ÐÇ¿Õ´«Ã½

Skip to main content

What does the Royal Family mean in 2022? Daniele Hamamdjian reflects on the Queen's Platinum Jubilee

Share

As Queen Elizabeth II marked 70 years on the throne, thousands upon thousands turned out in the streets of central London to mark the Platinum Jubilee festivities, hoping to catch a glimpse of Her Majesty.

But public appearances like these are becoming rarer and rarer for the 96-year-old monarch, as in recent years she's delegated more of her duties to younger members of the Royal Family.

“For the vast majority of people in the U.K., the Queen has simply always been around – if not as reigning monarch then as a princess. But with every event she now misses, it becomes increasingly clear we’re at the tail end of her time as sovereign," said Daniele Hamamdjian, CTV National News London News Bureau Correspondent.

Hamamdjian's personal reflections on the Platinum Jubilee celebrations and the state of the monarchy will air on Friday in the CTV News special "Reporter's Notebook: Queen's Platinum Jubilee."

These celebrations have also come during a tumultuous time for the Royal Family. Prince Andrew has faced allegations of sexual abuse stemming from his friendship with Jeffrey Epstein, while Prince Harry and Meghan have stepped down as working royals amid tensions with the rest of the family and while alleging racism.

And abroad, more nations in the Commonwealth realm are considering cutting ties with the monarchy, just as Barbados did last year.

“No matter what one’s views are on the Royal Family, many see Queen Elizabeth II as a separate entity,†said Hamamdjian. “The tremendous turnout for her Platinum Jubilee is a testament to the U.K.’s deep affection for Her Majesty. Whether that affection can and will transfer to Prince Charles is the major question facing the British monarchy.â€

"Queen’s Platinum Jubilee: Reporter’s Notebook by Daniele Hamamdjian" will premiere July 1 at 10:30 p.m. ET on CTV News Channel, the CTV News app and CTVNews.ca.

"One thing I often heard from those in the crowds was along the lines of…. ‘After a pandemic, and a war that shows no sign of ending, I want something happy, something to make me smile,'" Hamamdjian said. "I think viewers will get plenty of that in this special."

CTVNews.ca ÐÇ¿Õ´«Ã½

Three men were injured after trying to subdue a man armed with a knife during afternoon prayers at a Montreal-area mosque Friday afternoon.

Police have arrested an 18-year-old woman who allegedly stole a Porsche and then ran over its owner in an incident that was captured on video.

Since she was a young girl growing up in Vancouver, Ginny Lam says her mom Yat Hei Law made it very clear she favoured her son William, because he was her male heir.

A 15-year-old boy who was the subject of an emergency alert in New Brunswick has been arrested.

The search for a missing six-year-old boy in Shamattawa is continuing Friday as RCMP hope recent tips can help lead to a happy conclusion.

Emergency crews in northern Ontario found the bodies of four people inside a home where a fire broke out Thursday night.

Local Spotlight

Getting a photograph of a rainbow? Common. Getting a photo of a lightning strike? Rare. Getting a photo of both at the same time? Extremely rare, but it happened to a Manitoba photographer this week.

An anonymous business owner paid off the mortgage for a New Brunswick not-for-profit.

They say a dog is a man’s best friend. In the case of Darren Cropper, from Bonfield, Ont., his three-year-old Siberian husky and golden retriever mix named Bear literally saved his life.

A growing group of brides and wedding photographers from across the province say they have been taken for tens of thousands of dollars by a Barrie, Ont. wedding photographer.

Paleontologists from the Royal B.C. Museum have uncovered "a trove of extraordinary fossils" high in the mountains of northern B.C., the museum announced Thursday.

The search for a missing ancient 28-year-old chocolate donkey ended with a tragic discovery Wednesday.

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police is celebrating an important milestone in the organization's history: 50 years since the first women joined the force.

It's been a whirlwind of joyful events for a northern Ontario couple who just welcomed a baby into their family and won the $70 million Lotto Max jackpot last month.

A Good Samaritan in New Brunswick has replaced a man's stolen bottle cart so he can continue to collect cans and bottles in his Moncton neighbourhood.