Speak less but make it count: how Queen Consort will follow Elizabeth’s example
THE Queen is to emulate Queen Elizabeth II by carefully choosing her public speeches, reducing her remarks at engagements to fewer key topics.
The Queen Consort regularly delivered short speeches at charity events in her role as Duchess of Cornwall, but has not made an address in the six weeks since the death of Queen Elizabeth.
The Sunday Telegraph understands both she and the King seek to emulate the late Queen in saving their words for when it matters most, as they navigate the changes in their working roles.
In recent weeks, the Queen Consort has undertaken engagements on some of her key charitable themes including literacy and domestic violence, but has not delivered speeches at any. Instead, she has been heard in conversation with members of the public and event guests, posing for photographs, and presenting trophies.
At the Booker Prize on Monday, where she presented the award, the key note speech was delivered by pop star Dua Lipa. As Duchess of Cornwall, the Queen Consort previously spoke at the event and delivered numerous speeches to authors and readers at literacy events in Britain and on overseas tours.
During a visit to the maternity unit at Chelsea & Westminster Hospital last week, where she met experts working to reduce domestic abuse, she spoke to staff and victims but did not address the room with a written speech as she has done in similar engagements before.
Angela Levin, author of Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall: From Outcast to Future Queen Consort, said the Queen “doesn’t really enjoy” giving speeches but will do so when she feels it is “incredibly important to do so”.
Levin said: “She gets very nervous. She has forced herself to do them but they were always quite short. She could very well relish the thought of doing less now. Instead, she will be with her husband but not actually speaking. I don’t think she’ll mind that one bit.”
Buckingham Palace declined to comment.
‘The Queen gets very nervous before speeches. She could very well relish the thought of doing less now’