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American Morning

Queen Elizabeth Marking 50th Anniversary of Ascension to British Throne

Aired February 06, 2002 - 07:50   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.
ANDERSON COOPER, CNN ANCHOR: All right, from foggy American we go to foggy England now. Queen Elizabeth today is marking the 50th anniversary of her ascension to the British throne. We will go live to Buckingham Palace in just a minute for more on the yearlong commemoration of the Queen's Golden Jubilee. But first a look back at the monarch's 50 years from my favorite CNN correspondent Richard Quest.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

RICHARD QUEST, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It was 1952 and Elizabeth who had gone abroad as Princess came home as Queen. Her father's death placed her on the throne. She was just 25 and the new (UNINTELLIGIBLE) era was born. It was a different world Winston Churchill was the prime minister and Britain still had the remains of an empire.

It was a time of difference when shops closed to mark the Royal death, when men wore black armbands to mourn. A year later, the crown is finally placed, and the Queen pledges her life to one of duty as monarch. Newsreels sent around the world ensured this was the most watched event of the year -- yet scandal and dispute never far away.

A nasty row (ph) over Princess Margaret and whom she could marry rocked those early years. But in those times, these issues were dealt with as matters of constitutional crisis, not tickle-tackle (ph) for the masses. For the next four decades as royals came and went, there were always questions about what the family was up to.

Nothing, though, can eclipse the turmoil of the 1990s. Fire, divorce, and death, all dealt with in great detail in a way never seen before. The Queen couldn't escape. The difference from those early years gone was the (UNINTELLIGIBLE), the constitutional debate. Now the royals had become just a good story to tell.

The Queen has always believed that this is a job for life. And so far there's no evidence she's going to give it up any time soon and make way for Prince Charles. Whatever the British public feel about the monarchy, when it comes to Elizabeth herself, both friend and foe tend to agree that she's performed superbly over half a century and barely put a foot (ph) wrong. And that's something her heirs will find very difficult to follow.

Richard Quest, CNN, Buckingham Palace.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COOPER: Queen Elizabeth marked the special occasion today by visiting a cancer hospital, a poignant reminder of how she inherited the throne 50 years ago when her father died of lung cancer. CNN's Diana Muriel is outside of Buckingham Palace with more on the Queen's day. Thanks for joining us Diana. I want to ask you, doesn't the Queen usually spend today with her mother since it is the anniversary of her father's death?

DIANA MURIEL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That's right Anderson, she does. She normally spends the day very quietly at (UNINTELLIGIBLE) her private estate in Norfolk with the Queen mother and all the members of the Royal family. Today is private mourning as it marks the death of her father 50 years ago today.

But today is a slightly different day. It's the mark - marks the start of the Golden Jubilee, and here in London, we've had a music celebration. We had the King own (ph) troops, (UNINTELLIGIBLE) artillery with a 41-gun salute at High Park (ph) earlier today. And in about 20 minutes time, we will have a 62-gun salute from the household (ph) artillery at the Tower of London.

These gun salute, a mark of respect to Her Majesty on the 50th anniversary of her ascension to the throne. But as you were saying, it is normally a day of quiet reflection for Her Majesty. Today she breaks the tradition, and she will be going to that hospital to open the cancer units. The reason that Her Majesty is doing that is because her father died of complications arising from lung cancer.

He had a blood clot, in fact, and died in his sleep while the Queen herself was away on official business. She was visiting Kenya with her husband at the time and was told the news by her husband. It took her about 24 hours to return to the U.K. for a very short (UNINTELLIGIBLE).

COOPER: Diana, I want to ask you a question. The Queen has a lot on her schedule this year. It's going to be a very busy year for her, I understand. She's taking a three-month trip via train across all of England, traveling overseas a bit. But I also understand she's making plans to visit Princess Diana's grave. Is that just part of the plans for the Jubilee or is it part of a PR effort to soften her image?

MURIEL: Well it's certainly part of the Queen's schedule for this year. Buckingham Palace isn't making a distinction between whether it's a private visit or whether it's going to be part of the Jubilee celebrations. But it is certainly the first time that the Queen has visited the gravesite of Princess Diana, and it is a mark of respect. The Queen and the Royal family were put under the spotlight by the death of Princess Diana.

There were some criticism of the Queen at the time that she was perhaps behaving in a rather cold and half hearted way, the news of the Princess' death. At the time the Queen decided that she would fly the flag a half-mast at Buckingham Palace and came out and visited the people who were laying flowers on behalf of Princess Diana. So she has changed her behavior and indeed this year she will be marking - paying her respects to Diana by visiting her grave.

COOPER: All right, Diana Muriel live outside Buckingham Palace. Thanks very much. If you get invited inside Buckingham Palace today, tell the Queen I said hello - Jack.

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