The Second Elizabethan Age

Podcast

The Second Elizabethan Age

Sir Richard Lambert, former Chairman of the British Museum and former editor of the Financial Times, reflects on the 70-year reign of Queen Elizabeth II and the ways in which society changed under her rule.

Episodes

The coronation

Richard Lambert recalls the excitement at the start of the second Elizabethan age. In 1953 Britain was a deferential society and adulation of the Queen was the order of the day

Public service: strong as a yak

Richard Lambert considers the Queen’s commitment to public service and how she played the part of monarch

The media: Speak to us ma’am

When the Queen came to the throne the media was deferential to the 25-year-old monarch and her family. But in the 1960s that began to change. Richard Lambert maps the sometimes fractious relationship between the Queen and the press

Head of state

Richard Lambert charts the evolving relationship between the Queen, politicians and her prime ministers during her reign

The Queen and the world: Rule Britannia

Richard Lambert examines how the Queen navigated the world of international politics as head of state and head of the Commonwealth

The constitution

Richard Lambert talks to Vernon Bogdanor, one of the UK’s foremost constitutional experts, about the Queen’s long reign and the state of the monarchy

Read and listen to more of our reporting on Queen Elizabeth II

obituary

A nation of orphans

The collective grief will be seismic. But the Queen’s death is a moment to celebrate an historic reign, and unite in collective gratitude, writes Matthew d’Ancona.

editor’s voicemail

An audience with the Queen

Tortoise co-founders James Harding and Matthew Barzun reflect on the meaning of the death of Queen Elizabeth II.

long read

The Second Elizabethan Age

Sir Richard Lambert’s six-part podcast series on the reign of Queen Elizabeth II, adapted into a single written piece.

Photo essay