Two weeks on and I’m still buzzing with that opening ceremony. The nation has got its mojo workin’ (but it just won’t work on U-sa).
The Queen was the business and it’s good to see that Equity are inviting her to sign up.
Here is the text of the letter sent by Malcolm Sinclair, President of Equity. I’m particularly pleased to see him promoting their excellent pension scheme, ably advised by First Actuarial!
The Queen will be disappointed to hear that should she try to stage (no pun intended) auto-enrolment into the Equity Pension Scheme, she will not be considered an eligible jobholder by dint of her advanced years. But Malcolm’s advice is sage “it is never too late to start”.
Dear Sir,
I write as President of Equity, the trade union for performers and those working in the arts and entertainment industry.
Her Majesty The Queen made a huge impact with Her Majesty’s performance on screen as part of the Olympic Opening Ceremony. Type casting it may have been, but Her Majesty’s completely natural performance has given enormous pleasure worldwide. Such has been the impact, that, a further career perhaps being a possibility, would Her Majesty consider becoming a member of Equity? The benefits are considerable:
Her Majesty’s professional name would ensure that all royalties (no pun intended), owed for future work would be paid through the Union or through our sister organisation BECS (our collecting society for worldwide payments).
Accident and backstage insurance; though we were delighted to see that Her Majesty insisted on a stunt double for the parachuting into the Olympic Park. Very wise indeed. Gary Connery, her double, is on Equity’s stunt register. Careers advice. We now operate a pension scheme to which all our major employers have signed up. It’s never too late to start. Digs lists, invaluable if Her Majesty were to embark on tour. Discounts for cinema/theatre tickets, including Royal Boxes I am assured. An award winning magazine and website. The protection offered by our contracts in theatre, television and motion pictures.
There are more than 600 paid Equity performers taking part in all ceremonies for the Olympics and Paralympics, and we have been on site and on hand at rehearsals to offer help and advice for members and non-members alike.
Equity is non-party political and is therefore affiliated to no political party, so there should be no constitutional difficulty in my view.
Her Majesty is already patron to many flourishing arts organisations. His Royal Highness, the Duke of Cambridge, is President of BAFTA. The Creative Industries are among the most successful in the land, still growing in time of recession, and second only to the financial services industry in earning money for the United Kingdom.
Finally may I offer additional congratulations to Her Majesty on her Diamond Jubilee, and wish Her Majesty well in this possible future career.
Equity is here to help in any way it can, as it does for all performers young and old who embark on this exciting, though often uncertain, profession.
Yours faithfully
Malcolm Sinclair
To this effusive missive, the President received a rather more tempered reply
“Her Majesty was most grateful to you for taking the time and trouble to write.”
I suspect that Her Majesty’s Mojo works rather differently to the mojo of some of her subjects.
Related articles
- Does your pension scheme need advice? (henrytapper.com)
- Trade union for thespians hits out at insurance industry ‘prejudice’ against actors (independent.co.uk)
- Sorry Obama, her majesty is most golden head of state (reuters.com)
- London 2012: The Queen’s stunt double revealed as wingsuit daredevil (thesun.co.uk)
- Olympics: Queen’s Double On Parachute Jump (news.sky.com)
