We cannot get away from 2022 being a very special year for our Queen – the longest-serving monarch ever. The speaker who opens Saturday in the Main House, journalist and author of A Queen of Our Times, Robert Hardman looks at how the Royal dynasty has survived.
Robert is also a documentary filmmaker and is best known for his work on the British Royal family. Robert has been a columnist and royal correspondent for the Daily Telegraph and, since 2001 writer for the Daily Mail.
I hope we will discover more about our Queen, who is going through possibly the most difficult year of her life and reign – even worst than annus horribilis? A house fire at Windsor Castle must seem like nothing compared with what she has to deal with in 2022.
The Queen’s life is Far from Ordinary – which is the title for the next speaker taking to the Main Stage on Saturday with Justin Webb.
Radio 4 presenter Justin has recently published his book The Gift of a Radio – My Childhood and Other Trainwrecks, which sounds interesting.
He is a former BBC North America Editor and the main co-presenter of BBC One‘s Breakfast News programme. Since August 2009, he has co-presented the Today programme on BBC Radio 4 and also regularly writes for the Radio Times.
Though a radio voice, his face is very familiar. I’m looking forward to his dry wit and discovering more about the man behind the voice.
As a child of the 70s like Justin, I want to hear his take on growing up during the winter of discontent, and the ‘Troubles’ in Northern Ireland. However for Justin, he had issues at home to cope with as well – his parents facing mental health issues in a world where these issues were rarely spoken about.
What a great start to Saturday!
- Tomorrow we will be looking at the British intelligence service
- To view the full programme and book your tickets for Words by the Water visit: https://www.theatrebythelake.com/festival/words-by-the-water-22/
