A State Visit to Turkey by Queen Elizabeth II

A State Visit to Turkey by Queen Elizabeth II

  • Overview
  • Cast
  • Crew

Status

Released

Release Date

Oct 1, 1971

Runtime

0h 23m

Genres

Documentary

Original Title

A State Visit to Turkey by Queen Elizabeth II

Production Companies

BFI, COI, British Movietone News

Description

Britain and Turkey had not always enjoyed the ‘special’ friendship referred to in the commentary. Their armies were on opposing sides in the First World War and there had been disagreementt over the future of Cyprus in the run up to the settlement of 1960. In the 1960s relations improved and this reciprocal tour (the President of Turkey, Cevdet Sunay, had paid a state visit to the United Kingdom in November 1967) was regarded as a milestone in the bilateral alliance between the two countries. The camera affords the viewer a prime vantage point by which to marvel at the splendour of the pageantry and contemplate every nuance of gesture and sartorial detail. As we linger on the bejewelled Queen waiting patiently at the British Embassy in Ankara to greet her guests we wonder what it might be like to be in her shoes.