Richard: 2011 sees two of the Queen’s grandchildren getting married so for this week’s podcastsinenglish.com we’re talking about the royal family.
Jackie: Yes, Queen Elizabeth the Second and her husband Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, married 64 years ago and in that time she’s had four children and eight grandchildren.
Richard: Yes. Actually, interesting you should say Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh. He’s got two names and of course all four children have got um… two official names, haven’t they?
Jackie: Well, yes, obviously Prince Charles is also the...
Richard: Prince of Wales.
Jackie: Prince of Wales. And number two is Princess Anne…
Richard: Princess Anne, she is the Princess Royal.
Jackie: Right, okay and then there’s the two boys: Andrew…
Richard: Prince Andrew is also known as the Duke of York.
Jackie: And, you know, I know the next one is Prince Edward, I cannot remember, what’s his official title?
Richard: He’s the Earl of Wessex.
Jackie: Oh, that’s right and his wife, Sophie, is the Countess of Wessex.
Richard: That’s right, yes. So, those are the four children. Interestingly, three of them have also been divorced.
Jackie: Bit of a scandal for the royal family!
Richard: Yes. The first to get divorced was Princess Anne. I think um… she was divorced in 1992, is that right?
Jackie: Yes, the first to get married and the first to get divorced.
Richard: And then Prince Andrew and Prince Charles both got divorced in the same year: 1996.
Jackie: Each of the Queen’s four children have had two children themselves, so the Queen has got four grandsons and four granddaughters.
Richard: Correct
Jackie: One of them is already married um… Peter Philips, he married sometime ago. I can’t remember when [both laugh]. But this year very importantly, Prince William is getting married.
Richard: The big royal wedding of the year.
Jackie: And later in the year, um… his cousin Zara Philips, she’s… she’s getting married as well.
Richard: She’s getting married to a rugby player.
Jackie: Exactly
Richard: So, who are the other grandchildren?
Jackie: Well, obviously, Prince William’s brother is Prince Henry.
Richard: Harry
Jackie: Known as Harry.
Richard: Known as Harry. And then Prince Andrew and Sarah, Sarah Ferguson, they had two girls, didn’t they?
Jackie: Yes, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie.
Richard: Right, and then Prince Edward and his two children are...
Jackie: Lady Louise and Viscount Severn.
Richard: So why are they Lady and Viscount and um… Prince Andrew’s daughters are Princesses?
Jackie: And Zara and Peter Philips, they don’t have any title at all. Well I think it’s because Prince Edward is the Earl of Wessex so he’s chosen for his children to have the title that goes with the Earl and not with the Prince.
Richard: Okay
Jackie: And Princess Anne she’s… she’s decided that they have no titles at all. Well, she thinks, Princess Anne thinks, they can have a more normal lifestyle.
Richard: Probably true.
Jackie: But not the case for Prince William.
Richard: No, so the big wedding will be a huge event. Can’t wait. [both laugh]