Queen Elizabeth II is celebrating her Platinum Jubilee this year, marking 70 years on the throne, a milestone no other British monarch has reached. The Queen marked the anniversary of her accession on 6 February with a quiet ceremony. It is always a sad occasion for her as it was the day her beloved father … Continue reading “A Historic Milestone”
Among many other special qualities, Queen Elizabeth II has two birthdays every year: the real one on 21 April (she was 95) and her official one on the second Saturday in June. That is marked by one of the great moments of British pageantry: the Trooping the Colour ceremony. Since 1748, the monarch’s official birthday … Continue reading “Trooping the Colour”
If you’re teaching LLCER AMC, or will be next year, let us introduce the latest addition to the Shine Bright collection: Anglais, monde contemporain Cycle Terminal. It includes 28 chapters of varying lengths covering all the themes of the curriculum in 1e and Terminale, ranging across the English-speaking world. A group of authors teaching in … Continue reading “Coming Very Soon: Shine Bright AMC”
Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, died on 9 April, after more than 70 years of marriage to Queen Elizabeth II. The longest serving consort of a British monarch was just a few months short of his 100th birthday. Philip Mountbatten was, like the Queen, a great-great-grandchild of Queen Victoria and another famous royal consort, Prince … Continue reading “A Prince Passes”
2019 marks the bicentenary of the births of Britain’s Queen Victoria and her beloved husband Prince Albert. Victoria reigned from 1837 until 1899, the longest reign of any British monarch until the current Queen overtook the record in 2015. Victoria reigned over an era of imperial expansion, ultimately ruling over a quarter of the world’s … Continue reading “Victoria 200”
Britain is celebrating a new royal baby, as Prince Harry and Meghan Markle announced the birth of their son on 6 May 2019. The British capital decided to have babies welcome the baby. The new baby, who is the seventh in line to the throne, has been named Archie. He is unusual in the Royal … Continue reading “It’s a Boy!”
It’s one of the world’s last working palaces. It is also one of London’s major tourist attractions. The changing of the guard at Buckingham Palace has always attracted visitors but, since 1993, crowds have flocked to visit the State Rooms where royal ceremonies take place. Parts of the Palace date back to the 17th century … Continue reading “Buckingham Palace Open for Visits”
The Queen’s Speech is shorthand for the UK’s State Opening of Parliament, which takes place annually at the beginning of each parliamentary session. Traditionally that is in May, but it also happens after a general election. The monarch reads out a speech to the assembled Houses of Lords and Commons detailing the government’s programme of … Continue reading “What is the Queen’s Speech?”
The Battle of Hastings in 1066 was a major event in English history, which ushered in 400 years of Norman rule of England. After William the Conqueror won the English crown, French became the legal language of England for 300 years. This topic is rich in elements of British culture, and fits perfectly with the … Continue reading “The Battle of Hastings”
A new app will allow classes to virtually visit Buckingham Palace without leaving their classrooms. Beam me up, Scottie! School trips are wonderful learning experiences, especially for language learning. But all sorts of issues with time, finance and security mean that it is not possible for every child to go on a trip. So this … Continue reading “A Virtual Visit to Buckingham Palace”