Piers Morgan Uncensored - Piers Morgan Uncensored: The Platinum Jubilee

Episode Date: June 2, 2022

On this special Jubilee edition of Piers Morgan Uncensored, Champion jockey Frankie Dettori spoke to Piers about his personal insights on the Queen, including her sense of humour and her love of horse... racing. Royal biographer, Tom Bower, also joined Piers, alongside Julie Montagu, Viscountess Hinchingbrooke. Watch Piers Morgan Uncensored at 8 pm on TalkTV on Sky 526, Virgin Media 627, Freeview 237 and Freesat 217. Listen on DAB+ and app. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript
Discussion (0)
Starting point is 00:00:04 I declare before you all that my whole life, whether it be long or short, shall be devoted to your service and to the service of our great imperial family to which we all belong. Good evening. Welcome to Piers Morgan Unsense. We thought we'd start tonight with a very special opening as a tribute to Her Majesty of the Queen. Thank you to the classical Brit nominee, Carly Paulie, and welcome to this special Jubilee edition of the show. It's been an amazing day. I was down at the palace for the whole. morning and afternoon watching all the proceedings and covering it for Fox in America. And it was incredibly moving, actually, and very emotional in many ways to think that here's this
Starting point is 00:01:49 lady, 96 years old, who came out, after a lot of health issues, came out on the balcony twice to an absolutely roaring ovation from a packed mouth. And she had a beaming smile and looked like she was loving every minute of it with her family there. Unfortunately, I have to reveal some... of breaking news tonight, which is that the Queen has had a bit of a reaction physically to today. And as a result, they've just announced the palace that she will not be attending the Thanksgiving service at St. Paul's Cathedral tomorrow. Of course, the National Service of Thanksgiving.
Starting point is 00:02:26 The statement says the Queen greatly enjoyed today's birthday parade of flypast, but did experience some discomfort taking into account the journey and activity required to participate in tomorrow's National Service of Thanksgiving, in St Paul's Cathedral. Her Majesty, as with great reluctance, concluded that she will not attend. The Queen is looking forward to participating in tonight's beacon lighting event at Windsor Castle. I would like to thank all of those
Starting point is 00:02:50 who made today such a memorable occasion. So it's not very serious, or she wouldn't be dealing with the beacon lighting tonight, but she went back to Windsor Castle from Buckingham Palace, has clearly had some issues with this ongoing mobility problem that she's had, and they clearly have factored in that going from Windsor to St Paul's tomorrow and then back is going to be too much for the Queen. So she's pulled out of that with great reluctance and it's a great shame.
Starting point is 00:03:15 She's obviously the third leading figure to pull out of the Thanksgiving because the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, already had to pull out because he had COVID and pneumonia. We wish him all the very best. So the Archbishop of York is now officiating tomorrow morning. And Prince Andrew, who was due to be there, which in itself would have been quite controversial, he's pulled up because he too has tested positive for COVID. So it's turning into a rather ill-fated event. But it will still be going ahead
Starting point is 00:03:44 and you will still have Charles and Camilla and you'll have William and Kate and you're going to have Harry and Megan and other royals there. But it will not have now the principal player of Her Majesty, the Queen. And that's a great shame, particularly, as I say,
Starting point is 00:03:58 after the wonderful day that we all saw today where I think it was a magnificent tribute to this great lady. I'm joined by Brian Blessed. Brian, we were hoping to have a very sort of euphoric chat. Yes, indeed. I want to try to have Brian Blessed on it there. She's feeling a bit ill at the moment.
Starting point is 00:04:16 Of course, I've come from home where I live, about half an hour away from here. And I'm married to Hildegar, Neil, the actress, and she's very ill, my wife. She's had cancer, then she's had pneumonia, got over there, and now Pulmin disease, and she's having exactly what the Queen's got. Right.
Starting point is 00:04:33 Oh, God, it does make you. mad sometimes, and you sometimes wish you were a god and you could put it all right. But I feel... I'm very sorry to hear about your wife, but she's going to be alright, she's going to be all right, she'll be fine. She's the woman who played Cleopatra to Charlton Hedston many years, that beautiful woman. And she's cheerful and lovely about it, but... Please send her our very best. Well, I'm not very good at handling illness because I'm always a keep-fit guy and this, that and
Starting point is 00:05:00 the other. I'd just like to say that years ago, keeping... the acting thing up, that Peter O'Toole, at his wildest moments, he said to me, you know, the queen, I've met her several times. She's got something special. He never praised anybody. She was very special. Has this amazing quality, Brian. Oh, yes, she's very different. What makes her special? Because I agree, and she's obviously now the longest reigning monarch we've had, longest reigning monarch the world has seen. She's also now the oldest monarch that we've had. She's 96. Obviously, we probably won't have any other jubilees for this queen. But what a remarkable reign that she's had. Well, I'll give you an instance. Of course, I'm 85. She's 95. I mean, I'm young at 85. And of course, I saw her father. I'm a war baby. And I lived in Goldthor between Doncaster and Barnes.
Starting point is 00:06:03 So that after the war, along came George the Six. He came into Goldthau. I'm waving a little flag. And he gave me, got out of his car and gave me a six-pen. Really? George is a sixth? Yes, and he looked so pale. I thought, God, he looked so delicate and pale. You know, and so it's astonishing that I met to her father.
Starting point is 00:06:27 Yes. I'd like to say, jump ahead to give him an hour. idea of her. She frequently came to see cats a musical. And I was old Deuteronomy. A knock on the door, I had a gay dresser who was covered in cancer, poor son, you know, pressing
Starting point is 00:06:42 all the lumps on his body. Come on, live, live, live and pour out the tea. It was only way to treat him. He looked so dreadful. And the Queen was coming. She, and she'd come down, we'd have the Lou painted, with the Corridus painted, and she could have tea with me. And my lovely gay dresser, very old, also. Also, having a heart attack.
Starting point is 00:07:01 Oh, God, she's coming, she's coming down the corridor. I said, it's all right, she's all right. Mom, we painted the toilet, we've done this. Oh, thank you so much, where is it? Oh, yeah. And right, I'll be back in a second. And she came back, and I said, he's not very well, and he's terrified about me to give.
Starting point is 00:07:16 Oh, oh, don't worry. I pour out the tea and coffee and biscuits. How many sugars do you take? Yeah, you just relax. And she took over the whole thing, made him feel happy, and she made tea for us, made cakes for us, cut them up. How amazing. And when you're one-on-one with the Queen, Brian, what's she like?
Starting point is 00:07:36 Well, I mean, she finds me very naughty. Well, we all do. I mean, when she came with the OB, what did she say? What did the Queen say? I mean, she said, you know, she said, Mr. Blessed, you know, I don't know wisdom of this. I do believe that people have told me that you imitate me. I said, no, I don't.
Starting point is 00:08:04 She said, you're such a liar. The Queen called you a liar. And so that... And I then talked about her son, Charles. I work with. I'm an ambassador for him. Saving animals all over the world. It's terrific.
Starting point is 00:08:20 The ink of a bloody marvellous people. A tremendous. It's green, green, green, green, green. We need him. You did actually try... Didn't you actually try and buy Camilla from him? Well, I've always had it. Well, let me...
Starting point is 00:08:33 I'm going to play you a damning clip where you literally tell the future Queen Consul that you tried to buy her. Watch this. How are you, your lady? You're looking at the fuck. I didn't say if your husband can I buy you.
Starting point is 00:08:46 And she replied, you can have a free. And she replied, you can have her free. I was doing a pet. I was doing the chitch-chishy-bang. And she came backstage. It was Christmas, and I was made Father Christmas. I was naked underneath my costume and so forth. And she came and sat on my knee.
Starting point is 00:09:06 And she was, darling, darling, she said to her husband. Camilla sat on your knee. Yes. And she said at the theatre where we were doing it at Drury Lane, not Drury Lane, the other one. Palladium. And she sat on my knee and said, darling, darling, she picked up the phone to Charles. I'm here, darling. I'm with Father Christmas, which is Brian Blessed.
Starting point is 00:09:25 And I do believe he's not got any underwear on. I'm sat on his knee and he wants to buy me and can you work out a prize and he said hello Brian he said no no no no no Brad oh she's worthless you can have her for nothing
Starting point is 00:09:39 oh thank you very he says I can have you for nothing oh good I'm yours and so I've always had this wild relationship as I said working with him and doing and what does she mean to this country
Starting point is 00:09:55 what did today mean about Britain When you watch the pomp and the pageantry and this little old lady commanding the attention of the entire world, what does it say about her and the country? Can you give me another two minutes? Yes.
Starting point is 00:10:11 I want to emphasize what royalty is. Now, I was in Henry V with Ken Branner, and Henry VIII was then... It was then produced in Japan, and there was a big premier with the entire power of Japan government attending the first night, and Penh of the Fifth, Ken Brunner, Senni the Fifth,
Starting point is 00:10:31 with me as the Duke of Exeter. And I was going to open this whole thing with Princess Anne. Now, Princess Anne, I'm a war baby. I'm going into, you know, Tojo. I'm going into, you know, the Japanese powerhouse. There's... We arrived there, we watched the film, and with Prince of San,
Starting point is 00:10:52 and then she and I have to go and meet to the entire length and breadth of all these ambivalves. ambassadors. And there also was his finest. The emperor and the empress there. The power of Japan. I'm a coal miner's son. And Anne really I did flirt with and she loves it all the time. And she was saying, I said, when are we going to get married? Oh, stop it, my somebody. You can marry me any time you want? Is there any member of the royal family you haven't tried it on with, Brian? Bless it. I'm very, very expensive. And I said, I don't know who they are. I've got to introduce you. And she said, oh, we'll ask them who they. This was the power of Japan in front of us and we went along asking who they were and they were shaking I'm talking about Japan they ruled the world then They were shaking at meeting Princess Anne Is that amazing and so one must be careful one must acknowledge the power that the royal family have in their
Starting point is 00:11:53 Beautific power and their sacred power and their bravery and the effect they have on the world. Yes, I agree. More than any government. Yes. People, it transcends. But what does the Queen in particular, Brian, say about this country? What are the values and virtues she represents,
Starting point is 00:12:10 which I think are the great in Great Britain in many ways? But what does she mean to you in terms of values? Well, I mean, well, I don't know. I tend to go to Shakespeare all the time. King John is never done. And there's a character in it called the bastard. Shakespeare's King John. and in the end
Starting point is 00:12:32 the British forces are retreating and the Dofah is going to invade Britain and there's King John and there's the bastard who is the son of Cur de Leon a great hero and he says come come to the Emperor join me
Starting point is 00:12:48 at last I can say I'm I've I've the Dofah ragers at our heels but England's princes have come home again. Come the four corners of the world and we shall shake them.
Starting point is 00:13:11 England never shall sit at the proud foot of a conqueror. I feel the queen is our mother, is sacred, omnipotent, and greatly loved by the Creator. and this she displays. And she also employs the maximum effect with a minimum of effort. And that is grace. It is.
Starting point is 00:13:38 She has grace. And we must all pray for her and so forth. We are so damn lucky to have such a unique, wonderful woman. Yeah. We are.
Starting point is 00:13:50 And we need her back. And today we need her more than ever. She's got to go on. We need her. She has. And obviously she's having a lot of problems with her health. you'd expect that at her age, and she's a remarkable woman.
Starting point is 00:14:01 We wish her all the very best. I also wish your wife all the very best, Brian. It's lovely to see you. Please send all our best wishes on the show. It's lovely to see you. A great day to be British, isn't it? Nice to be here. It's a great day to be British, I think.
Starting point is 00:14:13 It's time to be proud of our country today. That's right. We're doing damn well. We are. We're bloody marvellous. We are. I have been present with the National Parks for seven years. Our parks are a great success story.
Starting point is 00:14:24 Best in the world. I'm sick of the criticism. We're doing marvelously. I agree. And it's a time to rejoice and to rejoice in her health. I agree. Brian Blessing, great to see you. Thank you very much. Well, it says the next, well, how do you follow Brian Blessed?
Starting point is 00:14:39 I'll tell you how. Frankie DeTorey, the Queen's embullient, brilliant, favourite jockey. He'll be here after the break live. There's Frankie. He's in between races. Of course he is. He's always racing. We'll talk to the great Frankie in a few minutes.
Starting point is 00:15:07 Welcome back to Pizmorgan-Sense. Just to recap on the breaking news. breaking news at the Queen after this amazing day today in London where she was on the balcony at Bucking Palace. She had the fly past of the best of our RAF, trooping the colour, obviously, with the amazing pomp and pageantry. It's been revealed tonight that the Queen had some discomfort, the Palace says, after today's celebrations. And because of the journey and activity required to go from Windsor Castle to St. Paul's Cathedral, quite a long journey, it has to be said, that because of that and because of her discontory,
Starting point is 00:15:40 comfort. Her majesty has with great reluctance, concluded she will not attend. This is a big deal because it's the National Service of Thanksgiving for her and her 70 years on the throne. The good news is that she will tonight be participating in the beacon lighting event at Wintercastle. So I think the good news that I'm reading from this is it can't be that serious, the condition of the Queen or she wouldn't better to do that. But clearly they've decided, I think the travelling is what's causing a lot of the problems for the Queen right now. So we wish, Her Majesty, of course, all the very best and hope that she can attend as much as she can of this weekend and these celebrations. But earlier today was pretty amazing.
Starting point is 00:16:19 I was there at the palace for the whole proceedings, and it was really spectacular and emotional in many ways. And one of the Queen's greatest passions, of course, is horses and horse racing. She took up riding age three. She was in the saddle until quite recently, until her mobility issues took over. And one of her favourite ever jockeys, if not probably her favourite jockey. I think, is Frankie D'Torri, champion jockey, champion man. He's written more than 50 winners for the Queen
Starting point is 00:16:47 in the last 30 years. And I'm delighted to say the in-between races. He's actually racing tonight. Frankie de Tori joins me now live from Chelmsford Racecourse. Frankie, good evening to you. Hi, Pierce. I want to start, Frankie. The first one worn, and now...
Starting point is 00:17:03 I just want to say... And now I'm waiting for my last one. Oh, did you win the last one? No, I want the first one. but now I've got to write the next one in the next 20 minutes. Well, the normal pattern, as you know, Frankie, is that whenever I bet on you to win, you always lose. And when I don't bet on you to win, you always win.
Starting point is 00:17:23 Stop betting on me, stop betting on me, Piers. Frankie, I know that you and the Queen are very close. You've ridden so many rides for her. You've won so many races for her. She loves the horse racing. And obviously, today is a bitter sweet day because we had all these amazing celebrations, and I was hoping to just talk about that with you.
Starting point is 00:17:40 but we can't ignore the breaking news, which is that she's had some discomfort tonight, and she won't be attending the Thanksgiving service at St. Paul's Cathedral tomorrow. What's your reaction to that? Well, when you look at the Queen's schedule this next three or four days, I mean, it's really so much. We forget that she's a great old age of 96,
Starting point is 00:18:05 and she's also, I think, she's going to miss the Derby on Saturday that is probably the first time in over 50 years. but we all wished well and just perhaps just pace herself a little bit is very easy for us to say but I think we asked a lot from her yeah and I think there were genuine concerns
Starting point is 00:18:26 she may not have made any of the Jubilee celebrations I was told by somebody very close to the Royals about six weeks ago they were really worried about it so the fact she was able to be on the balcony today I think was huge she will obviously miss the Derby you're racing the Derby in fact I think you were you to be on one of the Queen's horses, but the horse got pulled. Is that right?
Starting point is 00:18:47 Yes, unfortunately, the horse said, mine have said back, he's not going to make it. But, you know, it was great to see Her Majesty on the balcony smiling with all the family. And, you know, we wish her well. And, you know, it's going to be an amazing platinum jubilee. And we're going to go ahead and race the Derby. I'm sure she's going to watch it on TV.
Starting point is 00:19:08 And we're going to try to give Her Majesty a great spectrum of horse racing. she loves very much. One of my favourite stories, Frankie, involved you, the Queen and the late great Lester Piggott, who very sadly died several days ago, one of the all-time great jockeys like you are. And it involved the King George Sixth, where I think you got a little above yourself, didn't you? And you boasted to the Queen that you'd won it four times. And she replied, that's nothing. Lester won it seven times. Correct. When I went up to the podium to pick up the trophy, and I said, Your Majesty, I won it four times.
Starting point is 00:19:47 And she looked at me, well, Lester won it seven times. Get back in your box. She's got a great sense to you. As you know, she loves racing, Royal Alaska, the Derby, all that. So, you know, she's been a great ambassador for my sport. And just a word about Lester, Piggott, because he was an amazing jockey. He was an irascible, uncompromising, courageous.
Starting point is 00:20:09 you know, very individual kind of character. But an amazing story where he ended up going to prison for tax evasion issues. And then he made his comeback, age 55, and he won the Breeders' Cup in America at 55. In racing terms, how big a deal was that, Frankie? I was actually, I was in that race. Actually, unfortunately, when I started riding, Lester already retired, he had five years off racing. And a couple of those years he spent in prison.
Starting point is 00:20:42 And then after 12 days, he came back from riding, goes to New York and wins the Breeders' Cup, one of the biggest race in the world. A 54-year-old man. It was an amazing man. Don't forget, we're going to race the Derby in memory of him on Saturday. And he's won the Kazu Epsilon Derby nine times. What an amazing man.
Starting point is 00:21:05 And that record would never be beaten. Yeah, an amazing, an amazing guy, great character. Let's talk about you and the Queen. Now, Piers. I must stop you because my horses are here and I have to go to ride the next race. So I wish you all the best. I wish you could talk to you a bit long.
Starting point is 00:21:23 Go win it and go win it for the Queen, even though it's not a Queen's horse. Go win it for the Queen and dedicate your win to the Queen. Thank you for taking time in between races. Take care. Go get them, Frankie. All the best. Well, that's really the personification, isn't it?
Starting point is 00:21:39 live television. That's actually one of the world's greatest ever jockeys in between two races, fitting us in, but then his horse arrives and he's got to go on it and go in a ride. So thank you to Frankie Dutori, one of the great characters of racing and close to the Queen. And as he said, I think we echo all his thoughts about sending the Queen great good wishes, because she's obviously got these ongoing issues with mobility in particular, and it can't be easy, particularly when you're the focal point of the world's attention in the way that she is. Well, Unscensored next, the Queen will take part in tonight's beacon lighting despite her issues. After Buckingham Palace has confirmed that Her Majesty will sadly not attend now.
Starting point is 00:22:17 Tomorrow's service of Thanksgiving due to mobility is coming. We'll discuss that with a panel after the break. Welcome back to Piers Morgan on Sense and breaking news tonight. The Queen, after such an amazing day, the start of the Platinum Jubilee celebrations, has sadly tonight announced that she will not be attending the Thanksgiving service, of course, in her honour for her 70-year reign at St Paul's Cathedral tomorrow. She will, however, be lighting the first beacon for the beacon, which is going to roll out across the country.
Starting point is 00:23:06 So I'm hoping that means she's not too bad. It just means she can't travel at the moment because Windsor Castle to St. Paul's is quite a hike at 96 when you've got mobility issues and clearly suffering some discomfort, as the palace has said in their statement. Well, I'm joined now in the studio by VanCuntus Hitchingbrook, Julie Montague, author of the New Royals and Royal Commentators, Katie Nichol from Vanity Fair and Kinsey'sie Skowper.
Starting point is 00:23:29 to you, Kinsey. You were so excited to see me earlier, I thought I would double your excitement and bring you from the Fox studio to here, so welcome. Thank you so much. I am a huge fan. Well, I'm a big fan of yours too now, so that's two of us. To start with you, Katie, if I may, this is not good news.
Starting point is 00:23:45 Whichever way we try and dress this up, for the Queen to miss the big Thanksgiving service, she's a big church girl, a big believer. Well, she's the head of the church. Yeah. And for her not to be there is a big deal. What do we read into this? Okay, so I'm going to preface it by say, it is a shock.
Starting point is 00:24:01 I know people tuning in this evening and thinking, oh gosh, you know, this is not good. It's not great. But when I came on your show a few weeks ago, I said to you, I was told by a source close to the Royals that nothing was certain. Yes. Because as you pointed out, she really wasn't very well. So the fact that we've had two balcony appearances today, the lighting of a beacons this evening,
Starting point is 00:24:21 I think suggests there's no need for alarm bells to be ringing. However, it's going to look very strange. And as soon as I heard that news, I thought, do you remember in 2012 and the Duke of Edinburgh wasn't at that service of Thanksgiving and how strange it felt? And I just think when you take away the Queen from a service of Thanksgiving to thank for her life, it's going to look very strange. Well, also it's a little bit sort of curse this event now, Julia,
Starting point is 00:24:47 because we've already had the Archbishop of Canterbury pull out because he got COVID. He was supposed to be officiating. Prince Andrew, whose appearance in itself was going to be very controversial, I think. because last time he appeared with the Queen was at Prince Phillips' funeral, and people didn't really like it, the fact that she was appearing to sort of accept him back into public life. So he was due to be there, but he's also tested positive for COVID. So there's a lot going on.
Starting point is 00:25:11 It's going to look very empty, I think, tomorrow at the service, because now the Queen won't be there. Prince Andrew won't be there as well. And I do think that there might be, you know, that moment of awkwardness because then you have Harry and Megan coming, and we know that they obviously still have a great relationship, as they say, with the queen, but the queen will be missing. So I think there's going to be this moment of, you know, what is going to be tense in there, right? Exactly. Who are they going to be sitting next to? No question. I was told by a very good source, it was pretty tense today that behind the scenes, apparently, there was some disquiet from palace officials that Megan and Harry turned up apparently 15 minutes
Starting point is 00:25:50 late, not for the actual start of the parade, but 15 minutes later than they were supposed to. and apparently it was all quite frosty behind the scenes and the rest of the family went out in the garden and were milling around and they just disappeared. So there's already a lot of tension there and the only glue, it seems, in this whole tension, is the queen. Absolutely. And she's now not going to be there.
Starting point is 00:26:09 So we're going to have a bit of a drama tomorrow morning, potentially, in a church where there aren't many of them and the ones who are going to be there don't get on. I agree. And I think that it's really important to the queen that the family is united. I think it's important to her because she's concerned about Prince Charles
Starting point is 00:26:25 and she wants everybody to accept him and she wants there to be healing and peace. So I'm concerned about tomorrow's. Yeah, I mean, look, let's just hope it all goes peacefully and well, but it's not looking particularly good, is it given all that's been going on? I just want to go through some of my heart. I was right there at the palace today
Starting point is 00:26:42 covering it for Fox in America. And it was very moving the whole day. It was very inspiring. It felt me very proud to be British, actually. I have to say, it showed the country at its best. It was a beautiful sunny day. and the Mao was absolutely teeming. The atmosphere was fantastically positive.
Starting point is 00:26:59 So after all the mayhem of the pandemic, and given that the country is ravaged by inflation at the moment, many people are really feeling the pinch. It was a great celebration of what it is good to be British. And I love that. But there were some heroes and villains today. Inevitably, the villains were led by radical vegans who decided to try and ruin the party
Starting point is 00:27:20 by throwing themselves over railings and lying pretending to be dead. on the floor in front of some of the military as they went by. They were immediately flatlined by, I think, meat-eating police officers. I don't know what it is for vegans, other than they're permanently angry, and dare I suggest, they're hangary, because they're never having a good meal. And this is what happens when you don't eat a balanced diet. You literally go nuts.
Starting point is 00:27:45 So they tried to ruin it. They got removed. In my hero's category, you can't get past Little Louis, who is Kate and Williams youngest, who, basically spent his entire time on the balcony pulling faces. We did a montage of his greatest hits. It's from the Daily Mail, I think, this. Absolutely spectacular.
Starting point is 00:28:03 Although I did caption it, is this the moment Auntie Megan arrived? She's probably the reaction to most of the Royals. So that was most certainly in the thing. And talking of Auntie Megan, she was caught, of course she was caught, because she was going to make sure she was, through the balcony for the troop in the colour.
Starting point is 00:28:20 So this is behind the back of the palace, that balcony, was very much appropriately the reserve balcony, which is where she found herself, along with being in an outhouse rather than the primary balcony. And this is her having the audacity to tell the young royals to shush
Starting point is 00:28:36 because they've been yapping too much. This is from the greatest yapper in the history of modern monarchy. So a little ironic, if you don't mind me saying. Were you silenced or were you silenced or were you silenced? Was I silent or was I silenced? Exactly, yeah. It made me chuckle anyway, whichever way you look at it.
Starting point is 00:28:53 I'm joined also by Royal Bargrapher Tom Bowie. It's in central London. You've just written a book about the Duchess of Sussex. Don't want to dwell on her too much. I do want to ask you about the Queen because it was a very, you know, it was a wonderful day, but it already felt to me quite bittersweet as it was because I just felt, look at this woman, she's 96, we're not going to have another Jubilee for her
Starting point is 00:29:17 unless she lives to be 106, which is unlikely. So this is really the last chance to say a proper, thank you and celebrate her reign and her life. And it was all magnificent, but then tonight we get this sting in the tale that she can't attend the St Paul's service, which I know will be a huge blow to her because she is the head of the church. Well, you're right. It is very disappointing. But on the other hand, on the plus side, peers,
Starting point is 00:29:45 it does mean that Netflix won't get the panning shot of Meghan to the Queen. And that'll really annoy Netflix enormously. So there's always a bit of a rainbow. I mean, on that, Tom, I have to ask you, I mean, you know, my big objection to Harry and Megan is primarily the rampant hypocrisy that accompanies almost everything that comes out of their mouths. And we saw this acutely
Starting point is 00:30:10 when they keep preaching about the environment and about the need to save our carbon footprint. And then we discover they got here from California on a private jet. I mean, when they do things like that, I'm like, who buys this non-term? Who lets them behave like this and thinks this is actually good? Well, you get excited about that.
Starting point is 00:30:31 I get excited about Megan appearing in this extraordinary hat with a big smile and letting down the window of her car so she can be seen. I mean, here is a woman who, as you know, better than anyone else, according to you, lied 17 times on the opera show interview, and hasn't yet apologised. Right. And why has she come here? Has she come here to apologise to the Queen?
Starting point is 00:30:52 has she come here to say that she's sorry to the Duchess of Cambridge, or is she here to promote herself? And I thought her big smiles, as she edged towards the window, to make sure that the cameras should see her with her oversized hat, was all part of the promote Meghan show. That's really quite extraordinary, I thought. Well, it is extraordinary. She paid for what it's worth.
Starting point is 00:31:14 Yeah, and it is, it chips away, I think, at the magic of the monarchy, because they've already got this huge problem with Prince Andrew, And there's no doubt that scandal's been very, very damaging to the brand of the monarchy. The fact that the Queen's second son has had to write this huge check for millions of dollars to basically pay off a woman who was taking him to court over a serious sexual assault charge. That is unprecedented in modern times for the monarchy and in very damaging thing. But I also think what you're seeing, this turmoil we're now seeing in the Commonwealth in the many countries. I think you can directly chart a lot of it back to the Oprah Winfell.
Starting point is 00:31:52 free interview where Megan Markle made these serious allegations of racism against the Royals, but didn't actually say who she was talking about, thereby almost bringing them all into the frame. And I think you're seeing the kickback from that. Absolutely. In my book, forthcoming book, which is out next month, I explained very detailedly in detail how the Cambridge's visit to Jamaica was predestined to be difficult, if not disastrous, because the effect of Megan and the racist allegations she made. There's no doubt that across the Caribbean and across other parts of the world,
Starting point is 00:32:29 Megan's allegations of racism resounded and had a terrible effect on the image of the Queen, on the image of Britain and the Royal Family. And to see her then smiling through the window of a car and which she'd let down the window and standing close to make sure
Starting point is 00:32:44 that she should be seen in the horse cars parade today without any contrition whatsoever just shows what a brazen hussy she is. Yeah. Well, your war's not mine, but I'm not denying them. Let's just come to Katie for a moment about the main event
Starting point is 00:33:02 today was the Queen and it was spectacular there. I mean, I really did feel moved by it. What did you feel? You've covered the Royals for a long time. What did you feel? It felt very special. I was commentating for the BBC so I was in a little commentary box with Jamie Lather Pinkerton and Hugh Edwards
Starting point is 00:33:18 Edwards and it was an incredible experience. I mean, Nothing beats that balcony moment. I think there is a sense, you know, a jubilee is as much about looking forward to the future as it is in being in the present and celebrating the present and also reflecting on the past. And I think there is a sense of what to come. This feels like a final hurrah for the queen. And I think for all of us, even, you know, regimental men of Jamie Lauer the Pinkerton status,
Starting point is 00:33:44 there was a lump in the throat. And that is because she instills this, the pride that you're talking about. I don't think you have to be a royalist. But to appreciate what someone has done over the course of 70 years, she is a remarkable... Well, Johnny Rotten, actually, from the Sex Pills, who famously sang God Save the Queen as an anarchy song to get rid of the monarchy. Even he said this week on my show that he has great respect for the Queen personally,
Starting point is 00:34:07 which says it all, I think. Julie, we've got some clips here. These are world leaders paying tribute to the Queen, President Biden, President Obama, and President Macron. This isn't to these. It's quite telling, I think. Your Majesty, congratulations on your platinum Jubilee. For 70 years you've inspired people with your selfless devotion and service to the people of the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth.
Starting point is 00:34:28 On behalf of the people of the United States, we send you our best wishes to you and the people around the world marking this momentous and historic occasion. You are the golden thread that binds our two countries, the proof of the unwavering friendship between our nations. We are grateful for your courage and we share the respect and love that the British people and Commonwealth have, always shown you. I'd like to think Her Majesty and I have formed a special relationship of our own. Certainly I can say that getting to know her was one of the great privileges of my years in office. And I learned so much from seeing the example she's set for all of us who have the privilege
Starting point is 00:35:10 to serve. I mean, Julie, this reminds me of all the British Prime Ministers. He's said exactly the same kind of stuff. They're all slightly in awe of the Queen. Even Donald Trump, the least humble man in the history of the planet. And he admitted to being slightly humble when he met her because his mum had been such a great fan of the queen. You know, put her into some kind of historical context.
Starting point is 00:35:28 Yeah, I mean, I think you can look at sort of Dalai Lama. It's somebody who unites and doesn't divide. And especially with the turbulence that we've all experienced over the past couple years with, of course, Brexit, and then pandemic, Trump, you know, who was very divisive, she's always remained this person who wants to unite. And so for me, she does have this ability to do that. And it does remind me of somebody like the Dalai Lama
Starting point is 00:35:58 who is about compassion and kindness. And I think that's what she will be remembered for. Yes, I agree. I totally agree. And I felt that with the crowd today, it didn't matter what your politics were because the queen isn't political. So by turning up, you're not making a political point because she doesn't, he's not interested in that.
Starting point is 00:36:14 She wants to bring the people of Britain together, whatever your political persuasion. What does she mean to Americans, the Queen? And what do they feel about the next rung on the ladder, Charles and Camilla? I mean, we absolutely adore the Queen. She is selfless. And I think that we really admire her dedication to service because we don't see that a lot in America.
Starting point is 00:36:34 We're very, like, shallow and selfish. Sorry for Megan Markle, because I feel like there might be some association there. But I think there is concern over Prince Charles and Camilla because Americans take the crown as complete 100% facts. Which, by the way, is not a good idea. Yes. These are real people. They're not fictitious characters in a drama for Netflix.
Starting point is 00:36:54 In fact, what Netflix should do is do a real one on the Sussex. Or put a disclaimer on the original. Yeah, exactly, yeah. And I do think that we still love Princess Diana, truly. We still love her and we're, we still remember her. Yeah. Well, it's great to see you all. Thank you very much.
Starting point is 00:37:08 Final word to Tom Bow, if he's still there. Indeed, I am. Tom, just put the Queen into history for me because I believe she's the greatest, monarch we've ever had, followed by Elizabeth I first and then Queen Victoria. What say you? Well, I'm not a great expert on every monarch we've ever had, appears, but in our lifetime, clearly. But you know, before Queen Victoria, there were people like Henry 8th did quite a good job of establishing... He executed his wives, Tom.
Starting point is 00:37:39 Yes. Have you cleared that with your wife? Well, Henry the 7th... Well, let's go read his father. His father created the... the Navy, Charles II restored the monarchy. There have been a lot of kings. They all, monarchs are just fit for their age. We've been very, very lucky. And of course, we look forward now to Charles and until recently with some trepidation. And I think what has been very, very fortunate is that transition from the Queen to Charles has been taking place over what, one or two,
Starting point is 00:38:12 three years now. So the sudden shock will not be the same when he finally becomes king. I think he's also changed. He's mellowed. He's not being as ostentatious and self-indulgent as he was. He's not speaking out as he did before.
Starting point is 00:38:29 And he's got a gravitas and I think the queen, very rightly, from her point of view, said that Camilla should be the next queen. Yeah, I agree. And that means that the transition will be smooth. Yes, I agree. And I Having met them, I think Camilla gets a bad rap, she's a terrific lady.
Starting point is 00:38:46 I think she's actually, they're great together, and I think they'll be very good for the country. So, Tom, thank you very much. Thank you to my stellar panel. Really appreciate it. Well, yesterday I spoke to the man who gave the world American Pie, the singer-songwriter, Don McLean. It was supposed to have aired last night. He got bounced out because of all the breaking news from the Jubilee, Johnny Depp, Amber Heard, and so on. We're going to run it in full on Monday.
Starting point is 00:39:08 But he did talk briefly about what the Queen means to him. Take a look at this. She is a very lovable person. That's all I can say. She's not a queen Victoria who seemed to be a little off with your heads type of a queen. This woman is a beautiful person. And she raised her children well and she cares and she's duty bound to do the things that she's supposed to do. And we all love her.
Starting point is 00:39:40 And so I'm delighted. that this is happening, and I think she deserves it. Well, it's a great interview, actually, with Don McLean. I was very surprised by it. It was very moving in part. It was very funny, quite shocking as well. This is a little taste of what's to come. We're going to air it a full on Monday.
Starting point is 00:40:02 It had to be a massive song for this massive country. I wish that I could have known my father better. America is getting more crazy and less sane. Tyson Fury loves to sing American Pie. Absolutely smash it, brother. Maybe they'd be happy for a while. Starry, starry night. Paint your palate blue and gray.
Starting point is 00:40:32 Look out on a summer's day. One of the greatest records ever made, and it's a brilliant interview. So look out for that on Monday. Unsets of next, Captain Jonathan Brooks was front and centre at today's Trooping the Color. I'll be speaking to him about his once-in-a-lifetime experience. That's after the break. Well, today's Tripping de Colour was British pomp and pageantry at its very best.
Starting point is 00:41:09 1,400 parading soldiers, 400 musicians, 200 horses and thousands of royal superfans lining the mall. I'm joined now by Captain Jonathan Brooks of the King's Troop Royal Horse Artillery, who was present on Horse Guards Parade today and then fired the 41 gun salute from Hyde Park. Captain, thank you so much for joining me after your extraordinary day. It's the first proper trooping the colour you've done in front of all the crowds. First question, what was it like? I mean, it was amazing. Yeah, I
Starting point is 00:41:37 managed to do the tube in the colour last year at Windsor Castle, but this year was spectacular. Really felt like a moment in history with the crowds absolutely packing the mall. The Royal Family there in full force, it was simply spectacular. And of course, the Trooping the colour is, you know, for several hundred
Starting point is 00:41:53 years now, has celebrated the Queen's birthday or the monarch's birthday of the time. What does it mean to you? as a serving member of the armed forces to be honouring the Queen, the head of the armed forces in this way? I mean, it's a tremendous privilege. She is a huge inspiration to all of us,
Starting point is 00:42:12 puts duty ahead of everything else, and she really, for us, essentially, fills at the heart of the nation. So to be able to be there and be a big part of marking this historic occasion and hopefully making her proud is unbeatable, really. The crowds were huge. They were really exuberant today,
Starting point is 00:42:29 is a lot of patriotism and flag waving and joy in the air. After all we've been through as a country in recent years, it was a really lovely day to just say we're British, we're great, we're proud of our country and we're proud of our queen. Yeah, we do pomp in ceremony, you know, out the best in the world. We are top of the game with it comes to pomp in ceremony. And the public were really behind us. They were quite funny going down the mall.
Starting point is 00:42:57 Every time our trumpeters blew a trumpet call, they absolutely loved it. I put a big smile on our faces. Although we had to try not to smile, but they were superb, and it was great to see everyone there. And to your credit, none of you fainted in the heat, I hear. No, we managed to survive the heat. It was a hot day. We were praying with some merciless cloud cover,
Starting point is 00:43:19 but it does look spectacular horse guards prayed in the sun, so I'm glad that the sun came out for us. Yeah, it was fantastic, and you guys had a great job, and the RAF were fantastic as well. It was brilliant. I was there right at Buckingham Palace, and it was really the pomp, the pageantry, the military, all of it coming together with the royal family. What a wonderful day it was.
Starting point is 00:43:37 And I thank you and all your colleagues, well, for what you did today, but also for your service to your country. Thank you very much, Captain Brooks. Cheers. Thanks very much, Pears. Well, what a day. My entire life, I've only ever had one queen. Elizabeth II has been the head of this country for every second I've been alive and a lot more seconds.
Starting point is 00:43:57 In fact, there aren't many people on the planet. who haven't lived the majority of their lives with her as the monarch in this country. She means something, of course, to everyone. And to see her today, after all the concerns about her health and her mobility, her brush with COVID, to see her marching out with the big green, the Tom Cruise maverick sunglasses on, to greet her adoring public. Well, it was a sight I'll never forget.
Starting point is 00:44:22 This is Britain's first ever platinum Jubilee. It might be the last we ever see. It will certainly, sadly, be this Queen's last. Jubilee. And I'm just grateful that we had this opportunity to show her that we love her, that we respect her, what she means to us, and how important she's been to Great Britain. She's our greatest export. She's also one of the greatest Britons. And it's hard to think of any living person who is viewed with more global admiration and affection than she is. This little old lady has quite simply been a giant on the world stage. And after 70 years of rain, we are just truly grateful. And we remain her humble and obedient. servants, well, mostly obedient. God save the Queen.

There aren't comments yet for this episode. Click on any sentence in the transcript to leave a comment.