hywel griffith, bbc news, aberfan. the queen's popularity crossed generations.ave been learning about the monarch and her reign today. our midlands correspondent navtej johal has been speaking to young people in leicester. our queen, queen elizabeth ii, she died yesterday afternoon... there was only one subject on much of the nation's mind today. and in soar valley college in leicester, young people were discussing the monarch who has defined the country she led for 70 years and what comes next. does anyone have any questions about this? yes? will the money currency change? what surprised you most in the last 2a hours? these year 11 students all spoke of their respect for the late monarch, but had different views on the monarchy. i feel like she related to us because when she was our age, she was doing the war efforts with the people of her age. i feel like she was one of us, even though we might have seen her as a greater person. she seemed like a very kind and caring person. in the photos, she's always waving at kids, going up to kids. i still believe the mona

her last visit was a decade _ times coming into aberfan.to aberfan. her last visit was a decade ago when - times coming into aberfan. her last visit was a decade ago when she - visit was a decade ago when she opened the new community school with ties remaining strong. just a few weeks ago, the school received a letter from weeks ago, the school received a letterfrom balmoral, marking the peoples of the jubilee celebration. they also will be impacted by this change. i they also will be impacted by this chance. ., , ,, ., they also will be impacted by this chance. ., , ., ,, change. i thought shocked and upset because she — change. i thought shocked and upset because she has _ change. i thought shocked and upset because she has been _ change. i thought shocked and upset because she has been our _ change. i thought shocked and upset because she has been our queen - change. i thought shocked and upset because she has been our queen for| because she has been our queen for 70 years _ because she has been our queen for 70 years and — because she h

hywel griffith, bbc news, aberfan.n's role in the world was changing rapidly. former colonies were gaining independence, as the british empire evolved into the commonwealth. and the seven decades of the queen's reign saw even greater change. in a moment we'll hear from yogita limaye in delhi and nada tawfik injamaica. first, anne soy reports from kenya, the country princess elizabeth was visiting when she received news of her father's death, and her accession at the age of 25. the royal visitors stepped off into the hot _ the royal visitors stepped off into the hot sunshine _ the royal visitors stepped off into the hot sunshine of— the royal visitors stepped off into the hot sunshine of nairobi... - the hot sunshine of nairobi... february— the hot sunshine of nairobi... february 1952, _ the hot sunshine of nairobi... february 1952, the _ the hot sunshine of nairobi... february 1952, the then- the hot sunshine of nairobi... i february 1952, the then princess elizabeth came to kenya to represent her ailing father, and un

she finally went to aberfan eight days after the disaster.n difficult to handle. her sense of duty also at times interfered with her family role. her son and heir charles had been a sensitive child who found his mother's absences difficult and wounding. and her husband philip was a restless man who sometimes found his role as consort frustrating. on one occasion, the palace had to deny rumours that the marriage was in difficulty. in fact, it was a partnership from which elizabeth was to derive great strength and reassurance. in the early �*60s, they had two more children — prince andrew, born in february 1960, and prince edward in march 1964. by the late �*60s, the palace realised that it needed to take the initiative. the result was a ground—breaking documentary. the film royal family showed the monarchy as it had never been seen before. elizabeth was shown performing the daily business of the sovereign, working on the official documents which were delivered to her virtually every day... yes, ma'am? do you think you could bring up those pape

in wales that skill was never more evident than when she visited aberfan in 1966.oling and her majesty would return four more times to that community. in one of our bible readings we heard of solomon's request for the gift of wisdom at a time of significant change and transition: solomon following david as king. as wales gains an even stronger sense of nationhood and our place within the world, we should still remember that shared traditions count. on st david's day in 2006, the queen marked a new chapter in the life of our country when she opened our senedd. mae ein gwreiddiau fel pobl yn ddwfn, mae ein diwylliant a'n iaith, ein straeon a'n chwedlau yn ein gosod mewn treftadaeth unigryw ond hefyd yn ein harwain ymlaen at ddyfodol ag addewid a photensial. mae arnom angen y gras a'r doethineb a ddangoswyd gan y frenhines wrth inni gydweithio i adeiladu cymdeithas lewyrchus a thosturiol. finally, many of us will recall with gladness her deep and committed christian faith which shaped her sense of duty and public service from as early as 19117 when she pledged her lif

i was in aberfan last week broadcasting _ what was going on.dcasting at _ what was going on. i was in aberfan last week broadcasting at the - last week broadcasting at the memorial garden, the site of the junior school, memorial garden, the site of the juniorschool, it memorial garden, the site of the junior school, it is quite a interesting relationship she struck? i suppose as a mother herself she understood something about the pain of what those parents must have been going through, and therefore she really empathised and sympathised and came back again and again to that village. and of course other parts of wales too, she came to llandaff cathedral several times when i was there, she came to open the parliament several times and always seemed very glad to be in wales. ., ., , ., , . wales. you would be in that select u-rou wales. you would be in that select a-rou of wales. you would be in that select grow» of clergymen _ wales. you would be in that select group of clergymen who _ wales. you would be in that select group of clergymen who wou

perhaps that was why she would return to aberfan several times during her reign.nblane, killing a teacher and 16 schoolchildren, the queen knew what was called for. there we were in dunblane cathedral and the queen had met the emergency services and the councillors and various representatives of the community to commiserate on behalf of the country, and there had been a moment set aside in the vestry, a totally private room, with nobody else present, just the queen and any parents who were there. to my astonishment, there were some 20 parents, including one mother who was so prostrate with grief, she could not stand. i rememberthe queen putting her handbag deliberately down and she physically braced herself before going into the room because she knew who was in there. she knew that somehow she was going to have to convey the sympathy of the nation and to react as a mother and grandmother. when terrorist bombs hit london injuly 2005, the queen expressed what is close to being her personal philosophy — keep calm and carry on... i want to express my admiration for th

. >> and dan, aberfan all very important to the people of wales.e when the disaster happened back in 1966, the queen attended with her husband. >> yes, that's right, kay. there is probably no community in a way that does not feel stronger to her majesty for then aberfan. for those who don't remember, it was back in 1966 that a coal tip on a hillside behind me collapsed and engulfed -- junior school, this primary school on the site. that disaster killed 116 children, and 28 adults. and as you say, in the subsequent days, her majesty the queen attended the site here, providing support to the community. and that visit as stayed with the people of aberfan, this elite wells mining town, for 55 years. now her majesty attended a few years ago the 50th anniversary. she came and planted a tree back in 1997, as did the now king charles when he was prince of wales. they both planted trees at the site here. behind me. so, for this community, the funeral today will be a time to reflect on the losses that they have experienced. but of course, her majesty's visit

she finally went to aberfan eight days after the disaster.urs that the marriage was in difficulty. in fact, it was a partnership from which elizabeth was to derive great strength and reassurance. in the early �*605, they had two more children — prince andrew, born in february 1960, and prince edward in march 1964. by the late �*605, the palace realised that it needed to take the initiative. the result was a ground—breaking documentary. the film, royal family, showed the monarchy as it had never been seen before. elizabeth was shown performing the daily business of the sovereign, working on the official documents which were delivered to her virtually every day... yes, ma'am. do you think you could bring up those papers that i was looking at yesterday? the american ambassador, your majesty _ ..and meeting visiting dignitaries. we're in the embassy residence — subject, of course, to some of the discomfiture as a result of a need for elements of refurbishing, rehabilitation. for her silverjubilee in 1977, there were carnivals, street parties and

when a coal tip collapsed in aberfan, killing 116 children, elizabeth was urged to visit the village. disaster. although a supremely dutiful monarch, she found public emotion difficult to handle. her sense of duty also at times interfered with her family role. herson interfered with her family role. her son and interfered with her family role. herson and heir interfered with her family role. her son and heir charles had been a sensitive child who found her mother �*s absence is difficult and wounding, and her husband philip was a restless man, who sometimes found his role as consort frustrating. 0n role as consort frustrating. on one occasion the palace had to deny rumours that the manage was in difficulty —— the marriage. in fact it was a partnership from which elizabeth was to derive great strength and reassurance. in the early 60s, they had two more children. prince andrew, born in 1960, and prince edward, in march 1964. by the late 60s, the palace realise that it needed to take the initiative. the result was a ground—breaking documentary. the film, royalfamily, showed the monarchy