Queen Sofia misses out on second anniversary celebration

Image Source Agencia Brasil

Diamond Jubilee: Spain's Queen Sofia cancels visit

Queen Sofia of Spain has cancelled a visit to the UK to mark Queen Elizabeth's Diamond Jubilee because of disputes over the island of Gibraltar.

A Spanish government statement said it was "hardly appropriate" for Queen Sofia, 73, to attend a lunch on Friday. 

The UK and Spain have been in dispute over fishing rights off Gibraltar, a UK territory which Spain also claims. 

Spain has also protested over a visit to Gibraltar by Queen Elizabeth's son Prince Edward and his wife Sophie. 

The prince and the Countess of Wessex are to visit Gibraltar on 11-13 June as part of the celebrations to mark the 60th anniversary of the Queen's reign. 

Complaint 

Spain continues to claim sovereignty over Gibraltar, which has been ruled by Britain since 1713 under the terms of the Treaty of Utrecht. 

Queen Sofia's husband, King Juan Carlos, had already declined his invitation to the lunch at Windsor Castle on Friday. 

He is recovering from surgery last month after he fell and broke his hip while hunting elephants in Botswana. 

In 1981, the Spanish royal couple declined an invitation to Prince Charles's wedding ana, Princess of Wales because they planned to visit Gibraltar as part of their honeymoon. 

And a visit by Princess Anne to Gibraltar in 2009 sparked an official complaint from the Spanish government. 

An additional cause of unhappiness for the Spanish royal household is the fact that the British regimental band of Gibraltar will be performing at the Diamond Jubilee, reports the Spanish news agency Efe. 

A spokesman for the UK Foreign Office told the AFP news agency: "The visit was a private commitment and we don't comment on private visits." 

Sovereign's lunch 

Officials at Buckingham Palace have refused to confirm which monarchs are attending the lunch on Friday, but the BBC's royal correspondent Peter Hunt said Prince Albert of Monaco and the Emperor of Japan would be at Windsor Castle. 

Emperor Akihito, who is 78, underwent heart surgery in February and only returned to full official duties in April. 

Swaziland's King Mswati III, who critics accuse of leading a "lavish lifestyle" while his people starve, is among those attending. 

Protests were held outside the Savoy hotel in London on Wednesday by Swazis living in the UK, who claim two-thirds of people in Swaziland are living in extreme poverty. 

Our correspondent said the King of Bahrain, Sheikh Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, could also attend, despite public unrest in the country and accusations of human rights abuses. 

The lunch will be followed by an evening banquet at Buckingham Palace, hosted by the Prince of Wales.


Vocabulary:

a statement -

off (Gibraltar) -

hip (n) -

to spark -

a complaint -

a household -

to undergo surgery -

a duty -

lavish (adj) -

to starve -

to hold (an event) -

to claim -

unrest (n) -

to host -


Grammar point:

"The prince and the Countess of Wessex are to visit Gibraltar on 11-13 June as part of the celebrations to mark the 60th anniversary of the Queen's reign."

Be to + verb refers to a future action. It is quite common in news reports and official notices. It is used for official arrangements and formal instructions that are imposed on us by other people.
  • The PM (Prime Minister) is to make a statement later today.
  • Luggage is not to be left unattended otherwise it may be taken away and destroyed.
  • The police are to investigate claims of corruption.
  • Life jackets are to be worn at all times.

Comments

Lucía said…
hi!

how are you?

I read the article, I can understand all the article without looking word up in the dictionary.

I'll look up some word as:

to mark-
queen's reign-
to spark-
Lavish-
Swaziland-
two-thirds-
poverty-

I can know the mean of these words but I prefer look it up.

I can't undertand why they put gerund hunting in this sentence:

He is recovering from surgery last month after he fell and broke his hip while hunting elephants in Botswana.

thank you.

LucitiLaCatalana
Lucía said…
hi1

I think that I have found the mean
"He is recovering from surgery last month after he fell and broke his hip while hunting elephants in Botswana".

I can traslate "durante la cacería". I can remember that The verb in gerund is a name!!!.....
Graham said…
Hi Lucía!

I'm very well thanks. How are you?

I don't see Luciti much on facebook now. :D

Do you think Queen Sofia should have gone?


I read the article, I can understand all the article without looking words (in the dictionary).

I'll look up some words such as:

I can imagine the meaning of these words but I prefer to look them up.


You are right that the verb as the subject of a sentence takes the gerund form but here I think we simply omit "he was":

"He is recovering from surgery last month after he fell and broke his hip while (he was) hunting elephants in Botswana".


See you in a bit!
Graham said…
I made a typo. I should have said "looking words up" in my previous comment.
lucia said…
thank you.
lucia said…
I don't agree with our dear Queen Sofia (LOl). I think the Queen has to be more embarrassed by her husband´s behaviour than the disputes over the island of Gibraltar. If she wants a lesson about moral behaviour she had to give up.

Bye....
Graham said…
Hi Lucía!

I don't think Sofia had much choice - it was the government that decided for her. I'm sure she would love to have gone.

Sofia has nothing to be embarrassed about; it's her husband who should hang his head with shame. It'll be interesting to see the body language of the two at their next appearance. I wonder if the King will be his normal jovial self.



If she wants a lesson about moral behaviour she should give up.
lucía said…
I have read your comment.Although I agree with you a bit, I think that Juan Carlos's wife has to have some responsabilities about theirs marriage. She could get divorced.

On the other hand, I have looked up the verb to hold in a dictionary and I am surprised about the high among of meanings to this word.
bye,

Luciti
Graham said…
Hi Lucía!

Did you see the appearance of the King and Queen at the Armed Forces Day parade? It seems that they are not on speaking terms now.


Although I kind of agree with you, I think that Juan Carlos's wife should have some responsibility for their marriage.

I have looked up the verb to hold in a dictionary and I was surprised to see just how many meanings this word has.

See you!