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| Palace denies Queen's speech suggested Britain must stay in EU | Palace denies Queen's speech suggested Britain must stay in EU |
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| Buckingham Palace has denied that a speech by the Queen on her state visit to Germany amounted to a suggestion that she believed Britain should remain part of the European Union. | Buckingham Palace has denied that a speech by the Queen on her state visit to Germany amounted to a suggestion that she believed Britain should remain part of the European Union. |
| At a state banquet attended by Germany’s chancellor, Angela Merkel, and Britain’s prime minister, David Cameron, the Queen said “division in Europe is dangerous” and urged Britons and Germans not to take the benefits of a peaceful continent for granted. | |
| Merkel was seen nodding vigorously during parts of the speech, which came on the eve of a summit where Cameronis expected to begin negotiations for a new political settlement, before of a UK referendum on Britain’s membership of the EU. | |
| Later, the palace said the speech was not intended to make any political point about the future of the union. “The Queen’s speech speaks for itself on the threats of division and the benefits of unity,” a spokesperson said. “As ever, the Queen is above politics and is politically neutral on the EU.” | Later, the palace said the speech was not intended to make any political point about the future of the union. “The Queen’s speech speaks for itself on the threats of division and the benefits of unity,” a spokesperson said. “As ever, the Queen is above politics and is politically neutral on the EU.” |
| It was the second clarification from Buckingham Palace in 24 hours on a matter of political sensitivity. On Wednesday, a senior courtier, Sir Alan Reid, said an earlier briefing on royal accounts – which resulted in reports that Scotland could cut its contribution to the monarchy – was “never intended to be a criticism of Scotland or of the first minister or to suggest that the first minister had cast doubt on the continued funding of the monarchy”. | It was the second clarification from Buckingham Palace in 24 hours on a matter of political sensitivity. On Wednesday, a senior courtier, Sir Alan Reid, said an earlier briefing on royal accounts – which resulted in reports that Scotland could cut its contribution to the monarchy – was “never intended to be a criticism of Scotland or of the first minister or to suggest that the first minister had cast doubt on the continued funding of the monarchy”. |
| Scotland’s first minister, Nicola Sturgeon, expressed anger following the reports, saying they had “no basis in fact”. | |
| The Queen’s speech in Berlin, at a banquet hosted by Germany’s president, Joachim Gauck, had appeared to offer some subtle hints that she believed Britain ought to stay in the EU. | The Queen’s speech in Berlin, at a banquet hosted by Germany’s president, Joachim Gauck, had appeared to offer some subtle hints that she believed Britain ought to stay in the EU. |
| “In our lives, Mr President, we have seen the worst, but also the best of our continent,” she said. “We have witnessed how quickly things can change for the better. But we know that we must work hard to maintain the benefits of the postwar world. | “In our lives, Mr President, we have seen the worst, but also the best of our continent,” she said. “We have witnessed how quickly things can change for the better. But we know that we must work hard to maintain the benefits of the postwar world. |
| “We know that division in Europe is dangerous and that we must guard against it in the west as well as in the east of our continent. That remains a common endeavour.” | |
| Her comments appeared to be well received by Merkel, who is a key proponent of greater European integration. | |
| The speech, prepared by officials in the Queen’s private office, would have been passed by the UK government as is usual when the monarch travels overseas. Her remarks came before a meeting of European heads of state in Brussels where Cameron is expected to set out his ideas for a change to Britain’s status within the EU. The issue is not on the formal agenda for the summit but he will have a chance to explain his desired reforms to the EU’s other 27 national leaders over dinner on Thursday. | |
| The Queen’s speech delivered in Berlin was drafted on the advice of the government. | |
| Buckingham Palace stressed that it should not be interpreted as her views on the European Union, but rather a politically neutral speech drawing on her own experiences during her long life time. | |
| A palace spokesman said: “The Queen’s speech speaks for itself on the threats of division and the benefits of unity. As ever, the Queen is above politics and its politically neutral on the EU.” | |
| All the Queen’s speeches on state visits overseas are made on the advice of government. In this case, the subject matter would have been passed by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and No 10. | |
| The speech itself will have been drafted in her own private office. Her private secretary, Sir Christopher Geidt , acts as a conduit between her and the government of the day, and it is likely he will have had significant input in its precise wording. | |
| The destinations and timings of the Queen’s official overseas visits are decided by the royal visits committee, comprising members of the royal household as government representatives. | |
| Whenever the Queen travels and makes an offical speech, it is open to being interpreted as comment on a current situation, so detailed analysis of her words is not uncommon. | |
| But aides would stress that she never sets out to be political , and is, indeed above politics, in that she would not make a party political point. | |
| On this particular occasion, she was keen to reflect from her own personal experiences. | |
| “What she is doing is drawing on her own experiences of Europe throughout her own life, “ said one aide. “From her experience she is speaking of the benefits of unity and the dangers of division in Europe, not of division within the European Commission. | |
| “The speech is given by the Queen, but on the advice of government”. | |
| But, while drafted on the advice of government, such speeches are also written with a keen eye for the Queen’s political neutrality, the aide stressed. | |
| Personal touches too, such as her reference to meeting Chancellor Adenauer at Windsor in 1958 , are also added. | |
| The royal visit to Germany continues on Thursday when the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh tour Frankfurt. They are due to visit St Paul’s church – which played an important role in the birth of parliamentary democracy in Germany – and will have lunch in the Römer, the historic city hall. They will then return to Berlin, where they will attend a garden party at the residence of the British ambassador. | |
| Additional reporting by Caroline Davies | Additional reporting by Caroline Davies |