Queen & Country

London is the capital of Britain's royal life. Join Sir Trevor McDonald as he introduces us to the ongoing traditions of the monarchy in London, including the Scots Guards of Buckingham Palace and the opening of the Parliament by the Queen.

The Queen's year is driven by her diary--and has been since her accession in 1952. See her in Scotland at the Braemar Gathering and follow her on a visit to Liverpool--the sort of trip that is considered a great honor by the small city.

The Queen has some surprising possessions—“peculiars of the crown.” Among them are the Channel Islands, the Royal Swans and the Chapels Royal, and the Royal Collection, to which she has added nearly 150 portraits over the past six decades.

The queen is head of the 16 realms that make up the Commonwealth. . In Perth, Western Australia, Queen Elizabeth is on tour before opening the Heads of Government Meeting.