Two Weeks with the Queen


Two Weeks with the Queen is a 1990 novel by Australian author Morris Gleitzman. It focuses on a boy named Colin Mudford, who is sent to live with relatives in England, while his brother is being treated for cancer.

Plot summary

Colin Mudford, a twelve year old Australian, is sent to stay with his uncle and his aunt who live in London, while his brother is being treated for cancer. In England, Colin, along with his cousin Alistair, decides to meet the Queen by trying to break into Buckingham Palace, because he wants to ask her for good doctors. Both boys are caught by the police for attempting this, and taken home. He also tries to sneak into the best cancer hospital in London, and is again, kicked out.
Outside the hospital, he meets a Welshman named Ted, who claims that his friend is also suffering from cancer. Ted offers to introduce Colin to one of England's leading cancer experts. The expert contacts Luke's doctors in Sydney and confirms that the cancer which Luke has is terminal. Colin then slashes tyres on cars, which were Mercedes, BMW, Jaguar and Audi, to get revenge on the doctors. Colin storms back to his aunt Iris's
house distraught, on where Alistair gives Colin the idea that a possible cure may be found in South America.
Colin convinces Alistair to stow away with him on a cargo ship to South America the next day. However, when Colin admits that he slashed the tires of several doctors' cars and that Ted caught him, Alistair tells Colin that Ted could be blamed for this, so Colin delays their trip to South America, and visits Ted the next day.
Colin visits Ted at his home, and finds that he has been badly injured. Ted tells him that he was attacked by people in the street who disliked him, because he is gay. He then confesses to Colin that his friend who is dying of cancer is actually his lover, Griff, who is dying of AIDS. Ted is unable to walk, so Colin promises to visit Griff for him. Colin goes to the hospital and meets Griff, bringing him a letter from Ted as well as Griff's favourite food, tangerines. After enjoying a conversation with Colin, Griff requests that he come to visit him again.
After Griff is taken back to his ward by a nurse, Colin finds a spare wheelchair in the hospital which he takes back to Ted's house because Ted can't walk. Colin then takes Ted to the hospital to see Griff using the wheelchair and the couple thanks Colin greatly for reuniting them. Several days later, after Ted has recovered, Colin goes to visit the couple in the hospital, but upon arrival, he learns that Griff has died.
When Colin arrives home, Aunt Iris tells Colin that she found out everything from Alistair. They are both punished by receiving only cold baked beans for dinner, and the house is fortified against any escape attempts. Colin abandons his plans for traveling to South America and decides to accept Luke's fate. He asks Aunt Iris to let him go back to his family, but she forbids it. She tells him any attempt to escape will not help either, because they will not allow him on the plane with his return ticket, unless he is seen off by an adult guardian.
The next morning, with much difficulty, Colin sneaks out of the house and meets Ted at the airport. Ted signs Colin's forms and they say their goodbyes and Ted leaves. Aunt Iris catches Colin trying to escape and conflict is created; Alistair has a rant, but Aunt Iris eventually sees reason and lets him go. They see him off, and Colin travels back to Sydney to see Luke. The story ends as Luke wakes up, happy to see Colin.

Characters

Colin Mudford: A 12-year-old Australian boy determined to convince a cancer expert to treat his younger brother. He is fearless, friendly, and adventurous.
Luke Mudford: Colin's 8-year-old brother suffering from terminal cancer. He is in Sydney for the entire novel undergoing treatment.
Alistair: Colin's shy 13-year-old English cousin. While Colin is in London, Alistair becomes involved with Colin's ambitious schemes to find a cure for Luke's cancer.
Aunty Iris: Colin's aunt and Alistair's overbearing mother. She is friendly towards Colin but is frightened that he is so open about Luke's cancer. And she is sometimes so mean to him, about not talking to his brother cancer.
The Queen: Elizabeth II is least bothered about Luke's illness, and doesn't respond to any of Colin's letters and requests. A liaison officer writes a letter to Colin on her behalf at the end of the book, which Colin leaves in an airplane's ashtray.
Uncle Bob: Uncle Bob is Colin's grumpy uncle. He thinks lowly of the British Royal Family, as well as the City of London. He often joins in with his wife in telling their son, Alistair, what to do.
Ted Caldicot: A gay Welshman. He listens to Colin about Luke as his partner, Griff, has a similar issue. Contrasted with the other adults in the book Ted is characterized as warm and open, especially about cancer.
Griff Price: Ted's partner of six years being treated for AIDS-related cancer in the hospital. His favorite food is tangerines.

Notability

Two Weeks with the Queen was published during a time of change in Australia, particularly economic and political change. When Treasurer Paul Keating announced the recession on 29 November – the economic struggles of average families are described in the early chapters of the book, such as when Colin's parents cannot afford to buy him a Christmas gift that he wants, and instead give him something that he needs – sensible school shoes, which go unappreciated.
AIDS was a growing concern in Australia. Two Weeks with the Queen was published three years after the prominent "Grim Reaper" public service announcements. Although the novel presents a gay man with a partner dying of the disease, it humanises Ted and presents his plight as very real, significant, and similar to Colin's struggle with his brother's illness.
In July 1989, the first hospital for AIDS sufferers was opened by Princess Diana – her hands on approach contrasting vastly with the absence in the text of the Queen.

Themes

Gleitzman depicts the denial and anger that accompany grief, portraying Colin's egocentricity, spunk, and pain compassionately and without condescension. Neatly tied together by the incidents involving the Queen, this mixture of genuine emotion and humor makes for an engaging story that is said to have broad appeal.

Adaptation for theatre

In April 1992, the book was adapted for the stage by Mary Morris, and premièred at the Sydney Festival in the same year. Directed by Wayne Harrison, it received praise from its first performances, and has since been shown throughout the world, including England, Canada, Japan, the United States, Cuba, and Portugal.

Reception

Two Weeks with the Queen won the Family Award in 1990.
Todd Morning, reviewing the book for School Library Journal, describes Colin as "incredibly feisty and brave", and criticises the book's "breakneck" pace, stating that this made it difficult to get to know Colin. Reviewers for the School Library Journal described Gleitzman's pacing in the audiobook as "wonderful", showing Colin's growing maturity.
Stephens regards Two Weeks with the Queen as being unusual in contemporary Australian children's literature because Colin is presented as having agency – he is capable of making decisions and taking action to change the world around him – even though he does not do so in the way he first intended. Maya Sen, writing for The Canberra Times, praises Colin's determination and character development, and enjoyed the book's humour and direct treatment of its themes.
When the play was performed in the United Kingdom, according to Gleitzman, the Australian Republican themes of the play proved controversial.