Sir, – As the platinum jubilee celebrations in Britain unfolded, I was bemused by RTÉ News’ constant need to explain to its audience that the celebrations were for “Britain’s Queen Elizabeth”.
Perhaps they feared confusion with Queen Elisabeth of the Belgians? (That seems unlikely as she died in 1965). Or with Queen Elizabeth, consort of “Britain’s King George VI”? (That also seems unlikely as she died in 2002). Surely not with Empress Elisabeth of Austria (different title and century, she died in 1898)?
I prefer your approach in The Irish Times. Simply refer to the British head of state as “Queen Elizabeth” on first mention and then as “the queen” in subsequent mentions. There is no danger of an Irish audience misunderstanding who is meant by “Queen Elizabeth”. The lower case “q” in queen makes it clear that her title has no official status in this part of Ireland whilst still being respectful.
While the niceties of the lower-case queen are not available to RTÉ in its news broadcasts, the introductory “Queen Elizabeth” has already signalled to the audience that she is not “The Queen” buttressed by capital letters. A far more elegant solution than trying to create an artificial sense of distance for an Irish audience from a very familiar position and individual by constant use of the clumsy phrase “Britain’s Queen Elizabeth”. – Yours, etc,
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