Queen Elizabeth II's speech at King Charles and Queen Camilla's wedding reception in 2005 was described as unusually sentimental for the late monarch, and included a joke comparing the newlywed couple's relationship to a Grand National horse race. The Queen said:
> They have overcome Becher's Brook and the Chair and all kinds of other terrible obstacles. They have come through and I'm very proud and wish them well. My son is home and dry with the woman he loves.
The toast was well-received by the guests, many of whom had never heard the Queen speak in person before. Jilly Cooper, a friend of Charles and Camilla, later told the Telegraph, Everyone was in stitches at the Queen's speech. It was such a lovely affectionate tribute.
Characteristics | Values |
---|---|
Date of Charles and Camilla's wedding | 9 April 2005 |
Location of Charles and Camilla's wedding | Windsor Guildhall |
Queen's attendance at the wedding | Absent |
Reason for Queen's absence | As Head of the Church of England, she felt attending the marriage of two divorced people was against those values |
Queen's speech | "They have overcome Becher's Brook and the Chair and all kinds of other terrible obstacles. They have come through and I'm very proud and wish them well. My son is home and dry with the woman he loves." |
Guests' reaction to the Queen's speech | "Everyone was in stitches at the Queen's speech. It was such a lovely affectionate tribute." |
What You'll Learn
- Queen Elizabeth's speech at Charles and Camilla's wedding was funny and affectionate
- The Queen's speech referenced the Grand National horse race
- The Queen's speech made Camilla feel accepted
- The Queen did not attend the civil ceremony
- The Queen and Prince Philip hosted a reception for the newlyweds at Windsor Castle
Queen Elizabeth's speech at Charles and Camilla's wedding was funny and affectionate
Queen Elizabeth's speech at her son Charles's wedding to Camilla was both funny and affectionate. The Queen, who did not attend the civil ceremony, instead hosted a reception for the newlyweds at Windsor Castle, where she gave a toast to the happy couple.
Addressing a party of 800 people, the Queen began her speech with a nod to her lifelong passion for horses, comparing the couple's relationship to the challenging Aintree Racecourse at the annual Grand National steeplechase. She said:
> "They have overcome Becher's Brook and the Chair and all kinds of other terrible obstacles. They have come through and I'm very proud and wish them well. My son is home and dry with the woman he loves."
The speech was well-received by the guests, many of whom had never heard the Queen speak in person before. Jilly Cooper, a friend of Charles and Camilla, told the Telegraph, "Everyone was in stitches at the Queen's speech. It was such a lovely affectionate tribute."
Royal correspondent Katie Nicholl described the speech as "unusually sentimental" for the monarch, capturing the "visceral sense of relief" the couple felt in their fifties, finally being able to make their enduring love official.
The Queen's kind words helped Camilla feel accepted into the royal family, soothing any fears she may have had about not being welcomed due to the popularity of Charles's ex-wife, Princess Diana.
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The Queen's speech referenced the Grand National horse race
The Queen's speech at her son's wedding to Camilla in 2005 referenced the Grand National horse race. In her address to the 800-person party, she compared the newlyweds' relationship to the challenging Aintree Racecourse at the annual Grand National steeplechase. She said:
> "They have overcome Becher's Brook and the Chair and all kinds of other terrible obstacles. They have come through and I'm very proud and wish them well. My son is home and dry with the woman he loves."
The speech was well-received by the guests, many of whom had never heard the Queen speak in person before. Jilly Cooper, a friend of Charles and Camilla, said: "Everyone was in stitches at the Queen's speech. It was such a lovely affectionate tribute."
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The Queen's speech made Camilla feel accepted
The Queen's speech at her son Charles's wedding to Camilla certainly had a significant impact on the nervous bride, who was battling illness and anxiety ahead of the big day.
Camilla had been suffering from sinusitis in the week leading up to the wedding, and on the day itself, she struggled to get out of bed. It took the threat of her sister Annabel wearing her wedding dress to finally get her up and ready for the ceremony.
However, the Queen's kind words after the ceremony soon soothed any fears Camilla had of not being welcomed into the family. In her speech, the Queen said:
> "They have overcome Becher's Brook and The Chair [referencing the Grand National fences at Aintree Racecourse] and all kinds of other terrible obstacles. They have come through and I'm very proud and wish them well. My son is home and dry with the woman he loves."
This speech was described as ""unusually sentimental" for the monarch, capturing "the visceral sense of relief the couple had, in their fifties, being able to make their enduring love official."
The toast was warmly received by the guests, many of whom had never heard the Queen speak in person before. Jilly Cooper, a friend of Charles and Camilla, said, "Everyone was in stitches at the Queen's speech. It was such a lovely affectionate tribute."
The Queen's speech, along with the blessing ceremony at St George's Chapel, was seen as a clear sign that the monarch and her husband, Prince Philip, approved of the union. This was particularly significant given the public split in opinion over the marriage, with some congratulating the couple and others venting their anger over what they saw as a betrayal of Princess Diana.
The Queen's speech not only made Camilla feel accepted but also helped to rehabilitate her image in the eyes of the public, marking a "very significant step" on the path to her eventual acceptance as Queen Consort.
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The Queen did not attend the civil ceremony
The Queen's devotion to her faith and her role as the Church's leader meant she chose not to be present at the civil ceremony, despite it being her son's second nuptials. This decision was likely influenced by her strong Christian beliefs and traditionalist views.
The Queen's absence from the civil ceremony at the Guildhall in Windsor was a notable event, given her position as the monarch and the mother of the groom. However, she and her husband, Prince Philip, later hosted a lavish wedding reception for the newlyweds at Windsor Castle.
The Queen also participated in a religious blessing at St. George's Chapel, indicating her approval of the union. This was further emphasised when she gave a heartfelt and humorous speech at the reception, welcoming her son and his bride to the 'winners' enclosure'.
The Queen's speech, which included a nod to her passion for horses, was well-received by the guests, who found it affectionate and endearing. Despite her initial absence from the civil ceremony, the Queen's presence and words at the reception conveyed her support for the couple.
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The Queen and Prince Philip hosted a reception for the newlyweds at Windsor Castle
> "They have overcome Becher's Brook and the Chair and all kinds of other terrible obstacles. They have come through and I'm very proud and wish them well. My son is home and dry with the woman he loves."
The speech was well-received by the guests, many of whom had never heard the Queen speak in person before. Jilly Cooper, a friend of Charles and Camilla, later told the Telegraph, "Everyone was in stitches at the Queen's speech. It was such a lovely affectionate tribute."
Royal correspondent Katie Nicholl described the speech as "an unusually sentimental speech from the monarch" and said that it "captured the visceral sense of relief the couple had, in their fifties, being able to make their enduring love official."
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, the Queen made a speech at her son Charles' wedding to Camilla in 2005.
The Queen's speech was described as "witty" and "funny" by some guests. She compared the newlywed couple's relationship to a Grand National horse race.
The Queen said: "They have overcome Becher's Brook and The Chair [referencing the Grand National fences at Aintree Racecourse] and all kinds of other terrible obstacles. They have come through and I'm very proud and wish them well. My son is home and dry with the woman he loves."
No, the Queen did not announce her abdication at Charles' wedding. While this was depicted in The Crown, it is not believed to have happened in real life.