the military services here. And yet she is and she has done the job so successfully.
FOSTER: Without anyone ever questioning her.
WILLIAMS: Absolutely and she proves that a woman can do the job just as well as a man.
FOSTER: So we're watching them all line up here, and these are the incredible -- this is the incredible band that wears -
WILLIAMS: Pure gold.
FOSTER: Pure gold.
WILLIAMS: Pure gold -
FOSTER: And an incredibly heavy outfit.
WILLIAMS: Let's try and see if maybe a bit of a fringe might fall apart and I can have one.
FOSTER: And this is the more formal cavalry behind. You will - effectively they trumpet her arrival.
WILLIAMS: You see the color stream guards, you see the household cavalry, those who are particularly involved in protecting Her Majesty themselves. All of the viewers who have been to Buckingham Palace and see the soldiers outside with their big (inaudible)
FOSTER: I'm always fascinated by her outfits. I know this isn't your expert area, it certainly isn't my expert area, but what we can say about it is she wears these bright colors.
WILLIAMS: That is bright.
FOSTER: That one's virtually fluorescent.
WILLIAMS: It is absolutely -
FOSTER: So she can be seen.
WILLIAMS: That's not a color I often see the Queen in. I don't often see her so bright. She always -- throughout the years her fashion has remained quite confident. As you say bright colors and a small hat so that people can see her. But that is an incredible color. I have never seen Her Majesty so bright. I think it's Angela Kelly, I think it is, but we don't quite know yet.
FOSTER: Angela Kelly's her regular designer.
WILLIAMS: Her regular dressmaker, her regular designer.
FOSTER: And people waving their flags, a great atmosphere as ever. I mean you have this debate with Republicans every year around these occasions but the polls consistently show that they are popular so that debate is on ice, isn't it as long as the Queen is around. WILLIAMS: As long as the Queen's around. We had a large drop in world
popularity during the 1990, the divorces, talk that the Queen should pay tax, the death of Princess Diana, really the world maybe were indifferent to the royalty at that point. But the ethics of the young royals, the Queen's longevity itself has really created this popularity for Her Majesty. And as long as she's on the throne, as you say, she's pretty secure, so is the monarchy. But we know that the commonwealth may be a value there viewed towards the monarch when the Queen is no longer here. Jamaica, Australia, New Zealand just talked about perhaps re-evaluating their noting of the Head of State. And we do expect there are going to be some changes and possibly a different royal popularity when we have a change of monarchy.
FOSTER: As she has always said or her team has always said it's up to those countries to decide whether or not they want to keep the monarchy, she's not going to get involved in any way.
I always find it interesting, the mix of the Canadian media crews as well. Because immensely popular always in Canada, and the suggestion that has been made to me is that they're also very popular in the U.S. but Canada has them as their monarchy and that's something that they quite like to have against their southern neighbors.
WILLIAMS: Absolutely, the Queen's popularity is very high in Canada. The Queen's birthday is a bank holiday, a day off in Canada, as it is in Australia, and they do find it amazing that we don't have a day off for the Queen's birthday here. But Canada is very loyal. With Australia I think we may possibly see a change of perception of the monarchy certainly.
FOSTER: And certainly in Jamaica when I was travelling with the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, a big movement there towards the publicanism.
Just to explain to everyone, we are looking at Britain's pageantry in full flair here on Trooping of the Colour which is the Queen's official birthday. And as Kate Williams has been describing this is very much an expression of the Queen's commitment to military in her role as the commander, the ultimate commander of the British military. And we also see that that's continued through the generations, as we have Princess Anne, Prince Charles, and Prince William who have always all been serving members as well.
WILLIAMS: Serving members as well.
FOSTER: Riding behind her.
WILLIAMS: And the Queen served in World War II and she is head of state, she is head of the Church of England, and she's head of the military and often I think we focus much more on her role as Head of State than we do on her other roles. But this is just as important to her and servicemen and the work they do for this country, for the world in giving their lives, giving their time, sacrificing so much for the country. It's a chance for her to say thank you to the military.
[05:50:15]
FOSTER: And suddenly it's all cleared isn't it? But what they're waiting for here is the return from horse guards and the balcony moment. We've got the balcony behind us. It's all ready to go isn't it with the drapes.
WILLIAMS: They got the drapes out this morning I was watching them to get it rather (inaudible) and what we are interested to see, of course is who is going to be on there. We hope Prince George and Princess Charlotte might be on there waving to us. But there's also an interesting question isn't there, because in 2012, it was quite a slimmed down balcony wave, we had the Queen, the Duke of Edinburgh, and Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall.
FOSTER: Whereas in the past it would have been the whole extended family.
WILLIAMS: The whole lot, so we didn't have Prince Andrew, we didn't have Princess Anne, we didn't have their children. The whole valance, we didn't have it. And we had a very slimmed down heir to the throne. Whether we'll see that again today I think is very intriguing because it certainly sends a message about how the Queen sees the monarchy for the future.
FOSTER: Just looking at these horses, I have spoken to them in the past about how they prepare for these occasions and horses are animals, and we're told never to involve animals in live television, but you do occasionally have these moments when they bolt don't you? And they handle it brilliantly don't they? They've got this system in place where they just carry on basically as the Queen would do.
WILLIAMS: They just carry on. Let the Queen carry on. There was one bottling I believe in the royal wedding. It went for (inaudible) there are crowds, I mean, they are military horses. They're really brilliantly well trained, picked for their calm temperament. But still as you say they're completely unpredictable and there might be something that spooks them.
We are going to see gun salutes. We are going to see the firing of guns and this does sometimes spook them but they are incredibly well- behaved. And as you say, they just carry on. There's always wonderful pictures because sometimes we also see the actually soldiers themselves, it's quite muggy here, and it's quite hot, sometimes they faint but people just carry on and pretend it's not happening as of course the Queen will just keep calm. (inaudible) told to keep calm and carry on but it sums up how the Queen has lived for the past 90 years.
FOSTER: It also sums up the purpose of monarchy doesn't it because they represent continuity. And if you ever face of problem the idea of continuity is that you carry on. So she expresses that continuity in everything that she does.
WILLIAMS: Yes, And I think it's a very difficult time for monarch is when you become a monarch because your father has died. Her father died. She was incredibly close to him. Devoted to him. He died much younger than they ever could have expected in his early 50s so that was the key time most of us get to grieve our parents. A monarch can't. She has to go straight to duty. And that is I think the first lesson of becoming a monarch that your own emotions have to be quashed to the role which is a hard - hard thing to ask.
FOSTER: So here's the arrival, just down the road at Horse Guard's Parade. This you know screams Britishness doesn't it in many ways?
WILLIAMS: It does - it does.
FOSTER: Just explain what that space is all about.
FOSTER: This parade, it is, what we're going to see is the actual procession there. And what we should see there is the Queen actually overcoming, undergoing the formal duties of surveying the troops. This is a formal duty of surveying the troops that goes right back to the 17th century here in Britain.
Once upon a time the monarch was expected to ride out with the troops so we think about Elizabeth the first saying to the (inaudible) I have the body of a weak and feeble woman but the heart and stomach of a king. A monarch was seen as actually someone who should lead troops into battle. That's no longer the case and certainly we're not a war mongering nation the way in which we were in the Tudor times.
But still the idea is that you are inspecting the troops, you are inspecting and saying yes, they're ready to go, they are good to go and I approve of them.
FOSTER: In terms of what happens after that. It's a good hour's worth of surveying troops effectively. It's a performance isn't it. A huge amount of work goes into it. Something that Prince Phillip of course always enjoys we're told. He's 95 years old and his grandson, Peter Phillips told me yesterday that he still every day goes out carriage driving.
WILLIAMS: Unbelievable.
FOSTER: The idea that he's so active at that age is quite something and he is fundamental isn't he to this whole monarchy.
WILLIAMS: He is. He turned 95 yesterday. They will celebrate their 70 year - their 70 year anniversary next year because they got married in 1947. So they've already beaten in Britain we get a telegram if we're married for 60 years and if we also live to 100 years.
They've already probably sent themselves a telegram and they have been married for 70 years. He is a key part -- the Queen has called him her rock. She said that throughout difficult times throughout the good times, throughout the bad times he's been there behind her. And I think for a man like Prince Phillip, a very -- he fought very bravely on the British side, he's a very determined man, it can sometimes be quite difficult to always walk two paces behind your wife, to be her support. It isn't always easy to be a consult and he has fulfilled the role with incredible (inaudible) and it will be very difficult for the Queen when he's no longer here. FOSTER: Behind the scenes he's very much in charge though isn't he?
He runs the estates, he organizes a lot of the private family occasions as well as we understand it.
We've got the police sort of wandering around behind us, there is a security concern here today isn't there? And they are here but they try to play it down as much as they possibly can.
[05:55: 10]
WILLIAMS: Yes there are quite a lot of plain clothed policemen around waving their flags pretending they are just tourists. And we are under heightened security alert in Britain as is a lot of the world and this sort of thing gives security experts a complete nightmare.
FOSTER: With collections of people.
WILLIAMS: Wandering people, people going everywhere and no searches. We could carry all kind of things with us. It gives security experts a heart attack. But simply the Queen will not have - will not turn this place into a fortress. She is determined that the people if they want to they should come here, after all the British people do pay for the monarchy. They should come here, they should enjoy it and they should not be intimidated by an excessive security presence.
FOSTER: And we should point out that you know all these people on horses and all the military around here are serving members of the military aren't they? They've just returned from war zones for a while. So there will be a pretty quick response to anything that did come up.
WILLIAMS: They certainly could respond. Yes.
FOSTER: In terms of what happens when they come back to the palace, you know it wouldn't extend to the whole day as it might have done in the past because this is an elderly couple and they're going to exhausted by the end of the weekend.
WILLIAMS: Well, I am not quite 90 yet and I follow the Queen around quite a lot and I can't stand around for the same amount of time that she can. It's incredible. And she - it's quite interesting because Prince Harry was asked what would you give the Queen for her birthday and Prince Harry said I would give her a day off so she can lie around doing nothing all day. Because she never - doesn't really get to lie around doing nothing. And she has this incredible health. Wonderful health, so does the Duke. But still it is quite an exhausting day for them, it's very difficult, it's quite tiring, and we are have another celebration again tomorrow. And the Queen just doesn't really get a day off. And she can't really go off sick the way that some of us can when we don't feel well because everyone expects to see her. Schools have looked forward for two years to see her. She really feels she can't let people down.
FOSTER: It's interesting because to coincide with all of this the constitution unit of The University College of London came out with this big report talking about how the royal family have made sacrifices in terms of their human rights because they don't enjoy the same rights as other people. So they don't have the same sort of freedom as other people. She doesn't even vote does she in elections because she can't be seen to take any sort of political view.
And there is a certain sacrifice involved with the role which is undeniable, despite the fact that they have these amazing chaffings that they are brought up in.
WILLIAMS: Yes, money, and of course influence, but at the same time you do have to disavow I think two things. You have to disavow freedom and you have to disavow emotion as well as your political opinion. I mean we all like to give our political opinion, but the Queen simply can't. Even with Prime Ministers, she asks questions rather than telling them.
So she has been incredibly successful at being politically neutral. Staying out of politics for the entirety of her reign. We simply don't know what she thinking about anything unless someone leaks it. And that I think has meant that she could -- the changing relationship we have with other countries such as Northern Ireland in the 70s, the troubles that we had in Northern Ireland, now in 2011 when she went to the island and talked about the things to be done differently and the mistakes that had been made. It was very important coming from her because she never intervened before.
So that's vital. But also emotionally - you simply can't show your emotions. You have to be there for the public, you can't be tired or exhausted or cross. And there have been always amusing occasions when other heads of state or dignitaries put their arms around the Queen or touch the Queen and she simply can't be outraged. There was a moment I think when John Howard Prime Minister of Australia put his arm around her --
FOSTER: Michelle Obama.
WILLIAMS: Michelle Obama.
FOSTER: Really.
WILLIAMS: The Australian press called him a lizard but she simply smiled, smiled sweetly.
FOSTER: The crowds just -- the bands rather heading into the area where this Trooping of the Colour will take place. So they're just all getting into position and it is this amazing scene of precision. Lots of people talk about the North Korean celebrations in a similar way. They can't get their head around how they actually get these things together.
WILLIAMS: There are a lot - well the thing is of course this is a - usually a busy thoroughfare full of cars absolutely packed and most of London is jammed packed full of cars as every European city is and particularly across the world, so you can't really rehearse this.
They do have small rehearsals at night and there was one two weeks ago, and they have other important rehearsals. But these rehearsals the Queen doesn't take part in. So anything could go wrong.
But because this has been happening every year, people have been planning this every year, they put so much planning into it, it usually does go in absolute perfection.
FOSTER: OK, so - we are just watching the Queen arrive in the Trooping of the Colour. A spectacular occasion. We'll have the National Anthem next and then we'll see things unfold.
We'll be back in just a moment.
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