Warsaw. 26 years ago Elżbieta II the capital of Poland. What was her visit like?
During the 70-year reign of the British monarch, she would visit Poland only once. My journey with her husband Prince Philip in March 1996. She visited Warsaw and Krakow. The route included the place of residence, the Umschlagplatz, the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and the Grand Theater.
The Queen came to Warsaw with Father Philip on March 25, 1996. The guest was hosted by the then president Aleksander Kwaśniewski and the first lady Jolanta Kwaśniewska.
Walk around the Old Town and plant an oak tree
From the airport in Okęcie, Elżbieta II went straight in front of the Presidential Palace, where she waited on a plate for the presidential. The welcome was also attended by members of the government headed by Prime Minister Włodzimierz Cimoszewicz. The Queen is accompanied by 40 people, including Case Minister Malcolm Rifkind. The strict retinue consisted of 12 people. It was to go, among others Queen’s secretary, ladies of the court, equestrian, doctor, cloakroom and hairdresser.
After the welcoming ceremony, the Queen went to the navigation point with President Kwasniewski. Decorations and gifts have changed. The Queen decorated the president with the Grand Knight’s Cross of the Order of the Bath. Aleksander Kwaśniewski presented Elizabeth II with a Polish decoration – the Order of the White.
Among the places where the British Queen’s visit to Warsaw was visited, the Old Town was cared for, where Marcin Święcicki accompanied Elizabeth II of the then Warsaw. There, the monarch was greeted by crowds of city residents. .
Elizabeth II and Filip visited Warsaw in 1996PAP / CAF
“Let Poland be Poland”
On the second day, the visit was established before the mergers of the houses of the Polish parliament. After arriving in the afternoon, the Queen met with the Speaker of the Sejm Józef Zych, Speaker of the Senate Adam Struzik and Prime Minister Cimoszewicz. “I am perfectly aware of the fact that I am standing here in the Polish, Polish” – this is how the queen’s speech delivered from the rostrum of the rostrum Monarchini were the first consecutive dynas, leading the dynasa and the first way, leading, leading the first Pole, who also recalled Bolesław the Brave’s nephew WWII time. Who knows – did not stay – if the flame would be used in those days of free time with us Poland.
“The war united us, but then divided us, because 1945 not everyone at the harvest, a year later” – recalled Elizabeth II. Thus, more so, we made ourselves – a meeting – of joy by Poland, full of sovereignty, which made the decision about the decision made, which was taken into account in the decisions and Western institutions. We will strongly strengthen the enlargement of the European Union by NATO, we express our solidarity with your aspiration to join this and we intend to aim that this cannot be an organization of veto on the part of the country – the cultivation of the country – the cultivation.
“Poland needs Europe, but also Poland’s Europe” – also Elizabeth II. The deputies and senators, uttered in Polish by the queen, welcomed the ovation: “that Poland should be Poland”.
Batory High School, Skaryszewski Park and Teatr Wielki
During the second day of her stay in Poland, Elżbieta II also visits the Liceum Ogólnokształcące im. Stefan B., where instead of lectures from the first lady and contemporary, the minister of teacher education with students and teachers. There she also watched a staging of a fragment of “Pan Tadeusz” by high school students.
During her stay in Warsaw, the Queen lived in Belvedere. There, too, the second day of former Lech Wałęsa’s wwwwwwww, at the invitation of whom he came to Poland. Walesa when it was held when it worked out his condition in Britain in 1991 when he defined the British Queen as a narrative narrative mat to go along with his story. “There are fluctuations in democracies, and who repeated, but there is no continuation, or someone else, would give in to the emotions of the election. We will destroy other structures, and we would have to demand a point of reference ”- Waas.
The Queen was also in Skaryszewski Park, where he paid tribute to British pilots whose plane was shot down by the Germans of the Warsaw Uprising.
Elżbieta and Filip spent the evening at the Teatr Wielki.
On the last day, the royal couple visit Krakow.
“We were very excited”
The visit of Elizabeth II was an experience for the then presidential couple, Jolanta Kwasniewska recalled on TVN24 on Thursday. – It was an amazing visit. We were very excited. After being sworn in in welcome, the first guest to come to Poland after a few years was the Queen of Great Britain. We waited for this visit with trembling heart and piercing. Knowing this, the Queen tried to keep our spirits up. She gave the impression that she knew what might be going on in our hearts. With the phone call we received, we found out that my spouse has no right to talk to Her Majesty on political issues – recalled Jolanta Kwaśniewska.
She emphasized that the queen was making “warm gestures”. – She asked if we lived in the palace She asked if our people were there. She asked our Ola to come down to the meeting. They were warm and endearing that we came to the conclusion that we would survive the next and the next day somehow – said Kwasniewska.
As she mentioned, the presidential couple was visiting Krakow with the queen. – We were in the Old Town Square. There were crowds everywhere. She seemed very happy to meet all these people. Krakow welcomed the Queen with terrible weather. She said that the Queen walked with a transparent umbrella, a smile did not leave her mouth.
Queen Elizabeth II is dead. Comments
“The Queen liked and respected Poles”
President Aleksander Kwaśniewski recalled earlier in his memories of March 25, 1996. – I remember that day of the ability to say that a minute after you can. First, it was the historic visit of the British monarch to Poland. Neither before nor after such things happened. It was the start of my presidency, so I started to have a good level of security. To prepare the presentation – Aleksander Kwaśniewski.
He judged the queen’s visit to be “extremely successful”. – The Queen showed everything that was stopped. That is, on the one hand, dignity and great experience. On the other hand – kindness, think that even interest in us – said President Kwasniewski. – Besides, sympathy for Poland was arrested. In order to defend herself, to shape herself during the war, the propagator who served the British army met Polish airmen and soldiers. She has told me many times how grateful she is to them – added Kwasniewski.
He also assessed that the 1996 visit “strengthened mutual sympathy”. – The Queen liked and respected Poles. Poles liked the British Queen – said President Kwasniewski.
Aleksander Kwaśniewski recalls the visit of Elizabeth II to PolandTVN24
Elizabeth II is dead
Elizabeth II, Queen of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, died on Thursday, September 8. She was 96 years old. She was the longest ruling British monarch in history and the longest ruler in the world. She was the British Queen for 70 years. She took the throne on February 6, 1952. Her full title was: Queen by God’s Grace of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and its other kingdoms and territories, Queen, Head of the Commonwealth, Defender of the Faith. She went down in history as the longest ruling British monarch. In this respect, it is only surpassed in the world by the King of France, Louis XIV, who ruled the country for 72 years.
Queen Elizabeth II is dead
PAP, TVN24, “Gazeta Stołeczna”
Photo Source: PAP / CAF