Its our pleasure to introintroduce our speaker. I sat at the library after dinner the next morning i would have my last class at harvard and reading this article for my course on the British Empire was my last assignment. In it, he described his childhood realization that he was growing up in an era of an ending, that his was a generation that hung by its finger ends on the coat tail of the British Empire. The upon yant words resinated deeply that night as i reflected on the end of my journey at harvard. More importantly, across the bridge from childhood to adulthood. And there in the middle of the library i began to cry. I finally met in person last year at the church hill Center Leadership awards dinner in new york. Since then hes rescued me on two particularly frustrated spreadsheet sfiled days with chilling conversations for which im most grateful. And fortunate to know him not only as a world class scholar, but also as a tremendous listener, adviser and wisdom. So david is the dodge professor of history at Princeton University having previously taught at london universities. As the author of 15 books and professor is one of few individuals who could rival church hills prolif ka si. In addition to his writing, teaching and research, professor can dine served as the chairman of the trustees as the general editor of the dictionary of National Biography and fellow of the british academy. And the Rural Society of literature among numerous other accomplishments. He was in the birthday honors for his vast services to scholarship. It is my pleasure to introduce my speaker. The only person who can tasle the subject of Winston Church hill and the mon narcs, professor, david. Thank you so much for that exceptionally kind and generous introduction. Since i spend part of my time earning my living by speaking as well as writing. I have become its been fiercely competed for position. And on one occasion, i was lecturing, i was on the road with my auto biography and i was in kansas city and there was an introduction given and the chairman said, i should like to introduce david ken dine. Hes the author of the greatest ever written. And i thought the evening promised well. Then came the killer lines, he said it is also, of course, the only biography ever written. So, thank you so much for not having said that. Let me begin. Its january 1952. King george the 6th has just died and Winston Church who glifrs his last great public announcing that that knews and of course acclaiming george the sixth successor. The king worked with when it came, it came as a friend and acquaintance who recognized and did not fear. And after long day in the sweet good night to those who loved him best. He fell asleep as every man or woman who fears god and nothing else in the world hopes to do. He ended as followed, in your unchallenged tranquil glow of the victorian era. God save the queen. Well, there was church hill of his most eloquently devoted in his attitude towards the british, as epitomized in his late imagine industry majesty, george 6. And indeed according to clemency. Winston was the only surviving leader, kings and he took great pride and delight in being number one. Who valued tradition form and ceremony. The public life which span more than half a century from the mid 1890s to mid 1950s. It was a cade of kings and queens koir nations and lube lees. By the end of his career, church hill have been a member of parliament during the the raid of six successors, he had held office under four of them and he was, by substantial margin, the senior counselor. King and country in that order, thats just about all the religion that winston has got. However, what, of course, is interesting about Winston Church hill, as is so interesting about church hill and all the many important things he did. Is that the subject turns out on closer examination to be much more complicated but atlanta first glance we might suppose. Church hill, in fact, had a rather nuanced view and his relations with successive occupants were, themselves rather complicated and rather nuan nuanced. One of church hills views was that despite the shortcomings of certain british monarchs, the english throne was a sacred almost metaphysical institution, which connected the past, the president and the future and which proclaimed utility and identity off the nation. Part of what the british in the view was to do that. A second view was that while other european nations suffered kings or queens who were absolute, the british, on the other hand, who a more admirable form of constitution and limited mony, thanks to parliament, which represented the nation as a whole and the later advent of the twoparty system. The sovereignt party was aggressively eroding in a succession of episodes kwhrp milestones in the advancing course of national liberties. All the way to glorious resolution of 1688 and beyond. The results were a happy compromise, a Parliament Parliament and a do siel whereby the rained, above the and the cabinet got the same talent. So the world in which church hill grew up in the late 1960 when Queen Victoria was on the thrown. Was a world where he was an institutional in terms and enterpri enterprise which embodied the nations history and its symbolic functions and ceremonial activity. It was also in practical and essentially week terms a convenient constitutional device, which left the people free to elect their representatives, through they governed. It provided in a way that had not been true for much of the time when the stuarts had been on the thrown. And victoria was not only head of the british nation, but also became the great presiding person aj of the much wider British Empire. Largely on the couch of initiative in the united states. He had become an imperial monkey. The focus of signest tri of a diverse richest community, extended across the seas and around the world, which was united in hom imagine to the queen em p pe resz. Now, thats monica, by terms tori is weak, symbolic and constitutional, individual is familiar, national and imperial. Was in the full of the late victorian abundance, confidence as judge was growing up. It seemed an active expression for constitutional evolution and working political compromise. It was around the globe and in this particular sentiment of configuration. It lasted for the whole of church hills life. I should monica be observed on the birth of prince charms, to all the British Empire and commonwealth of nations. Churchhill never forgot while the functions are demonic. Were important. The whole toes and dynamic of english history have been to bring about a state of affairs where the government was carried on by ministers, who were trying really possible to Parliament Rather than to be crown the world derogatory. He insisted in 1909. Hes always advised on the advice of business. And minister is not the crown or respectable. And criticism is all debatable which should be directed to ministers, not to the mo mo narc. So those were church hills general use. We remain pretty much unchanged for the whole of his life. So how in practice did he interact, and how far did those views that he had about the balance of power between the public politicians in certain cases you would have tether guys, his relation with the secret of solve rens who he felt proud and like you said, its too churchhill came into contact engaged, face of his life and now im going to be sure to pull the trigger. As he begin to make representation and first office coalian. We have not earned more money, this would work, a reliable minister, above all, hes serious politician which can only be obtained by putting country before party. While it was certainly watch Young Winstons early political career with great interest, he increasingly felt that the church hill was headed in the wrong direction. His drive bushness, ambition, neg tichl soon grated on his sovereign. And by the end of the 19 hundreds, by the end of edward the reign, hes more radical political force. Over his peoples budget. Over increasing tax and in his hostile comments about the house of lords. All of this seemed to edward the seventh. And he suggested to that he had abonn danned his party when he comes to treatment. The very idea, one theyll put it of church hill acting from conviction or principal is enough to make anybody laugh. The anxiety about the political conduct and character lasted to the end of his life and the end of his reign. And not surprisingly, his successor, george the fifth, although recognizing as everybody had to do, church hill zeal and energy are being undeniable. He was also influenced by his fathers approval and generally in the early years if they thought it would be church hill irresponsible and we would have her here. And those critical view when church hill moved to be first lord off i moved here. Church hill in that role was in one sense a party politician, in another sense, a very zelous and creativity and engage. The king jorng the fifth was himself, of course, a former naval person. He was of the Armed Services and he was a starched believer if tradition and precedent. Rubbed each other up the wrong way over trivial and sometimes more important. Church hill, for example, had the bright idea but not the idea of wanting to name a ship hns whatever cromwell. George the fifth took violent exception to thus commemorating. He then had the idea of hns pit, but george the fifth language to which that and conclude that that wasnt a very good idea, either. I had church drivers license hill write reply, he wrote, rather stiffly after that second royal rebuff. That there were more important issues to in may 1912, churchhill decided that british battleships should be withdrawn from the mediterranean and relocated in the north sea, pending what was going to be quite soon, the war with germany. The king disapproved. Church hill exploded to his wife. The king talked more stupidly about the navy than i have ever heard him do before. Really, it is so dishardening to hear this treep and drizzled in which he let himself being filled up. Durge hid did not get fact. So what is going on in this first phase of church hills political career, his relationships, was it all. Edward the zercht and george the fifth disliked church hill because they thought he was insufficiently respectful of their person, their position and their prerogative. He thought his views were right and theirs were wrong, and they didnt like that. Church hill, to his part, was unintimidated and objected to what he regarded was inappropriate royal interference. It was royally within the film of parliament, and two access goats to get you upstairs, meant that when church hill fell over the disaster in 15. That news was greeted at Buckingham Palace with scarcely concealed relief going on the joys of pleasure. It is queen al an dra, all of that stupid young full hearted Winston Church hill, which has upset almost everybody. And george the fifth took exactly the shame view. He had become, he said, impossible of real danger and he was delighted and relieved that he had now been got out of harms way. The first phase of church hills involvement with the british crown, a very different set of stories and relgtszs and that embodied in that loyal and eloquent speech with which i started. So how do we get, as you were, from here there. What is the process whereby church hills views become very different as exemplified in his words about june 6th. And about Queen Elizabeth. The onset, i think, is as follows, during the hills, church hills attitude both in britain and abroad began to change as the balance between criticism and approval, hostility and appreciation shifted marketedly in their favor. Whats the explanation for that. Many pre1940 liberals, the First World War had left him saddened and uncertain, not only with his own personal and political reputation, damage and his Career Prospects diminished. Also looking out on social political and international landscape, so brutally transformed and disturbed, that it all resemblance to what seemed in retrospect to be the era of the with its subtle values and historic institutions, injuries church hill later wrote, injuries were brought to the structure of human society, which a century will not and which may prove fatal to the present civilization. And, especially, at the top of the list of the injuries had been the destruction and over throw of the rural royal houses of germany, russia and austria, hundred money ga ri. Its important, when he came in the 1930s to write his book of the world crisis, it was not only, though it was primarily, an. Prize in self justification for his part in the campaign. He was also that he has vanished of crowns and thouns of dominations. Nations of empires, he wrote. Crowned with princess and potus tapes. Lacked in the accumulated treasures of a long piece. Whole world sun set gloiry was fair to sing. That was church hill on this royal world before 1914, which the first world had then gone to an end. Those post war changes in continental circumstances and in church the deceptions and sensibilities, help explain the complete transformation in his attitude and his relationships where king george the fifth for by this time, church hill no longer regarded the british sovrge ever sovereign and the reaction of his earlier radical liberal days. But on the contrary, as the embodiment of decency, duty, continuity and tradition in a world too often characterized by strife and an arky, revolution and chaos. And by the same token, the king now began to warm to church hill as both an old friend and the new conservative that by the early 1920s, he had become. And thats exactly that point in the early 1920s, church hill were much involved in the process whereby partitioned, the south being kwie sooi independent they seemed to get along great deal better. That particular episode which much more so by the 1920s and even more by the 1930s. Church hill passionately came to believe that it was hugely important. And in 1934 he wrote an argument will the world swing back to him he answered the question he hoped in the affirmative. He was the best about dote to an arky on one side and it provided gla mour, splender, restraint and stability. It was a silly idea that republics were better governed than kingdoms. The crowns had been a huge folly. And the restoration of the historic royal houses in germany and in the successor states of the empire was something to hope for to work for and i look forward to it. Church hill developed those field what had gone on in the 1920s and 30s was the disappearance of great which upheld the together. He developed those themes in a notice of king george the fifth. Which he revised, extended and reprinted in great contempt rouse. In the course he argued, massive changes and destabilize the war. Empires had fallen, to dictator ship had flouished. It had become unfettered and irresponsible. Yes, he went on. At the heart of the British Empire there was more institution among the other so far that you would choose this your event, or from the stresses of contemporary life. And shaken by the earthquakes, unweakened by the ties that will all be drifted. The royal and em peer yal stands firm. This he went on was an achievement so remarkable, he could not be separated from the personality of the good, wise, and truly noble king whose work now has ended. Note how different that view was of george the fifth from what church hill had said about him back in 1912 and so, of course, to edward the eighth and rather large hiccup in the story. Those hopes were sincere and heart felt and rested on exaggerated sense of the kings virtues and blind eye turned to his Political Attitudes and support of appeasement and, of course t the conduct of his prided life. Church hill then decided he would take the kings side against the government over there by lining himself with the old friend legendary beaver brook and seeking to embarrass old and the national government. Church hill rallied the king writing him letters, seeking to boost his morale and urging him to be discrete with mrs. Synthesis. He tried to my exzif hate might lead him to make the wrong decision and in the hope to give it time and chance, he might put it before. Because theyre off ratification. Its important to stress, given what period were in the second half of 1930s. What were champing. Church hill deeply own reputation untold harm with the the public, politicians and with the court. And period of mounting tension and anxiety. Hez plea for extra time was divided by many, unrealicly. He failed to give up the thrown he pleaded for extra time he was essentially shouted down. After witnessing, winston admitted, you were right, i see, now, the other one who would not have done. He published in an article on the new magazine, the main idea. But its important to notice, as a kwens of having supported ed woord he was scarcely to do where the new king george 6 hth. That scene in the kings speech which some of you may have seen where church hill is seen cozying up to george the sixth and ufring is delighted to take it. Hes ultimately made up and completely fictitious. I know, here is interesting letter, that he wrote, soon after he became sixth. Adds enemies of theirs. What is more, to these proedward and delinquencies, which all they embodied. They were compounded by the fact that church hill was planned to be empty chamber lain. Where the new king by contrast were devoted supporters of the Prime Minister. They shared with him a strong sense of balconies. I invited him after he returned, barry what complained to be peace. So when chamber lain resigned on the tenth of may, george the sixth he had been grossly unfairly treated and greatly regret hes going. Queen elizabeth wrote to him, how deeply i granted your ccc in how much that how much we owe you. Put the other way, that meant that when church hill became Prime Minister in may 1940, it was an appointment with george the sixth and Queen Elizabeth bitterly opposed. And the fact that church hill immediately insisted, despite firmly expressed royal misgivens on making the brook minister of their production and no less unrespectable of privy counselor, only seemed to confirm the establishments worst fears, that the gangsters and crooks were now in charge all the nations affairs. Nevertheless, the relations gladly to prove. He consistently was to them. George i. V. Soom came to recognize the inability of his wartime leadership. When Given Commission for churchhill to leave the country to meet fdr off the coast. I shall breathe a sigh of relief when youre safely back home again. Although titanic is busy, they did himself to 1941. George the sixth person appointed. Ports, a great expression of confidence in him. So close their friendship become. When they wrote, he noted with pride. Convinced holder of constitutional. I valued as a single honor the greatest intimacy of which i was treated. For which i, theres been great selection between days of queen and come pord ya 1512. Theyre fighting wars. Sh should be church hills empower in close alliance with the mon narc. And all things considered, that doesnt seem hopeful foolish view. Nevertheless its important to notice why the faith and devotion were sincerely felt. He had not obtained supreme political power with any attention of sharing any of it. He kept the king supplied and was impressed by his thorough mastery of them. They were information only. From the outset, churchhill paid great. He deferred to his chiefs of sta. In the latest stages, he found it increasingly difficult to give that way. As in transit over the appointments of Beaver Brooklyn have signaled had never changed on the policy, policy or personnel to behave yourself. On the eighth of may 1945, church hill appeared with king george the sixth and Queen Elizabeth. Soon after, he moved to the loyal address to the king. We have the observe, the oldest, most famous, ard dams and well get that in the world. By then, so good were relations between george 6th and church hill. That it was deeply, to lose whom he called my dear winston, in the 945 general election, reluctant to see him go as hell be reluctant to see you survive five years ago. I was shocked i thought it was most ungrateful to you, personally, after all your hard work for the people. He wrote and deciding difference to the constitutional conventions of the royal comment. And he offered churchhill the guarder when you turn it down. The order of the boot. On church hills final return to power, the king was delighted to see him back as he had been dismayed when he first showed up in 1940, back in 1940. Winstons report to the throne. He invested with a certain missteek so he always spoke of the royal house with touching records and never many r so in that eloquent broadcast on the deaths of king fast. Its a very interesting group, but only because its marvelous example of church hills late start. Though it is true that church hill sixth for his mastery of the business, he never suggested that the king made any sooner oos impact on government. The aging Prime Minister saw himself to young victoria. He was the experience well statesman with an authority matchless and unrooiled. He was new to her, great to responsibility. He wore a top hot so for the audiences they talked about polo horses when his early life is simple. When he returns over flowing with her paris. The queens were e norm mouse to pass off. She enjoyed his economy. He gave the order of the guarder. What are you doing, youre refused. They use to go racing together, racing their horses against each other. Sometimes the queen is willing. Its possible, but to imagine in the existence today. And among st greatest pleasures a judge with the opportunity Hydrogen Sulfide that it gave you to give replacement feelings for the institutional moment. I understand the person. When saluting the success, he hoped her reign would witness a golden age and letters to this side of trump. On the evening, he described as crowd in our history and didnt throw in our heart. He went on and lady who respect because shes a queen and who love because she is self. Small wonder, on his 18th 80th done that child. He has been an inspiration to our people. If we, mother, groet everything and were all very proud of you, a complete and conspicuous reversal of the hostile opinion she entertained back in 1914. Her daughter, Queen Elizabeth the second, got on well with church hill, remained after we had ceased to become private minister. And of courses it for favorite Prime Minister. In january, now in 1965 whi she behaved, impeccably. When paw r parliament had to petition, they extremely reluctant. Gladstone, who, of course, she voted. Setting us up, all president and precedence, elizabeth the second intended person few more of her greatest subject. As the royal family along with the kingdoms nor way. One of the most memorable images of that day. They gathered to go in a royal taple, sometimes church hills path lick. You said let me try to bring this rather than rapid through after vaty of range, to an end. As we serve so many aspects a judge his relations with the im foreign was a uniquely rich unstory. Which unfolded several different levels. Where you know level it was a high rhetorical claim. Unequal to british Prime Ministers by more briefly by rose burry. From this to this nastily perspective. Judges will be guarding as National Symbols and imperial were icon. He was conducting who they were making no request. In terms of his debut dealing with the succession, the position wasnt quite the same. The views that he entertained of edward the sixth or jorng the sixth. That changed over time and the views that they enter change are very much on power with the views if you can send that, as well. Also changed very greatly over time. So sometimes from friendship to disapproval, sometimes in the office direction. Above all it was crucial to remember that church hill was convinced he belongs to the advice of his ministers. Church hill never to give it away. But hes not really extraordinary mile. The personnel of politics, domestic state, the grand strategies of war and peace. It was determined to get his way. And philip ziegler, think of a single instance in which she changed his view of any employee, question, its crazy that i know it was mine at the time. Finally, churchmill did come increasingly to the league that will be disturbed to make sure theyre in the office of 1920s and not 30. The artist being here, did provide the best guarantee of stability, decently, freedom and democracy, in a world ever more disfigured by the twin efls of fashionism. No such institution on the exception of elizabeth second, pays such dividends as the mon narc. By the end of his life. He was on that, shelled in the british, he was chairman of the board as we feel. Hes not a property. [ applause ] [ applause ] thank you so much. Weve just been told that we have five minutes for questions. Who would like to start. Dont be discouraged. We have a question over here. Going in the wrong direction, right that way. I still feel devoted and appreciative guest in this country. I think its for others to ze side on that, not me. [ applause ] theyve had had historic marks. Hes a hugely directly work in the lart 1930s. But not pubbished. It stops in 19,600 theres nothing in there playing on the stage. If you have written what was hugely interview about Motor Vehicle about the interview, his comments on the utterly moments. Who he thinks are good guys and who he thinks are bad guys who he hundreds this system of constitutional where the politicians governor in the name of the monarc. And, of course, its an amazing thought for somebody who that should written a history. What will be the good, as you will, for stallings would we g history of russia or Donald Trumps history of america, or whatever it might be. One more question. Right here. Yes, of course. Thank you. Thank you, professor, my name is don delpino. Like yourself, im a guest in this country. I just want to comment briefly and a question. First off, thank you very much for acknowledging phillip ii. As someone who got introduced to the royal family through my moms great devotion to the royal family, my comment is this, you mentioned some of the quotations from churchill in the 30s. Im sure you must know on churchills very interesting introduction forward to my early life, thank you. Its a hugely important book, because its terribly selfrevealing, funny and beautifully written. It was written in 1929 when the world was about to go in ruin again. Of course, as you all remember, it all begins with that wonderful sentence, i
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