the queen's speech at 21

April 21, 1947 – Princess Elizabeth’s Incredibly Powerful 21st Birthday Message Transcript

Speaking from South Africa on the occasion of her 21st birthday in 1947, Princess Elizabeth dedicates herself to the service of the Empire and calls upon its young people to support her in the endeavor. Read the transcript here.

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Speaker 1: ( 00:00 ) Her Royal Highness Princess Elizabeth speaking from South Africa on her 21st birthday marks the occasion with this simple, but historic message.

Princess Elizabeth: ( 00:08 ) Let me begin by saying thank you to all the thousands of kind people who have sent me messages of goodwill. This is a happy day for me, but it is also one that brings serious thoughts, thoughts of life looming ahead with all its challenges and with all its opportunity. Will you, the youth of the British family of nations, let me speak on my birthday as your representative? Now that we are coming to manhood and womanhood, it is surely a great joy to us all, to think that we should be able to take some of the burden off the shoulders of our elders who have fought and worked and suffered to protect our childhood. If we all go forward together with an unwavering faith, a high courage and a quiet heart, we shall be able to make of this ancient commonwealth, which we all love so dearly an even grander thing, more free, more prosperous, more happy, and a more powerful influence for good in the world then it has been in the greatest days of our forefathers.

Princess Elizabeth: ( 01:27 ) To accomplish that, we must give nothing less from the whole of ourselves. There is a motto which has been born by many of my ancestors, a noble motto I serve. Those words were an inspiration to many bygone airs to the throne when they made their nightly dedication as they came to manhood. I cannot quite do as they did. But through the inventions of science, I can do what was not possible for any of them. I can make my active dedication with a whole empire listening. I should like to make that dedication now, it is very simple. I declare before you all with my whole life, whether it be long or short, shall be devoted to your service and to the service of our great imperial family, to which we all belong. But I shall not have strength to carry out this resolution alone, unless you join in it with me, as I now invite you to do. I know that your support will be unfairly given. God help me to make good my vow, and God bless all of you who are willing to share in it.

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Princess Elizabeth's 21st Birthday Speech

On her twenty-first birthday, 21 April 1947, Princess Elizabeth was with her parents and younger sister on a tour of South Africa. In a speech broadcast on the radio from Cape Town, the Princess dedicated her life to the service of the Commonwealth.

On my twenty-first birthday I welcome the opportunity to speak to all the peoples of the British Commonwealth and Empire, wherever they live, whatever race they come from, and whatever language they speak.

Let me begin by saying 'thank you' to all the thousands of kind people who have sent me messages of good will. This is a happy day for me; but it is also one that brings serious thoughts, thoughts of life looming ahead with all its challenges and with all its opportunity.

At such a time it is a great help to know that there are multitudes of friends all round the world who are thinking of me and who wish me well. I am grateful and I am deeply moved.

As I speak to you today from Cape Town I am six thousand miles from the country where I was born. But I am certainly not six thousand miles from home. Everywhere I have travelled in these lovely lands of South Africa and Rhodesia my parents, my sister and I have been taken to the heart of their people and made to feel that we are just as much at home here as if we had lived among them all our lives.

That is the great privilege belonging to our place in the world-wide commonwealth - that there are homes ready to welcome us in every continent of the earth. Before I am much older I hope I shall come to know many of them.

Although there is none of my father's subjects from the oldest to the youngest whom I do not wish to greet, I am thinking especially today of all the young men and women who were born about the same time as myself and have grown up like me in terrible and glorious years of the second world war.

Will you, the youth of the British family of nations, let me speak on my birthday as your representative? Now that we are coming to manhood and womanhood it is surely a great joy to us all to think that we shall be able to take some of the burden off the shoulders of our elders who have fought and worked and suffered to protect our childhood.

We must not be daunted by the anxieties and hardships that the war has left behind for every nation of our commonwealth. We know that these things are the price we cheerfully undertook to pay for the high honour of standing alone, seven years ago, in defence of the liberty of the world. Let us say with Rupert Brooke: "Now God be thanked who has matched us with this hour".

I am sure that you will see our difficulties, in the light that I see them, as the great opportunity for you and me. Most of you have read in the history books the proud saying of William Pitt that England had saved herself by her exertions and would save Europe by her example. But in our time we may say that the British Empire has saved the world first, and has now to save itself after the battle is won.

I think that is an even finer thing than was done in the days of Pitt; and it is for us, who have grown up in these years of danger and glory, to see that it is accomplished in the long years of peace that we all hope stretch ahead.

If we all go forward together with an unwavering faith, a high courage, and a quiet heart, we shall be able to make of this ancient commonwealth, which we all love so dearly, an even grander thing - more free, more prosperous, more happy and a more powerful influence for good in the world - than it has been in the greatest days of our forefathers.

To accomplish that we must give nothing less than the whole of ourselves. There is a motto which has been borne by many of my ancestors - a noble motto, "I serve". Those words were an inspiration to many bygone heirs to the Throne when they made their knightly dedication as they came to manhood. I cannot do quite as they did.

But through the inventions of science I can do what was not possible for any of them. I can make my solemn act of dedication with a whole Empire listening. I should like to make that dedication now. It is very simple.

I declare before you all that my whole life whether it be long or short shall be devoted to your service and the service of our great imperial family to which we all belong.

But I shall not have strength to carry out this resolution alone unless you join in it with me, as I now invite you to do: I know that your support will be unfailingly given. God help me to make good my vow, and God bless all of you who are willing to share in it.

This work is in the public domain worldwide because it was created by a public body of the United Kingdom with Crown Status and commercially published before 1974.

See Crown copyright artistic works , Crown copyright non-artistic works and List of Public Bodies with Crown Status .

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Queen's Speech 2021

Her Majesty’s most gracious speech to both Houses of Parliament.

My lords and members of the House of Commons.

My Government’s priority is to deliver a national recovery from the pandemic that makes the United Kingdom stronger, healthier and more prosperous than before.

To achieve this, my Government will level up opportunities across all parts of the United Kingdom, supporting jobs, businesses and economic growth and addressing the impact of the pandemic on public services.

My Government will protect the health of the nation, continuing the vaccination programme and providing additional funding to support the NHS. My Ministers will bring forward legislation to empower the NHS to innovate and embrace technology. Patients will receive more tailored and preventative care, closer to home [Health and Care Bill]. Measures will be brought forward to support the health and wellbeing of the nation, including to tackle obesity and improve mental health. Proposals on social care reform will be brought forward.

My Government will build on the success of the vaccination programme to lead the world in life sciences, pioneering new treatments against diseases like cancer and securing jobs and investment across the country.

My Ministers will oversee the fastest ever increase in public funding for research and development and pass legislation to establish an advanced research agency [Advanced Research and Invention Agency Bill].

Following the unprecedented support provided to businesses during the pandemic, proposals will be brought forward to create and support jobs and improve regulation.

My Government will strengthen the economic ties across the union, investing in and improving national infrastructure. Proposals will be taken forward to transform connectivity by rail and bus [High Speed Rail (Crewe – Manchester) Bill] and to extend 5G mobile coverage and gigabit capable broadband [Product Security and Telecommunications Infrastructure Bill].

Legislation will support a lifetime skills guarantee to enable flexible access to high quality education and training throughout people’s lives [Skills and Post-16 Education Bill].

Measures will be introduced to ensure that support for businesses reflects the United Kingdom’s strategic interests and drives economic growth [Subsidy Control Bill]. Laws will simplify procurement in the public sector [Procurement Bill]. Eight new Freeports will create hubs for trade and help regenerate communities [National Insurance Contributions Bill].

My Government will ensure that the public finances are returned to a sustainable path once the economic recovery is secure.

Measures will be brought forward to ensure that children have the best start in life, prioritising their early years. My Ministers will address lost learning during the pandemic and ensure every child has a high quality education and is able to fulfil their potential.

My Government will help more people to own their own home whilst enhancing the rights of those who rent. Laws to modernise the planning system, so that more homes can be built, will be brought forward, along with measures to end the practice of ground rents for new leasehold properties [Planning Bill, Leasehold Reform (Ground Rent) Bill]. My Ministers will establish in law a new Building Safety Regulator to ensure that the tragedies of the past are never repeated [Building Safety Bill].

Measures will be brought forward to address racial and ethnic disparities and ban conversion therapy.

Legislation will support the voluntary sector by reducing unnecessary bureaucracy and releasing additional funds for good causes [Dormant Assets Bill, Charities Bill].

My Government will invest in new green industries to create jobs, while protecting the environment. The United Kingdom is committed to achieving net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 and will continue to lead the way internationally by hosting the COP26 Summit in Glasgow. Legislation will set binding environmental targets [Environment Bill]. Legislation will also be brought forward to ensure the United Kingdom has, and promotes, the highest standards of animal welfare [Animal Welfare (Sentience) Bill, Kept Animals Bill, Animals Abroad Bill].

My Government will strengthen and renew democracy and the constitution. Legislation will be introduced to ensure the integrity of elections, protect freedom of speech and restore the balance of power between the executive, legislature and the courts [Electoral Integrity Bill, Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Bill, Judicial Review Bill, Dissolution and Calling of Parliament Bill]. My Ministers will promote the strength and integrity of the union. Measures will be brought forward to strengthen devolved Government in Northern Ireland and address the legacy of the past [Northern Ireland (Ministers, Elections and Petitions of Concerns) Bill, Legacy Legislation].

My Government will introduce measures to increase the safety and security of its citizens.

Legislation will increase sentences for the most serious and violent offenders and ensure the timely administration of justice [Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill]. Proposals will be brought forward to address violence, including against women and girls, and to support victims [Draft Victims Bill]. Measures will be brought forward to establish a fairer immigration system that strengthens the United Kingdom’s borders and deters criminals who facilitate dangerous and illegal journeys [New Plan for Immigration Legislation].

My Government will lead the way in ensuring internet safety for all, especially for children [Draft Online Safety Bill] whilst harnessing the benefits of a free, open and secure internet.

My Ministers will provide our gallant Armed Services with the biggest spending increase in thirty years, taking forward their programme of modernisation and reinforcing the United Kingdom’s commitment to NATO. My Ministers will honour and strengthen the Armed Forces Covenant, placing it in law [Armed Forces Bill]. Measures will be introduced to provide National Insurance contribution relief for employers of veterans [National Insurance Contributions Bill].

Legislation will be introduced to counter hostile activity by foreign states [Counter-State Threats Bill, Telecommunications (Security) Bill]. My Ministers will implement the Integrated Review of Security, Defence, Development and Foreign Policy.

The United Kingdom will host the G7 Summit and lead the global effort to secure a robust economic recovery from the pandemic. My Ministers will deepen trade ties in the Gulf, Africa and the Indo-Pacific.

My Government will continue to provide aid where it has the greatest impact on reducing poverty and alleviating human suffering. My Government will uphold human rights and democracy across the world. It will take forward a global effort to get 40 million girls across the world into school.

Members of the House of Commons.

Estimates for the public services will be laid before you.

Other measures will be laid before you.

I pray that the blessing of Almighty God may rest upon your counsels.

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King Charles Views Queen Elizabeth's Famous 21st Birthday Speech During South Africa State Visit

Delivered from South Africa, then-Princess Elizabeth said, "My whole life, whether it be long or short, shall be devoted to your service"

Stephanie Petit is a Royals Editor, Writer and Reporter at PEOPLE.

Queen Elizabeth II was top of mind during the first state visit of King Charles III 's reign.

After giving South African President Cyril Ramaphosa a formal welcome to the U.K. followed by a carriage procession to Buckingham Palace, King Charles and Queen Camilla hosted a private lunch. The royal couple then led President Ramaphosa around the Picture Gallery to view items from the Royal Collection relating to South Africa.

Among the items displayed was the text of a speech given by then-Princess Elizabeth on her 21st birthday along with a black and white photo. In a special radio broadcast from Cape Town, the royal pledged her life to her duties.

"I declare before you all that my whole life, whether it be long or short, shall be devoted to your service and the service of our great imperial family to which we all belong," the future monarch famously said. "But I shall not have strength to carry out this resolution alone unless you join in it with me, as I now invite you to do: I know that your support will be unfailingly given. God help me to make good my vow, and God bless all of you who are willing to share in it."

Elizabeth also said in the speech, "As I speak to you today from Cape Town, I am 6,000 miles from the country where I was born. But I am certainly not 6,000 from home. Everywhere I have traveled in these lovely lands of South Africa and Rhodesia, my parents, my sister and I have been taken to the heart of their people and made to feel that we are just as much at home here as if we had lived among them all our lives."

For more on the Royals, listen below to our daily podcast PEOPLE Every Day.

Displayed were photos of Queen Elizabeth with Nelson Mandela, who was South Africa's president from 1994 to 1999.

There was also a map showing the route of the Royal Train during the 1947 royal tour of South Africa undertaken by King George VI, Queen Elizabeth , Princess Elizabeth and Princess Margaret — the first visit to South Africa by a reigning British monarch.

Kate Middleton and Prince William were present for the event, walking around the Picture Gallery with South Africa's Foreign Minister Naledi Pandor.

Other members of the royal family who were present at the palace included Prince Edward, Sophie, Countess of Wessex and Prince Richard, Duke of Gloucester.

Although President Ramaphosa's trip marks the first state visit of King Charles' reign, much of the organization is believed to have taken place before the late Queen Elizabeth died in September. As COVID curtailed visits and international travel, this is the first state visit hosted by the British royal family since 2019.

Can't get enough of PEOPLE 's Royals coverage? Sign up for our free Royals newsletter to get the latest updates on Kate Middleton , Meghan Markle and more!

On Tuesday evening, a centerpiece of the two-day state visit will take place when a glittering state banquet will be hosted at Buckingham Palace, complete with tiaras and ballgowns. Buckingham Palace gave a glimpse at the preparations for the elaborate banquet via social media, sharing a video from the kitchens, where staff were busy preparing the food.

As a special touch, they're also creating decorations in the shape of the national flower of South Africa, the Protea.

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Watch CBS News

Watch: Michelle Obama's full speech at the 2024 DNC

By Jennifer Earl

Updated on: August 21, 2024 / 11:32 AM EDT / CBS News

Former first lady Michelle Obama delivered a roughly 20-minute speech  Tuesday night at the 2024 Democratic National Convention in Chicago, telling Americans that "hope is making a comeback" with Vice President Kamala Harris and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz on the Democratic ticket. In the speech, Obama honored her late mother, Marian Robinson, saying she believes Harris holds similar values. 

Obama also drew a stark contrast between Harris and former President Donald Trump, saying the Republican candidate "did everything in his power to try to make people fear us." She also took a dig at Trump's "Black jobs" comment made in his June debate with President Biden.

"Who's going to tell him that the job he's currently seeking might just be one of those 'Black jobs'?" Obama asked. 

The electric speech drew applause from the crowd and prompted her husband, former President Barack Obama to joke in his speech  afterward that he's "the only person stupid enough to speak after Michelle Obama."

Read a full transcript of Obama's prepared 2024 DNC remarks below.

Hello Chicago! 

Something wonderfully magical is in the air, isn't it? 

Not just here in this arena… but spreading all across this country we love… a familiar feeling that's been buried too deep for too long. 

You know what I'm talking about? 

It's the contagious power of hope! 

The anticipation… the energy… the exhilaration of once again being on the cusp of a brighter day. 

The chance to vanquish the demons of fear, division, and hate that have consumed us… and continue pursuing the unfinished promise of this great nation—the dream that our parents and grandparents fought and died and sacrificed for. 

America, hope is making a comeback!

To be honest, I'm realizing that until recently, I have mourned the dimming of that hope. 

Maybe you've experienced the same feelings… a deep pit in my stomach… a palpable sense of dread about the future. 

And for me, that mourning has been mixed with my own personal grief. 

The last time I was in Chicago was to memorialize my mother—the woman who showed me the meaning of hard work, humility, and decency… who set my moral compass high and showed me the power of my voice. 

I still feel her loss so profoundly… I wasn't even sure I'd be steady enough to stand before you tonight. 

But my heart compelled me to be here because of the sense of duty I feel to honor her memory… and to remind us all not to squander the sacrifices our elders made to give us a better future. 

You see, my mom, in her steady, quiet way, lived out that striving sense of hope every day of her life. 

She believed that all children — all people — have value… that anyone can succeed if given the opportunity. 

She and my father didn't aspire to be wealthy… in fact, they were suspicious of those who took more than they needed. 

They understood that it wasn't enough for their kids to thrive if everyone else around us was drowning. 

So my mother volunteered at the local school… she always looked out for the other kids on our block. 

She was glad to do the thankless, unglamorous work that for generations, has strengthened the fabric of this nation. 

The belief that if you do unto others… if you love thy neighbor… if you work and scrape and sacrifice, it will pay off—if not for you, then maybe for your children or your grandchildren… those values have been passed on through family farms and factory towns… through tree-lined suburbs and crowded tenements… through prayer groups and National Guard units and social studies classrooms. 

Those were the values my mother poured into me until her very last breath. 

Kamala Harris and I built our lives on those same foundational values. 

Even though our mothers grew up an ocean apart, they shared the same belief in the promise of this country. 

That's why her mother moved here from India at 19. 

It's why she taught Kamala about justice… about our obligation to lift others up… about our responsibility to give more than we take. 

She'd often tell her daughter, "Don't sit around and complain about things—do something!"

So with that voice in her head, Kamala went out and worked hard in school, graduating from an HBCU… earning her law degree at a state school… and then she went on to work for the people. 

Fighting to hold lawbreakers accountable and strengthen the rule of law… fighting to get folks better wages… cheaper prescription drugs… a good education… decent health care, childcare, and elder care. 

From a middle-class household, she worked her way up to become Vice President of the United States of America. 

Kamala Harris is more than ready for this moment. 

She is one of the most qualified people ever to seek the office of the presidency… and she is one of the most dignified—a tribute to her mother, to my mother, and probably to your mother too… the embodiment of the stories we tell ourselves about this country. 

Her story is your story… it's my story… it's the story of the vast majority of Americans trying to build a better life. 

Kamala knows, like we do, that regardless of where you come from, what you look like, who you love, how you worship, or what's in your bank account… we all deserve the opportunity to build a decent life… all of our contributions deserve to be accepted and valued. 

Because no one has a monopoly on what it means to be an American… no one!

Kamala has shown her allegiance to this nation, not by spewing anger and bitterness, but by living a life of service and always pushing the doors of opportunity open for others. 

She understands that most of us will never be afforded the grace of failing forward… we will never benefit from the affirmative action of generational wealth. 

If we bankrupt a business… or choke in a crisis, we don't get a second, third, or fourth chance. 

If things don't go our way, we don't have the luxury of whining or cheating others to get further ahead… we don't get to change the rules so we always win. 

If we see a mountain in front of us, we don't expect there to be an escalator waiting to take us to the top. 

No, we put our heads down. We get to work. In America, we do something. 

And throughout her entire life, that's exactly what we've seen from Kamala Harris: the steel of her spine… the steadiness of her upbringing… the honesty of her example… and yes, the joy of her laughter and her light. 

It couldn't be more obvious… of the two major candidates in this race, only Kamala Harris truly understands the unseen labor and unwavering commitment that has always made America great.

Unfortunately, we know what comes next… we know folks are going to do everything they can to distort her truth. 

My husband and I, sadly, know a little something about this. 

For years, Donald Trump did everything in his power to try to make people fear us. 

His limited and narrow view of the world made him feel threatened by the existence of two hardworking, highly educated, successful people who also happened to be Black. 

Who's going to tell him that the job he's currently seeking might just be one of those "Black jobs"?  

It's his same old con: doubling down on ugly, misogynistic, racist lies as a substitute for real ideas and solutions that will actually make people's lives better. 

You see, gutting our health care… taking away our freedom to control our bodies… the freedom to become a mother through IVF, like I did—those things are not going to improve the health outcomes of our wives, mothers, and daughters. 

Shutting down the Department of Education… banning our books—none of that will prepare our kids for the future. 

Demonizing our children for being who they are and loving who they love—that doesn't make anybody's life better. 

Instead, it only makes us small. 

And let me tell you… going small is never the answer. 

Going small is the opposite of what we teach our children. 

Going small is petty… it's unhealthy… and quite frankly, it's unpresidential. 

Why would we accept this from anyone seeking our highest office? 

Why would we normalize this type of backward leadership? 

Doing so only demeans and cheapens our politics… it only serves to further discourage good, big-hearted people from wanting to get involved at all. 

America, our parents taught us better than that… and we deserve so much better than that. 

That's why we must do everything in our power to elect two of those good, big-hearted people… there is no other choice than Kamala Harris and Tim Walz!

But as we embrace this renewed sense of hope, let us not forget the despair we have felt… let us not forget what we are up against.

Yes, Kamala and Tim are doing great right now… they're packing arenas across the country… folks are energized… we're feeling good. 

But there are still so many people who are desperate for a different outcome… who are ready to question and criticize every move Kamala makes… who are eager to spread those lies… who don't want to vote for a woman… who will continue to prioritize building their wealth over ensuring everyone has enough.

No matter how good we feel tonight or tomorrow or the next day, this is still going to be an uphill battle… so we cannot be our own worst enemies. 

No, the minute something goes wrong… the minute a lie takes hold, we cannot start wringing our hands. 

We cannot get a Goldilocks complex about whether everything is just right. 

We cannot indulge our anxieties about whether this country will elect someone like Kamala instead of doing everything we can to get someone like Kamala elected.

Kamala and Tim have lived amazing lives… I am confident they will lead with compassion, inclusion, and grace. 

But they are still only human. They are not perfect. And like all of us, they will make mistakes. 

But luckily, this is not just on them. 

No, this is up to us—all of us—to be the solution we seek… it is up to all of us to be the antidote to all the darkness and division. 

I don't care how you identify politically… whether you're a Democrat, Republican, independent, or none of the above… this is our time to stand up for what we know in our hearts is right. 

To stand up not just for our basic freedoms but for decency and humanity… for basic respect, dignity, and empathy… for the values at the very foundation of this democracy. 

It's up to us to remember what Kamala's mother told her: Don't just sit around and complain — do something! 

So if they lie about her, and they will, we've got to do something! 

If we see a bad poll, and we will, we've got to put down that phone and do something! 

If we start feeling tired… if we start feeling that dread creeping back in… we've got to pick ourselves up, throw water on our faces, and do something!  

We have only two and a half months to get this done… only 11 weeks to make sure every single person we know is registered and has a voting plan. 

So we cannot afford for anyone to sit on their hands and wait to be called upon… don't complain if no one from the campaign has specifically reached out to ask for your support… there is simply no time for that kind of foolishness.

You know what we need to do.

So consider this to be your official ask: Michelle Obama is asking you to do something!

Because this is going to be close. 

In some states, just a handful of votes in every precinct could decide the winner. 

So we need to vote in numbers that erase any doubt… we need to overwhelm any effort to suppress us. 

Our fate is in our hands. 

In 77 days, we have the power to turn our country away from the fear, division, and smallness of the past. 

We have the power to marry our hope with our action. 

We have the power to pay forward the love, sweat, and sacrifice of our mothers and fathers and all those who came before us. 

We did it before and we sure can do it again. 

Let us work like our lives depend on it… 

Let us keep moving our country forward and go higher — yes, higher — than we've ever gone before… 

As we elect the next President and Vice President of the United States, Kamala Harris and Tim Walz!

And now it is my honor to introduce somebody who knows a whole lot about hope… someone who has spent his life strengthening our democracy… please welcome America's 44th president and the love of my life… Barack Obama! 

• Obama Administration
• Michelle Obama
• Barack Obama

Jennifer Earl is the Vice President of Growth & Engagement at CBS News and Stations. Jennifer has previously written for outlets including The Daily Herald, The Gazette, NBC News, Newsday, Fox News and more.

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The Seven Most Memorable Speeches Given By Queen Elizabeth II

Queen Elizabeth II's annual Christmas address may have been the most famous, but her 21st birthday one is even more powerful.

BuzzFeed News Reporter

Princess Elizabeth, later Queen Elizabeth II, of England on tour of South Africa in 1947

As a world leader for over 70 years, Queen Elizabeth II had to make a lot of speeches.

Some of her most powerful addresses came before she even officially took the throne, and continued through regular speeches on Christmas and in moments of crisis. Even just months before her death at age 96 , the queen was still speaking to the nation, reminiscing fondly about her husband, Prince Philip .

Here are some of her most memorable.

1947 Birthday Message

View this video on YouTube

Though she wouldn’t be queen until 1956, Princess Elizabeth delivered a message on her 21st birthday in South Africa in which she dedicated her life to serving the British Empire.

1997 Tribute to Princess Diana

After Princess Diana’s death, Queen Elizabeth honored her daughter-in-law’s unforgettable life with remarks at Buckingham Palace, even though the pair had a notoriously difficult relationship.

“In good times and bad, she never lost her capacity to smile and laugh, nor to inspire others with her warmth and kindness,” Queen Elizabeth said. “I admired and respected her for her energy and commitment to others, and especially for her devotion to her two boys.”

2020 COVID-19 Broadcast

In an April 2020 address livestreamed from Windsor Castle, Queen Elizabeth acknowledged the toll the COVID-19 pandemic had taken on the world and encouraged others to persevere.

She ended the broadcast with the now iconic line, “We will meet again.”

1940 BBC Children’s Hour Broadcast

At just 13 years old, Princess Elizabeth delivered her first-ever public speech on the radio. a morale-boosting message addressed to fellow young people affected by World War II.

“And when peace comes, remember it will be for us, the children of today, to make the world of tomorrow a better and happier place,” she said.

1960 State Opening of Parliament

To kick off the parliamentary year, the queen highlights priorities for the upcoming months. Queen Elizabeth delivered a particularly rousing speech in 1960, which was also the first one filmed in color.

“My armed forces will continue to make their contribution to the safeguarding of world peace,” she said. “The friendship which links us to our great ally, the United States of America, is a powerful element of the defense of peace.”

1957 Christmas Broadcast

Queen Elizabeth delivered her first Christmas address to the UK in 1957, in what became a national tradition that has also served as a unifying event at the end of each year. She wasn’t the first to broadcast a Christmas speech, but she was the first to have her speeches televised, 25 years after her grandfather King George V’s appeared on the radio.

“Twenty-five years ago, my grandfather broadcast the first of these Christmas messages,” she said. “Today is another landmark, because television has made it possible for many of you to see me in your homes on Christmas Day. My own family often gather round to watch television, as they are at this moment, and that is how I imagine you now.

“I very much hope that this new medium will make my Christmas message more personal and direct. It’s inevitable that I should seem a rather remote figure to many of you, a successor to the kings and queens of history, someone whose face may be familiar in newspapers and films but who never really touches your personal lives. But now, at least for a few minutes, I welcome you to the peace of my own home.”

2021 Christmas Broadcast

In her final Christmas speech, Queen Elizabeth honored her late husband, Prince Philip, with a heartfelt address.

“His sense of service, intellectual curiosity, and capacity to squeeze fun out of any situation were all irrepressible,” she said. “That mischievous, enquiring twinkle was as bright at the end as when I first set eyes on him.”

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Oprah Winfrey's speech at DNC: ‘Who says you can’t go home again?’

Full text of winfrey’s convention address to delegates at united center..

Oprah Winfrey speaks during the Democratic National Convention Wednesday, Aug. 21, 2024, at the United Center

Ashlee Rezin/Sun-Times

Full prepared remarks of Oprah Winfrey on Wednesday at the Democratic National Convention.

Good evening, everybody! Who says you can’t go home again?

After watching the Obamas last night, that was some epic fire, was it not? We are so fired up, we cannot wait to leave here and do something! And what we are going to do is select Kamala Harris as the next president of the United States!

I am so honored to have been asked to speak on tonight’s theme about what matters the most to me, to you, and all of us Americans. Freedom.

There are people who want you to see our country as a nation of us against them. People who want to scare you. Who want to rule you. People who would have you believe that books are dangerous. And assault rifles are safe.

That that there was a right way to worship and a wrong way to love. People who seek first to divide, and then to conquer. But here is the thing. When we stand together, it is impossible to conquer us.

In the words of an extraordinary American, the late Congressman John Lewis, no matter what ship our ancestors arrived on, we are all in the same boat now.

He knew very well how far this country has come because he was one of the brilliant Americans who helped get us to where we are. But he also knew that the work is not done. The work will never be done, because freedom is not free.

America is an ongoing project. It requires commitment, it requires being open to the hard work and to the heart work of democracy.

And every now and then, it requires standing up to life’s bullies. I know this. I have lived in Mississippi. In Tennessee. In Wisconsin. Maryland. Indiana. Florida. Hawaii. Colorado. California. And sweet home Chicago, Illinois!

I have actually traveled this country from the redwood forests to the gulf stream waters. I have seen racism and sexism and income inequality and division.

I have not only seen it, at times, I have been on the receiving end of it. But more often than not, what I have witnessed and experienced are human beings, both conservative and liberal, who may not agree with each other, but who still will help you in a heartbeat if you are in trouble.

These are the people who make me proud to say that I am an American. They are the best of America. And despite what some would have you think, we are not so different from our neighbors.

When a house is on fire, we do not ask about the homeowners race or religion. We do not wonder who their partner is or how they voted. No. We just try to do the best we can to save them. And if the place happens to belong to a childless cat lady — we tried to get the cat out, too. Because we are a country of people who work hard for the money.

We wish our brothers and sisters well and we pray for peace. We know all the old tricks and tropes designed to distract us from what actually matters.

But we on — we are beyond ridiculous tweets and lies and foolery. These are complicated times, people, and they require adult conversation.

And I welcome those conversations, because civilized debate is vital to democracy, and it is the best of America.

Now over the last couple of nights, we have all seen brave people walk onto the stage and share their most private pain. Amanda, Josh, Caitlin, and Hadley, told us their stories of rape and incest. The near death experiences from having the state deny them the abortion their doctor explained was medically necessary.

And they told us these things for one reason, and that is to keep what happened to them from happening to anybody else because if you do not have autonomy over this, if you cannot control when and how you choose to bring your children into this world and how they are raised and supported, there is no American dream.

The women and men who are battling to keep us from going back to a time of desperation and shame and stone cold fear, they are the new freedom fighters. And make no mistake, they are the best of America.

I want to talk now about somebody who is not with us tonight. Tessie Prevost Williams was born in New Orleans not long after the Supreme Court ruled that segregated public schools were unconstitutional. That was in 1954, same year I was born.

But I did not have to head to first grade with a U. S. Marshal by my side at an all-white school. When I go to school, the building was not empty like it was for Tessie.

Rather than allowing the daughter to be integrated, parents pulled their kids out of the school, leaving only Tessie and two other little black girls, Gail and Leona, to sit in a classroom with the windows papered over to block snipers from attacking their six-year-old bodies.

Tessie passed away six weeks ago. And I tell this story to honor her tonight. Because she — like Ruby Bridges and her friends Leona and Gail, the New Orleans Four, as they were called, broke barriers and paid dearly for it.

But it was the great courage of women like Tessie that paved the way for another young girl, who, nine years later, became part of the second class to integrate in public schools in Berkeley, California.

And it seems to me that at school and at home, somebody did a beautiful job of showing this young girl how to challenge the people at the top and empower the people at the bottom.

They showed her how to look at the world and see not just what is, but what can be. They instilled in her a passion for justice and freedom and the glorious fighting spirit necessary to pursue that passion.

And very soon, very soon we are going to be teaching our daughters and sons about how this child of an Indian mother and Jamaican father, two idealistic and energetic immigrants, — how this child grew up to become the 47th president of the United States! That is the best of America!

Let me tell you this. This election is not about us and them. It is about you and me.

And what we want our futures to look like. There are choices to be made when we cast our ballot. Now there is a certain candidate that says we only have to go to the polls just one time and then we will never have to do it again.

You know what? You are looking at a registered independent who is proud to vote again and again and again because I am an American and that is what Americans do.

Voting is the best of America. And I have always, since I was eligible to vote, I have always voted by values. And that is what is needed in this election, now more than ever.

So I am calling on all you independents and all you undecideds. You know this is true. You know I am telling you the truth. That values and character matter most of all. In leadership and in life.

And more than anything, you know this is true, that decency and respect are on the ballot in 2024.

And just plain common sense. Common sense tells you that Kamala Harris and Tim Walz can give us decency and respect. They are the ones to give it to us.

So. We are Americans. Let us choose loyalty to the constitution over loyalty to any individual. Because that is the best of America. And let us choose optimism over cynicism. Because that is the best of America. And let us choose inclusion over retribution, common sense over nonsense. Because that is the best of America!

And let us choose the sweet promise of tomorrow over the bitter return to yesterday. We will not go back. We won’t be sent back, pushed back, kicked back, we are not going back.

Let us choose truth. Let us choose honor. Let us choose jooooooooooooy! Because that is the best of America!

But more than anything else, let us choose freedom. Why? Because that is the best of America!

We are all Americans, and together, let us all choose Kamalaaaaaaaa Haaaaaaaarris! Thank you, Chicago!

Kamala Harris makes her pitch to the American people on the final day of the Democratic National Convention. These were the big moments

Topic: US Elections

Kamala Harris officially accepted the nomination to be the Democratic presidential contender.  ( Reuters: Brendan Mcdermid )

On a night that mixed personal stories from her loved ones with endorsements from celebrities, Kamala Harris has officially accepted the nomination to be the Democratic presidential challenger to run against Donald Trump. 

The final day of the convention in Chicago was marked by breathless anticipation as rumours ripped through the arena that Beyoncé would perform.

Every time a speaker walked off the stage and the MC prepared to announce the next guest, a hush fell over the crowd.

In the end, Bey's appearance never eventuated. 

But the star of the night was still Harris, who had just weeks to prepare to make her pitch to the American people to vote for her as their first female president.

In a wide-ranging speech that touched on thorny foreign policy issues like wars in Ukraine and Gaza, abortion access and climate change, Harris sought to distinguish herself from her opponent.

These were the biggest moments from the last day of the Democratic National Convention.

America doesn't know Harris well. She tried to change that

Kamala Harris had to walk a startlingly high tightrope in her address to accept the nomination to be the Democratic nominee.

Only a month ago, she was President Joe Biden's running mate, but his disastrous debate performance against Trump in June saw her rocketed to the top of the ticket.

Most presidential contenders have months, if not years, to write, practice and perfect their convention speech.

Harris had just a couple of weeks.

She used this convention to introduce herself to the American people, who might know her as Biden's VP, but don't know much else.

Her young nieces came on stage to teach the crowd how to correctly say her name, and her sister Maya gave insights into their childhood as the daughters of immigrants living in California in the 1960s. 

Finally, it was Harris's turn to speak to the delegates. 

She wished her husband Doug a happy anniversary, paid tribute to her late mother, and took a moment to honour the historic nature of her candidacy.

She is the first Black woman and the first South Asian American to be the presidential nominee of a major party.

"So, on behalf of the people, on behalf of every American, regardless of party, race, gender or the language your grandmother speaks … I accept your nomination for president of the United States of America," she said.

Harris warns of a 'Donald Trump with no guardrails'

In attacking Trump, Harris steered clear of the "weird" attack line that Democrats have favoured since her running mate, Tim Walz, started trotting it out in media interviews.

Instead, she reverted to the party's longstanding tack, painting him as a danger to democracy.

She talked about his efforts to reverse Biden's election win, his plans to pardon January 6 rioters, and the civil fraud and sexual abuse rulings against him.

The threat he posed, she said, had been heightened by the recent Supreme Court decision granting ex-presidents some immunity from criminal prosecution.

"Just imagine Donald Trump with no guardrails and how he would use the immense powers of the presidency of the United States," Harris said.

"Not to improve your life, not to strengthen our national security, but to serve the only client he has ever had: himself."

Harris tore into Trump on both domestic and foreign policy.

She insisted Trump "and his allies" would enact a nationwide abortion ban, despite Trump's insistence he would leave it to states to decide

Trump has changed his public position on abortion over time, but recently has been saying he would leave it up to individual states.

And she said dictators like North Korea's Kim Jong-un were "rooting for Trump".

"Donald Trump is an unserious man, but the consequences of putting Donald Trump back in the White House are extremely serious."

A Beyoncé rumour whips the crowd into a frenzy 

The will-she-won't-she speculation about a final-night Beyoncé cameo had been building all week.

Her hit Freedom has become the Harris campaign anthem, with Beyoncé's blessing, and an a capella version of the song blasted through the stadium speakers on night one.

Speculation reached a fever pitch when White House political director Emmy Ruiz posted a bee emoji on X, formerly known as Twitter. 

For the uninitiated, Beyoncé's fans call themselves the "Bey-hive". 

Twitter users were unconvinced when Ruiz then posted, "Sorry guys my 6-year-old took my phone". 

Whether it was an out-of-control rumour or a story planted to get more Americans to tune in on the final night of the convention, the arena was disappointed. 

Some other stars lent their power to the Kamala cause though. 

P!ink did an acoustic version of What About Us, a ballad that she has called a political protest song, with her daughter Willow.

The Chicks returned as well. In 2003, back when they were known as The Dixie Chicks, they were cancelled by the country music industry for speaking out against the Iraq war and criticising George W Bush.

In 2020, they performed the national anthem at the Democrats' virtual convention, and reprised their performance for the crowd tonight.

The Gaza war remains a schism in the Democratic party

In the weeks leading up to the convention, the DNC had been under pressure to make space onstage for a pro-Palestinian voice.

The collective of uncommitted delegates, representing hundreds of thousands of protest votes in their states, had for weeks been requesting a speaking slot for a Palestinian American.

"The DNC kept telling us that they would get back to us, and they were working on it, and to be patient," Asma Mohammed, an uncommitted Minnesota delegate, told the ABC.

"And finally, yesterday, at 8pm they told us the answer was no."

Some of the delegates responded by staging a 24-hour sit-in protest just outside the main convention arena, sleeping on the concrete overnight.

Palestinian American Democratic congresswoman Rashida Tlaib came to see them and offer support, and fellow 'Squad' Democrat Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez FaceTimed the group and called on the DNC to change its mind.

The DNC didn't comment on its decision, but party elder Nancy Pelosi said AOC could have spoken about the issue in her speech, and added: "We don't have every nationality in our country speak at a convention."

In the end, the first Muslim member of the Georgia state legislature, Ruwa Romman, gave her speech at a press conference outside. 

She spoke of her family's Palestinian roots and their pain over what was happening in Gaza, but didn't criticise the Biden administration. 

She ended it by saying: "To those who doubt us, to the cynics and the naysayers, I say, 'Yes, we can'."

"Yes we can be a Democratic Party that prioritises funding our schools and hospitals, not for endless wars. That fights for an America that belongs to all of us.

"Black, brown and white, Jews and Palestinians, all of us, like my grandfather taught me, together."

During her speech, Harris addressed the war in Gaza. 

“With respect to the war in Gaza, President Biden and I are working around the clock, because now is the time to get a hostage deal and a ceasefire deal done,” she said.

She spoke forcefully against Hamas and the terrorist attack on Israel on October 7. 

"At the same time, what has happened in Gaza over the past 10 months is devastating. So many innocent lives lost, desperate, hungry people fleeing for safety, over and over again, the scale of suffering is heartbreaking," she said, earning her one of the loudest cheers of the night from the crowd. 

Trump heads to the border as we hurtle towards election day

While Democrats partied in Chicago, Trump flew south to Arizona's border with Mexico to talk about immigration.

Polls show that border security is one area where voters overwhelmingly prefer Trump.

One poll this year showed Americans preferred his immigration stance over Biden's by more than 30 points.

The decision to switch out Biden for Harris has improved Democrats' standing with voters on immigration.

But it's clearly one area where Trump thinks he has an advantage.

In Arizona, he threatened large tariffs on countries that don't accept deported migrants.

"The countries will accept them back, and if they don't accept them back, we do no trade with those countries and we charge them big tariffs," he said.

With the Democratic Convention now done, we are full steam ahead towards election day on November 5.

Most polls show the decision to dispense with Biden in favour of Harris has given Democrats a better chance against Trump, with the election a toss-up if it were held today.

The next key date to look out for is September 10.

That's when Harris and Trump will face off in their first televised presidential debate.

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Michelle Obama’s Speech Turns Trump’s ‘Black Jobs’ Line Against Him

The former first lady enthralled a packed arena on Tuesday evening with one of the Democratic National Convention’s most emphatic takedowns of Donald J. Trump.

• Share full article

Michelle Obama Speaks on Second Night of Democratic Convention

The former first lady delivered a takedown of former president donald j. trump, asking, “who’s going to tell him that the job he’s currently seeking might just be one of those ‘black jobs’”.

For years, Donald Trump did everything in his power to try to make people fear us. See, his limited, narrow view of the world made him feel threatened by the existence of two hard-working, highly educated, successful people who happen to be Black. I want to know. I want to know who’s going to tell him? Who’s going to tell him that the job he’s currently seeking might just be one of those Black jobs?

By Katie Rogers

Reporting from the Democratic National Convention in Chicago

• Published Aug. 21, 2024 Updated Aug. 22, 2024

Michelle Obama, the former first lady and one of the most popular figures in the Democratic Party, delivered one of the Democratic National Convention’s most emphatic takedowns of former President Donald J. Trump on Tuesday night and turned one of his most controversial campaign lines against him: “Who’s going to tell him that the job he’s currently seeking might just be one of those ‘Black jobs’?” she said.

Mrs. Obama, a reluctant campaigner, enthralled a packed arena in Chicago with a convention appearance that lent firepower to Vice President Kamala Harris’s presidential campaign. She offered support and praise for Ms. Harris, but focused much of her nearly 20-minute speech squarely on Mr. Trump, mocking his past comments, his background and his behavior, while mostly avoiding naming him.

And for a speech delivered at a political convention, her remarks struck a remarkably personal tone as she spoke of the former president, who led a multiyear campaign to question the birthplace of her husband, former President Barack Obama.

“For years, Donald Trump did everything in his power to try to make people fear us,” she said, adding that “his limited, narrow view of the world made him feel threatened by the existence of two hardworking, highly educated, successful people who happen to be Black.”

She zeroed in on his debate-night complaint about immigrants taking “Black jobs” by pointing out that the presidency of the United States has been one and might soon be again. She said that Americans like Ms. Harris understood “that most of us will never be afforded the grace of failing forward,” a reference to Mr. Trump’s business troubles. She noted that most Americans do not grow up with “the affirmative action of generational wealth.” (Mr. Trump was born into a wealthy family in Queens.)

“If we see a mountain in front of us, we don’t expect there to be an escalator waiting to take us to the top,” she said. Line by line, she received thunderous applause.

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'Demure' TikTok creator Jools Lebron shares why she declined to give a speech at the DNC

Lebron explained her demure decision to decline her invite to the democratic national convention in an appearance on 'jimmy kimmel live' her answer was very mindful, very cutesy..

Mega-viral TikTok creator Jools Lebron has explained her demure decision to decline an invitation to speak at the Democratic National Convention .

In an appearance on "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" on Monday night, the creator of the "demure" trend sweeping the nation revealed to guest host RuPaul that she was invited to give a speech at the Chicago convention. As her true cutesy and mindful self, she said she respectfully turned down the offer because of another obligation.

"Unfortunately I had a wig appointment so," Lebron said. The Queen of Drag responded with a quick quip: "I know a little something about that."

The TikTok personality with nearly 2 million followers appeared on the talk show to explain the origins behind her viral video titled, "How to be demure and modest and respectful at the work place."

Watch Jools Lebron's Jimmy Kimmel Live appearance

What does demure mean now?

By definition, to be demure it to be "reserved, modest, and shy."

But this month the term has become the internet's latest buzzword, aesthetic and mentality, with many referring to the upcoming fall season as "demure autumn."

On TikTok, Lebron explained that for someone to be "demure" they must avoid drawing attention to on themselves by not being messy or loud. Other ways to embrace the mindset is to dress modestly at work and patiently waiting your turn to exit a plane.

"You see how I do my makeup at work? Very demure, very mindful," Lebron in the video. "I don't look like a clown when I go to work. I don't do too much. I'm very mindful while I'm at work. See how I look very presentable? The way that I came to the interview is the way I go to the job."

The term has gone on to be used by various celebrities like to JLo and Kim Kardashian , as well as organizations like NASA and the White House.

Contributing: Charles Trepany