Shadowing Practice: THB that the Monarchy Died with the Queen - Hugo Vickers - Opp - Learn English Speaking with Video
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Well, Madam President, I know it's been said before,
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this motion, this house believes that the monarchy died with the Queen.
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Well, it's an easy motion to refute because quite obviously, it did not end with the Queen.
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And when the Queen died in September 2022, she was immediately succeeded by Prince Charles as King Charles III.
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And nearly four years on, he's very much in place and he will remain so.
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I wish I could sympathize with the proposers of the motion
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and wonder to what extent they really believe some of the things that they're saying.
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I also wanted to say that when I saw this debate advertised, I did what one should never do.
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I looked at the comments.
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Usually, these are negative as people sound off.
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Most back the survival of the monarchy as of supreme importance.
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Some even questioned why this honorable institution should consider debating such a case.
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Interesting points were made.
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The 3,000 charities that profited from the monarchy, the importance of continuity.
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One said, and I agree, the monarchy is woven into the fabric of the country and is a source of national pride.
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Another, that continuity is not stagnation, that tradition is not weakness.
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Now, if this were a court of law, I would take the stance that there is no case to answer.
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But you very kindly invited me here to hear my opinion, and I think it would be rather churlish of me not to give it to you.
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I think, I hope you will find that my reasoning is calm and reasoned and not a lot of shouting and yelling,
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as we have heard, or indeed, the autobiography of the previous speaker and her various allegations against the family.
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Now, the monarchy has weathered the turbulence that toppled many European crowns, particularly after the First World War.
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You will find few people in this land who admire the late queen less than I do.
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Indeed, I've just published a 600-page biography of her, which has been hailed as a love story
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and I cannot think of a reign in history in
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which I would have preferred to live under any economic or political circumstances.
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But the great thing is that there was a very smooth transition from the Queen to King Charles, and despite illness and fractures within the family,
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he has performed and continues to perform an admirable job.
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I have a feeling that many times in history, negative elements in the population have predicted the end of the monarchy, but it does not happen.
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Over the centuries, the monarchy has evolved from a position where the king was
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all powerful to a point where the monarch is a constitutional head of state above the political fray,
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and as such can be respected by people of different political persuasions.
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This is effective.
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His powers were curbed in many ways by things like the Bill of Rights, and by voluntarily surrendering these powers, we reach the current situation,
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a constitutional head of state serving our nation.
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When I concede that you might not invent a monarchy for a new country, since we have one, we are very lucky.
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The system works.
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King George V used to quote Pericles on the greatness of Athens.
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We are happy in a form of government which cannot envy the laws of our neighbors, for it has served as a model for others, but is original in ourselves.
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That applies to us, he used to say, and it applies today.
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The monarch arrives by hereditary right.
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The present king did not climb the slippery pole of politics to get where he is.
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He arrived there by being his mother's son.
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Therefore, we have known him since he was a baby photographed by Cecil Beaton, a young man of subtle humor, interviewed by Jack D'Amanio.
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We've watched him grow up, and of prime importance, we know that he is there to represent the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth.
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He's not there for for his own advantage, so we can trust him to be completely on the side of Britain.
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And incidentally, what is interesting about the coronation is
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that it affirms in a very strong way the fact that the king is there to serve, not to be served.
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It is all about the denial of self.
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We saw a supreme example of this last month in Washington.
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There were many dissenting voices saying he should not go on his state visit to Trump.
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I was not one of them.
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I realized that he was the ideal person to pour oil on troubled waters, indeed the only one who could.
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He and Prince William are about the only people in Britain that President Trump respects.
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Only the King could have delivered such a magnificent and thought-provoking speech to Congress, which everyone has greatly admired.
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An example of what is mentioned in the brief, his deft diplomatic prowess on the world stage.
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I know that the team opposite are trotting out anti-monarchical sentiments.
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They must have fun being on the attack and attempting to destroy the best elements in our constitution.
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I won't respond with the usual boring defenses about the tedium of elected heads of state,
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but I will say that monarchy is one of the great safeguards against dictatorship,
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partly because power may in theory be invested in the king, but he cannot and will not use it.
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No bill submitted to parliament becomes an act until he signs it.
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This means that a lot of people see it along the way.
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He is therefore an important safeguard in the constitution.
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There's also a major difference between the king and his prime minister.
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If the prime minister gives him formal advice as to how to act, he must and will take it.
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But if the king advises the prime minister on a point, he's not obliged to take it, though he would do well to listen since the king has been around a long time,
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and his advice is likely to be sound.
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That is a rather subtle distinction, but it is valuable.
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The final argument for the king is this.
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What country in the world would not want to have a head of state like ours, a man trained for the job since birth, totally on the side of Britain,
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removed from the political fray, a diplomat and ambassador for our country to represent us at home and abroad.
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Look at the heads of state that other countries produce, men like Armin, Abote, Bokassa,
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Makarios, Ceausescu, and even, dare I say it, Trump.
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Be careful trying to destroy the safeguards to our nation's stability.
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Remember what Churchill said, A nation may last a thousand years.
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An hour can lay it in the dust.
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Madam President, I'm sorry to disappoint the team opposite.
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There is no appetite in this country to say that the monarchy has ended or that it should end.
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And I have no hesitation in opposing the motion.
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Thank you.
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Boost Your Speaking Skills with This Engaging Debate Clip
Practicing English speaking with YouTube videos is a fantastic way to build fluency, and this debate on the monarchy is perfect for honing your ability to express clear, reasoned arguments. The goal here? To master calm, persuasive communication—a key milestone for confident English speakers. Whether you’re preparing for discussions, presentations, or everyday conversations, this clip helps you learn to structure ideas logically while keeping your tone steady and engaging.
Phrase Bank: Reusable Expressions for Clear Communication
- "It's an easy motion to refute because..." – Great for introducing a counterargument.
- "I wish I could sympathize with the proposers, but..." – Softens disagreement while making a point.
- "Over the centuries, [institution] has evolved from... to..." – Useful for explaining historical change.
- "We are lucky to have [system] because it works" – Simplifies a defense of established ideas.
- "Incidentally, what is interesting about [topic] is..." – Adds a surprising or relevant detail smoothly.
Fix Your Weak Spots: Rhythm and Intonation in Formal Speech
This video is ideal for practicing the shadowing technique—repeat lines aloud to mimic the speaker’s pace and emphasis. Notice how he pauses after key points (e.g., "the monarchy is woven into the fabric of the country") to let ideas sink in. Many learners struggle with "flat" intonation in formal contexts, but this speaker uses subtle rises and falls to keep listeners engaged. A shadowing site can help you compare your delivery to his, so you can refine your rhythm and sound more natural. Remember: even in debates, calmness wins—imitate his steady tone to avoid sounding rushed or aggressive.
Ready to start? Use the shadowing technique with this clip, focus on the phrases above, and watch your English speaking practice transform. You’ll be expressing complex ideas with confidence in no time!
Grammar in this video
The structures the speaker uses most, with the exact words from the video:
| Structure | In the video |
|---|---|
| Present perfect have/has + past participle — a past action that still matters now | it's been said · have heard · has weathered |
| Passive voice be + past participle — the focus is on what happens, not who does it | been said · was immediately succeeded · were made |
| Relative clauses who / which + clause — extra information about a person or thing | her, which has · one who could |
What is the Shadowing Technique?
Shadowing is a science-backed language learning technique originally developed for professional interpreter training and popularized by polyglot Dr. Alexander Arguelles. The method is simple but powerful: you listen to native English audio and immediately repeat it out loud — like a shadow following the speaker with just a 1–2 second delay. Unlike passive listening or grammar drills, shadowing forces your brain and mouth muscles to simultaneously process and reproduce real speech patterns. Research shows it significantly improves pronunciation accuracy, intonation, rhythm, connected speech, listening comprehension, and speaking fluency — making it one of the most effective methods for IELTS Speaking preparation and real-world English communication.