Yvonne: You're listening to 6 Minute English, I'm Yvonne Archer and Stephen has
kindly joined me for today's programme. Hello Stephen!
Stephen: Hi Yvonne!
Yvonne: This year, there's a special British bank holiday so that people can watch and
celebrate the wedding of Prince William and Catherine Middleton. But it's
worth noting that some people are making it clear that they won't be
celebrating at all.
Stephen: Well, I suppose at this time, it's easy to forget that not everyone supports royals.
Yvonne: That's true. Some think that a hereditary monarchy – a system where people
are born into royalty – is inconsistent with the idea of a democracy.
Stephen: Some people believe that those two systems don't work well together. But antimonarchism
isn't new, is it?
Yvonne: No, it's not. In fact, King Charles the first was executed - or put to death - in
1649 after a bloody civil war. So, I've a rather gruesome question for you
today, Stephen. Are you ready?
Stephen: Oh, my knees are knocking!
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Yvonne: Why were British royals put to death by beheading rather than hanging?
a) It was faster, because gallows – a special wooden structure - wasn't needed.
b) It was less brutal to the prisoner as they died more quickly.
c) More executioners preferred to use the axe.
Stephen: I think it's probably a, because it was faster and they just wanted to get the
execution over and done.
Yvonne: Right - as usual, we'll find out whether you're right or wrong later on in today’s
"6 Minute English". So, roughly how many people in Britain are monarchists –
people who support the monarchy? Let's hear from the BBC's Gabriel
Gatehouse:
Insert 1: Gabriel Gatehouse, BBC News
Opinion polls suggest that support for the monarchy hovers around the 70, 75% mark
and has done for quite some time now. But that doesn't mean that a quarter of all
Britons want to get rid of the Queen as head of state. In fact, real die-hard republicans
are pretty difficult to come by.
Yvonne: So support for the monarchy hovers around, or is usually, between 70 and 75%.
But as we heard, that doesn't mean that the remaining 25% - a quarter of all
Britons - want to get rid of the Queen. In fact, we heard that die-hard
republicans are not easy to find, or to come by. Stephen, what does Gabriel
Gatehouse mean by 'die-hard republicans'?
Stephen: Well, republicans believe that a country should be lead by someone who has
been elected by its citizens, rather than by someone who was born into the
position. And 'die-hard' republicans are very firm or very unlikely to change
their views.
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Yvonne: Thanks, Stephen. Well, the BBC's Gabriel Gatehouse did manage to find a
group of people who we could describe as 'die-hard republicans'. They belong
to a British anti-monarchy campaign group called Republic, which thinks that
scrapping the monarchy would make politicians more accountable.
Stephen: They think it would make politicians more answerable to the people who put
them in power.
Insert 2: Graham Smith, Republic
By 2025, we want the monarchy gone or going. And it can be done, it can be achieved.
And there are plenty of examples in history. If you go back in time and you ask people,
let's say ten years ago, how long before America has a black president? Most people
would have said 20, 30, 40 years. It happened in eight.
Yvonne: Graham Smith from Republic compares the possibility of scrapping the British
monarchy with how Americans saw the possibility of having a black president
10 years ago.
Stephen: Yes, he says that happened much more quickly than they thought it would – in
just eight years. So he uses that example to say it's possible that Britain could
scrap the monarchy by 2025.
Yvonne: Well, for many, the monarchy is a big part of Britain's identity. Even
Americans, who are generally proud to live in a republic, seem to enjoy the
British monarchy, especially things like royal weddings!
Stephen: That's true, but is support for the royals consistent with their views on liberty?
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Yvonne: That’s a good question. And here's what historian, Professor Justin Champion,
says on that:
Insert 3: Professor Justin Champion, historian
The remarkable thing is that with all of its problems to do with race and class, liberty
means something in America. Liberty is the thing around which their national identity is
built. Ours is built around castles and queens and kings when really, it ought to be built
about being a free-born English man.
Yvonne: Professor Champion thinks it's remarkable - extraordinary - that with all their
problems around race and class, liberty - or freedom - still mean something in
America. He says that's what their national identity is built around.
Stephen: But Britain's national identity, he says, is built around castles and queens and
kings - the monarchy!
Yvonne: Well, the debate has been going on for centuries and I’m sure it will continue.
So in the meantime, Stephen, what's the answer to today's gruesome question?
Why were British royals put to death by beheading rather than hanging?
Stephen: And I think I said, because it was the quickest way.
Yvonne: It's actually because it was less cruel to behead people. Hanging was saved for
the commoners.
Stephen: Well, I guess I'm going to have to read up more of my history again.
Yvonne: Yes. And that's all for "6 Minute English".
Both: Goodbye!
