"The Path to the Throne"

THE PATH TO THE THRONE

Young Elizabeth didn’t grow up expecting to be queen, but fate could not have delivered us a finer monarch

Princess Elizabeth Alexandra Mary arrived at 2.40 am on 21 April 1926, at 17 Bruton Street, Mayfair – her parents’ smart London address – already third in the line to the throne. Her father and mother – Prince Albert (who would become King George VI) and Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon, the Duke and the Duchess of York – enjoyed a wonderful royal life, living at its heart, with all the associated privileges of position, land and wealth but not (yet, at least) with the inevitable prospect of monarchy. That responsibility fell on the shoulders of the Duke’s brother, Edward, who was a year older.

A royal childhood

Certain elements of royal childhood, however, were not for changing. As with previous generations, Princess Elizabeth was educated at home, firstly at 145 Piccadilly, and later in a newly created schoolroom of Buckingham Palace. There were no school pals to share the lessons with, despite the princesses having regular term times. Wednesdays were devoted to singing or music lessons. There was religious instruction from none other than the Archbishop of Canterbury, French tuition from native-speaking governesses, and history from Henry Marten, provost of Eton.

The outdoor life

Elizabeth’s love of the great outdoors began early. She became a Girl Guide – joining the specially established 1^st Buckingham Palace Company, and affording her a rare chance to mix with other girls of her own age. Her Company was made up of the daughters of palace officials and employees. She later became a Sea Range and, as a strong swimmer, won a Children’s Challenge Shield at London’s Bath Club when she was 13.

“ In 1936, when Elizabeth was 10, everything changed”

Vocabulary box

inevitable prospect  a situation that is certain to happen;

school pals   school friends;

provost of Eton  the head of certain university colleges (in Eton);

afford     provide or supply;

irrevocably    in a way that cannot be changed, reversed or recovered;

abdicate   (of a monarch) renounce one’s throne;

the heavy burden  a duty or responsibility that is hard to carry;

former spouse a wife or a husband having been previously, ex wife or ex husband;

choice of suitor a choice of a guy whom you asks out on a date;

incantation  a series of words said as a magic spell or charm;

stammer a speech with sudden involuntary pauses and a tendency to repeat the initial letters of words;

utterly absolutely

I. Read the text 1. For each question, choose the correct answer A, B, C or D.

1. What does the writer suggest about Princess Elizabeth Alexandra Mary in the    first sentence?

A. She came to London with her parents.

B. She was born on that day.

C. She was the third girl that visited that house.

D. She had already been a queen.

2. The phrase “Prince Albert … and Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon… enjoyed a wonderful royal life, living at its heart, with all the associated privileges of position, land and wealth but not (yet, at least) with the inevitable prospect of monarchy” suggests that:

A. They had no opportunity to become a King and a Queen.

B. They had to become a King or a Queen in near future.

C. They hoped to be a King and a Queen.

D. They could accidentally become a King and a Queen.

II. Match the words to their similar and opposites.

I.  inevitable  a. irreversibly  1. present

II. irrevocably b. previously   2. partially

III. former  c. mumble   3. fixable

IV. utterly  d. necessary   4. pronounce

V. stammer  e. totally   5. uncertain

III. Answer the questions.

1. What was the full name of the future Queen?

2. When and where was she born?

3. Who were her parents?

4. Who had the inevitable prospect of monarchy?

IV. Read the texts 2 and 3. Which verb forms are in the past simple and past passive?

V. Complete the second sentence so that it means the same as the first.

A. 1. Wednesdays were devoted to singing or music lessons.

     2. She …... to singing or music lessons.

B. 1. Her Company was made up of the daughters of palace officials and   employees.

     2. The daughters of palace officials and employees …… .

C. 1. Princess Elizabeth was educated at home by the Archbishop of Canterbury, French governesses and provost of Eton.

    2. The Archbishop of Canterbury, French governesses and provost of Eton ….. .

VI. Now you are going to listen to the text about the unexpected twist in the life of Elizabeth. For questions 1-5 choose the best answers a, b or c.

1. How long had her uncle Edward VIII been becoming King?

a. 325 days  b. 300 days   c. 25 days

2. What was the reason of Edward VIII for abdicating to be King?

a. divorcing  b. love another woman c. refusal in favor of another person

3. Who didn’t permit divorced people to remarry if their former spouse was still alive in that time?

a. the government and the Church of England b. the King’s family

c. the simple people

4. What predicated Elizabeth’s future?

a. Edward’s VIII way of life b. Royal entourage  c. Mrs Simpson’s past

5. When was everything changed?

a. when Elizabeth was 13  b. when Elizabeth was 10               c. when Elizabeth was born in 1926

VII. Listen to the text again and complete the sentences with the words given below: stammer, the heavy burden, utterly, predicated

1. I have found it impossible to carry ….. of responsibility.

2. And so, Mrs Simpson’s past ….. Elizabeth’s future.

3. And in her father – crushingly shy and tortured by his ….. – she saw a man ….. committed to the role of King.

VIII. Imagine that you are an interviewer. Make up the list of questions to Elizabeth II about her childhood.

IX. Write a motivation letter from Queen Elizabeth II to Ukrainian youth.