Question for UK Folcs - Lois & Clark Fanfic Message Boards

If someone who was reasonably well-known (say, an actor/actress, or perhaps a US politician) wanted to gain an audience with the Queen, how would they go about doing it? Would they have to get invited first? I assume there is some kind of formal process. As an American, I have to admit my ignorance.

Not being a Royalist, I haven't the faintest idea. <g> I'm kind of pleased I've managed to not know, despite the British media's best attempts to tell us every minute detail about the Royals on an almost daily basis.

Must be better at blocking them out than I thought. <g>

I did a trawl through The Queen\'s Official website but couldn't find anything to help you, unfortunately. Was curious to see you could actually email the Queen - although it does say she won't answer you, which seems a bit pointless.

I'll do some more ferreting around, see if I can come up with anything.

LabRat

Yeah, I checked that website and a couple of other ones that came up in google. You can e-mail George W. Bush and Dick Cheney too, but chances that they themselves actually read it are rather small. This is for a non-L&C fic I'm writing.

I have absolutley no idea about this, but after watching the news this weekend about the Pope I remember a story about how his personal secretary became a very powerful man over the last several weeks because he and he alone controlled access to the Pope. I would imagine that the Queen has a similar person so I would start by going through her/him. It would probably work even better if you had a character as a go between who had some connection to that person.

Like LabRat, I know as little as possible about the monarchy.

I do know, however, that because the monarch is also head of state there are political implications for who she will meet. Therefore no-one would be able to gain an audience with the monarch without political vetting.

So, let's say that your character had recently expressed some controversial views. Just for the sake of an example, let's say your character had been critical of Western governments for selling arms to certain countries in the Middle East. Were the monarch to meet your character, that could be spun in the media as the queen indicating approval for those views. (We all know how ridiculous that notion is, but it's the way these things get spun).

So what I'm getting around to saying is that one key route to getting an audience would be through political, not aristocratic, contacts. So, if you're talking about an American politician, then one good route is through the British government - is your politician friendly with any Cabinet ministers? Got good contacts at senior Civil Service level?

And I think another good route would have to be via the American Embassy in London (assuming your character is American). All ambassadors to the UK are accredited to the Court of St James, making the post one directed at the monarchy and not at the British government. Just as in the US the President receives new ambassadors' credentials, in the UK it's the monarch who does so. Ambassadors get invited to formal receptions at Buckingham Palace and move in royal circles as appropriate as part of their job.

So I'd go with government and embassy contacts.

Wendy

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I would imagine that the Queen has a similar person so I would start by going through her/him.

Yes, that was something along the lines of what I was thinking. What would be the title of that person?

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So, let's say that your character had recently expressed some controversial views. Just for the sake of an example, let's say your character had been critical of Western governments for selling arms to certain countries in the Middle East. Were the monarch to meet your character, that could be spun in the media as the queen indicating approval for those views. (We all know how ridiculous that notion is, but it's the way these things get spun).

Good point. I would think that most politicians have that exact problem.

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What would be the title of that person?

Lord Chamberlain [of the Queen's Household], I believe. In 2002, the position was held by Lord Luce, but whether he's still in the job or not, I have no idea.

This is from an article in The Guardian newspaper, circa 2000:

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This is the nearest there is to a court these days, writes Stephen Bates: six departments and 645 full-time staff, under the authority of the lord chamberlain - currently Lord Luce, former Tory MP, junior foreign office minister (resigned over the Argentinians' Falklands invasion but later reinstated) and former governor of Gibraltar. The lord chamberlain's post is part-time: he chairs meetings of the departments, supervises the running of the household, sits in on appointments and undertakes ceremonial duties. He is the channel of communication between the queen and the house of lords. Formerly a party-political appointment but since 1924 non-partisan. Symbols of office: white staff (ceremonially broken when the sovereign dies) and a key.

The lord chamberlain's office is independent of the lord chamberlain himself and run by the comptroller, Lt-Col Walter Ross. Formerly the office of the official censor, it now advises on protocol, organises state visits, investitures, garden parties, the ceremony of the garter, state opening of parliament, royal weddings and funerals, liaises with the foreign diplomatic corps in London and supervises royal warrants and the commercial use of royal photographs and emblems. It also organises the royal bodyguards, 27 Gentlemen at Arms, 81 yeomen of the guard and 400 members of the royal company of archers, the queen's bodyguard in Scotland

Headed by Sir Robin Janvrin, ex-diplomat and Royal press officer, it advises the queen on constitutional, governmental and political matters, liaises with the 16 governments of whose countries the queen is head of state, organises royal visits and trips, deals with correspondence and consults with the Church of England, armed services and organisations for whom the queen is patron. It also sends out messages of congratulation to centenarians.

LabRat

Thanks, guys.

There is a difference between a public audience and a private one. The latter is very hard to get because it is one on one with the Queen. Your character might have a chance meeting her at a public "walkabout" if it is just to exchange pleasentries and greetings. If it is a more serious message, then a diplomatic function might be the way to go. Her schedule is printed in the media months in advance so it isn't hard to find out where she will be.
I was astonished to find out that if Prince Charles wants to talk to his mother, his secretary has to call her secretary even when they are on Holiday at Sandringham or Windsor.
Now another tack you can take is to have the character lurk around the church outside Balmoral Castle in Scotland where the Queen goes to Sunday service when she is in residence. The church is a short drive out the gates of the castle.
If you want to find out more about how the Queen's schedule is published, you can go to www.majestymagazine.com .
Hope this helps.

Artemis
yes, I'm a nut for the royals. Maybe because I don't have to pay for them.