It's not that often that we hear the Queen giving her opinions on anything.
But that's what happened during her visit to Royal Holloway, University of London ten days ago.
She said: ‘Poor people and their problems don’t get reported often, and they need all the assistance they can be given.’ She made her remarks to Professor David Simon.
Royal experts said she was well within her rights to champion the underprivileged and insisted she had not breached any constitutional protocol by straying into politics.
Penny Junor, who has written biographies of Prince Charles and Princess Diana, said: ‘The Queen is not stupid and would never stray into the world of party politics. I think most people will agree with what she said.’
The Queen visited the Royal Holloway, which is a campus of the University of London and has around 9,000 students, with her husband ten days ago. It is located in Egham, Surrey, 19 miles south west of central London.
Praise for the Queen as she casts protocol aside to say the poor need help
The Queen and Prince Phillip visited the Royal Holloway University, Surrey
Royal commentators insisted Her Majesty had a duty to speak out
Monarch usually avoids statements which can be seen as political
By Nick Craven and Chris Hastings
14 March 2014
Daily Mail
Daily Mail
The Royal Holloway, University of London, is ranked 102nd best university in the world by the Times Higher Education World University Rankings for 2013-14
The Queen was praised yesterday for speaking out on behalf of the world’s poor.
Royal experts said she was well within her rights to champion the underprivileged and insisted she had not breached any constitutional protocol.
The Queen made her remarks to Professor David Simon on a visit to Royal Holloway, University of London, with the Duke of Edinburgh on Friday.
The Queen looked radiant in royal blue as she visited the Royal Holloway University in London
Queen Elizabeth II was beaming after an official visit to Royal Holloway at University Of London
The Queen attended Royal Holloway to mark the college being awarded the Diamond Jubilee Professorship of Music by the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh, to recognize its department of music's high quality of research and teaching
She told Prof Simon: ‘Poor people and their problems don’t get reported often, and they need all the assistance they can be given.’
Anti-monarchists have accused the Queen of breaching her political neutrality by making comments that are critical of Government policy. But Royal commentators insist the Queen had a duty to speak out on behalf of those in need.
Penny Junor, who has written biographies of Prince Charles and Princess Diana, said: ‘The Queen is not stupid and would never stray into the world of party politics. I think most people will agree with what she said.’
Hugo Vickers, the historian and royal biographer, described the Queen’s comments as ‘sensitive and sensible’. He said: ‘The Queen is allowed to speak, and if people want to pretend she said something political that is what they will do.’
Prof Simon last night said he told the Queen about his field of expertise, which involves working with poor people, particularly in Africa.
He said they also discussed the recent flooding in England, how it affected those caught up in it, and how people here are much more able to recover from challenges, due to help such as insurance.
He said: ‘I don’t think she was trying to be overtly political – it was just a sign of her compassion as far as I was concerned.’
Alison Garnham, chief executive of the Child Poverty Action Group, supported the Queen’s comments, saying: ‘I think it’s simply an accurate observation, something that we’re certainly seeing in our work and which people see increasingly in their communities, such as more families receiving emergency food aid.’
John Hilary, of the War On Want charity, said: ‘Poverty in Britain is not a chance occurrence. It is the result of a sustained political attack on working people and local communities.’
But Graham Smith of anti-Monarchy group Republic called her comments ‘crass’.
‘It’s a criticism of Government policy, and the rights and wrongs of Government policy aren’t what she’s supposed to speak on,’ he said.
Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh meet staff from the Royal Holloway University in Egham, Surrey
Big crowds turned out to welcome the Queen and Prince Philip to the Royal Holloway University
Students scale trees and raise their phones - and even iPads - aloft to get a better view of the Queen and Prince Philip arriving at the university
The Royal Holloway, a constituent of the University of London, is located in Egham, Surrey, 19 miles south west of central London
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