美国国家公共电台 NPR--How the death of Queen Elizabeth will change the U.K.'s diplomatic profile

How the death of Queen Elizabeth will change the U.K.'s diplomatic profile

Transcript¹

NPR's Rachel Martin talks to U.S. Ambassador to the U.K. Jane Hartley about Queen Elizabeth's death and how change in the monarchy² could affect global divides and divisions within the U.K.

RACHEL MARTIN, HOST:

Many around the world continue to pay tribute to Queen Elizabeth II who died yesterday at the age of 96.

CAROLINE BEATTIE: She's just an amazing woman that's gone through so many different, amazing things in this world and tragedies, too. And she's rose above them all, right to the day she died.

GREG DONOVAN: As a child, I remember, oh, I always wanted to meet her. To me, she's bigger than any movie star ever. That's why I say she's probably the biggest star that ever was.

MOHIN KUMAR: More than anyone else, the queen understood that Britain centers itself as an old country with modern outlook. Huge conglomerates³ like Unilever, GSK, HSBC Bank were all founded in her times.

MARTIN: There was Caroline Beattie (ph), a British expat in Santa Monica, Calif., Greg Donovan (ph), also in Santa Monica, and Mohini Kumar (ph) from India. In Barbados, which fully⁴ broke constitutional ties with the monarchy just a year ago, the president, Sandra Mason, said independence did not diminish her nation's friendship with Britain or with Buckingham Palace. While tributes continue, there are questions, though, about what the queen's death means for the U.K. and the monarchy itself. On the line with us now is the U.S. ambassador to the U.K., Jane Hartley. Ambassador, thanks so much for joining us.

JANE HARTLEY: Thank you for having me.

MARTIN: I mean, the queen oversaw⁵ so much history. It's hard to track it all. What stands out to you when you look at the totality of her 70 years on the throne?

HARTLEY: Well, first of all, I'd like to express my sincere condolences to the royal family. I am in London now. I am at Winfield House. And I will tell you, the country is heartbroken. I was with my U.K. team yesterday when the news broke. It really is an end of an era, and everybody had tears in their eyes. And I think everybody knew it was coming, but somehow, it still felt too soon.

MARTIN: So say more about that era. When people say, as they have over the last 24 hours, it is the end of an era, what does that mean? What was her era defined by?

HARTLEY: Well, I think as you look at the 70 years - first of all, she began - the first - her first prime minister was Prime Minister Churchill, who was born in 1874. Her last prime minister was Prime Minister Truss, who was born in 1974. I mean, it is amazing. She met every U.S. president except, I think, for LBJ. And the other thing for me, I'm the second woman ambassador in the U.K., the first after 50 years. I can't imagine what it was like for her 70 years ago as a world leader and really being the only woman. So I just have the deepest, deepest respect for her and for her legacy⁶.

MARTIN: She saw herself as a steward⁷ of sorts, a steward of this institution, of the monarchy, which has existed for a thousand years. But were there moments when she herself, Elizabeth, changed the course of history?

HARTLEY: Well, I think she changed the course of history in her commitment to values for democracy, to freedom, to humanitarian⁸ values. And I think she did that throughout - really, throughout her time. And what touched me the most was just her commitment. I think she said when she was 21 years old that her life commitment would be to this country, this country the U.K. And what sort of brought me to tears this week, frankly⁹, is that two days before her death, she asked Prime Minister Truss to form a new government. And I think once again she realized how important that was because as we know, there are difficult days in the U.K. right now with the economy, with the cost of living, with the war in Ukraine. So she felt right to the end that she had to lead.

MARTIN: You've met the queen. You haven't been in your job for very long, but I understand you had some interactions with her.

HARTLEY: I did. I met her when I presented credentials¹⁰. That is a process that every American ambassador goes through when you first come to the U.K. And the day I presented credentials happened to be the hottest day in London history. And there is a formal process that every American ambassador goes through. The queen sends a horse and carriage for you. It was too hot that day for the horses, so the queen insisted on sending me her car, which was just extremely kind. I told her it wasn't necessary, but she did. She cared about my own personal happiness.

MARTIN: She always cared about the person in the moment. U.S. ambassador to the U.K. Jane Hartley, we appreciate your time.

HARTLEY: Thank you.

1 transcript   

n.抄本，誊本，副本，肄业证书

参考例句：

• A transcript of the tapes was presented as evidence in court.一份录音带的文字本作为证据被呈交法庭。
• They wouldn't let me have a transcript of the interview.他们拒绝给我一份采访的文字整理稿。

2 monarchy   

n.君主，最高统治者；君主政体，君主国

参考例句：

• The monarchy in England plays an important role in British culture.英格兰的君主政体在英国文化中起重要作用。
• The power of the monarchy in Britain today is more symbolical than real.今日英国君主的权力多为象徵性的，无甚实际意义。

3 conglomerates   

n.（多种经营的）联合大企业( conglomerate的名词复数 )；砾岩；合成物；组合物

参考例句：

• At the surface, radioactivity of the conglomerates is locally as high as 30 X background. 在地表，砾岩的局部地段的放射性高达30倍本底值。 来自辞典例句
• The conglomerates failed to understand that books could not be sold like soap. 这些联合大企业不懂卖书不象卖肥皂那样。 来自辞典例句

4 fully   

adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地

参考例句：

• The doctor asked me to breathe in,then to breathe out fully.医生让我先吸气，然后全部呼出。
• They soon became fully integrated into the local community.他们很快就完全融入了当地人的圈子。

5 oversaw   

v.监督，监视( oversee的过去式 )

参考例句：

• He will go down as the president who oversaw two historic transitions. 他将作为见证了巴西两次历史性转变的总统，安然引退。 来自互联网
• Dixon oversaw the project as creative director of Design Research Studio. 狄克逊监督项目的创意总监设计研究工作室。 来自互联网

6 legacy   

n.遗产，遗赠；先人(或过去)留下的东西

参考例句：

• They are the most precious cultural legacy our forefathers left.它们是我们祖先留下来的最宝贵的文化遗产。
• He thinks the legacy is a gift from the Gods.他认为这笔遗产是天赐之物。

7 steward   

n.乘务员，服务员；看管人；膳食管理员

参考例句：

• He's the steward of the club.他是这家俱乐部的管理员。
• He went around the world as a ship's steward.他当客船服务员，到过世界各地。

8 humanitarian   

n.人道主义者，博爱者，基督凡人论者

参考例句：

• She has many humanitarian interests and contributes a lot to them.她拥有很多慈善事业，并作了很大的贡献。
• The British government has now suspended humanitarian aid to the area.英国政府现已暂停对这一地区的人道主义援助。

9 frankly   

adv.坦白地，直率地；坦率地说

参考例句：

• To speak frankly, I don't like the idea at all.老实说，我一点也不赞成这个主意。
• Frankly speaking, I'm not opposed to reform.坦率地说，我不反对改革。

10 credentials   

n.证明，资格，证明书，证件

参考例句：

• He has long credentials of diplomatic service.他的外交工作资历很深。
• Both candidates for the job have excellent credentials.此项工作的两个求职者都非常符合资格。