Warmest congratulations to the ABC board, the Chairman, Maurice Newman AC , directors Janet Albrechtsen, Steven Skala, Peter Hurley, and Keith Windschuttle and the Managing Director, Mark Scott. After broadcasting the three episodes of the House of Windsor –which I do hope they will repeat, perhaps on ABC2 – they are to broadcast something which I had thought would be lost, “Charles at 60 – The Passionate Prince.”
This will be broadcast across the Commonwealth of Australia on ABC1 at 6:05 pm on Monday, 2 February, 2009.
To revive our borrowing from the Monarchist League of Canada of their awards, Crowns and Maces, we award a Crown to each of the directors.
Incidentally the ABC followed the last episode, the one on The Queen broadcast on Monday 26 January, with a superb Australia Day message from the Governor-General Quentin Bryce, who was speaking from Afghanistan.
We ought to award a Crown to the Prime Minister Mr Kevin Rudd, who neither took over the Governor-General’s role in delivering a message which should come from the Head of State, nor succumbed to the advice of those that he raise the divisive issue of republicanism on a day which should unite us. And he should also be commended for rejecting immediately the ludicrous suggestion rm this year’s Australian of the Year that we move Australia Day.
For some considerable time Harold Schmauz of the Monarchist Alliance has been calling on the ABC to broadcast programmes about the great events which surround the throne. We have supported him in that. With the undoubted ratings success of some Royal programmes on commercial television, it seems the ABC is returning to its vocation as the national broadcaster. We congratulate the Corporation.
The BBC guide explains the programme “Charles at 60 – The Passionate Prince” in these words:
“For a year, BBC cameras have filmed the Prince of Wales at home, abroad, at work and on duty. Now, for the first time, we can see and hear for ourselves the private and passionate man behind the controversy and the headlines. “As the Prince of Wales turns 60, he has defied convention to become one of Britain's most outspoken and prolific campaigners, as well as being a businessman, ambassador for Britain and a father.
“This revealing film goes behind the closed doors of the Prince's world and gives us the chance to make up our own minds about the man who, one day, will be king.”
A video introducing the series follows.
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