Hello, Elizabeth! Documentary about Queen Elisabeth II’s visit to Helsinki

Hello, Elizabeth! Documentary about Queen Elisabeth II’s visit to Helsinki


CATEGORY Society & Politics PARTNER The Yle Archives LINK TO SOURCE http://yle.fi/aihe/artikkeli/2007/08/19/hello-elisabeth
Hello, Elizabeth! Documentary about Queen Elisabeth II’s visit to Helsinki

Queen Elizabeth II visited Finland in 1976. This documentary by Mirja Pyykö and Armi Kyynäräinen follows the Queen’s visit and especially the ecxitement in a fun and slightly sarcastic tone. Finns were ecstatic of the royal visit and even amused by their own interest. There was plenty of unintended comics – it turned out that Finns didn’t quite master the royal etiquette – but perhaps it was for the better. Excited admirers are portrayed in the documentary in a humoristic way, but not at all  in a mocking way. The most exotic part of the Queen’s visit was a forest luncheon near Jyväskylä, in central Finland. The Queen learned of Finnish logging and enjoyed pancakes and vodka, seated on a log. She wouldn’t wear a lumberjack’s helmet, because it didn’t fit the royal protocol. The forest visit bore significant meaning, since Great Britain was in 1976 Finland’s most important trade partner. The heads of state made an agreement of culture exchange between Great Britain and Finland.

More from Society & Politics

Show more