A Royal Day alla Scuola Manzoni di Roma
Celebrazioni per gli 80 anni del British Council in Italia
Tuesday 9th April 2025 is a date we will never forget. On that sunny spring morning, something quite extraordinary happened at Scuola Primaria Alessandro Manzoni in Rome. The school opened its doors to a royal visitor — Her Majesty Queen Camilla — on a Royal State Visit to Italy where an event on the program was to celebrate the winners of the British Council Creative Writing Competition to mark the 80th anniversary of the British Council in Italy.
Her Royal Majesty the Queen was welcomed at the school gate by Brian Young the Head of the British Council in Italy, the Italian Minister of Education and Merit, Professor Giuseppe Valditara, Anna Paola Sabatini Head of the USR Lazio, and Donatella Fitzgerald MBE , our own Senior ELT Consultant at Pearson Italy, who recently received the honour of Member of the British Empire (MBE) for her services to English Education and Youth Engagement.
As the school buzzed with anticipation, students and teachers alike prepared to showcase their English learning journey through song, creativity, and above all, joy. The atmosphere was warm, welcoming, and filled with pride — the kind of pride that comes from months of learning, rehearsing, and growing together as a school community. Students waved their home made Union Jack flags with pride and many were able to shake hands with her majesty the Queen and then other distinguished guests and welcome them to their school.
One of the highlights of the day was undoubtedly the performance by a Year 5 class and their teacher Barbara Bucciarelli, who had the honour of welcoming Her Majesty into their classroom. The children performed Let’s Learn English Together, the cheerful and engaging theme song from the Billy Bot programme – part of Pearson’s commitment to supporting English learning in a playful, motivating way for young learners. Complete with movements and choreography, the students sang with confidence and enthusiasm, creating a moment that was both touching and inspiring. The students then continued to describe Paddington Bear - their favourite literary character to Her Majesty the Queen.
The song remings us all that language learning is not just about grammar and vocabulary: it’s about connection, culture, and the power of communication across borders.
The students from the winning schools of the British Council's Creative Writing Competition for Lazio were IC Pallavicini Rome IC Paribeni Mentana, Liceo Classico D Aligheri Latina. They received their certificates on the stage in the main hall from her Majesty the Queen and the event was delightfully compared by Clare Burke English Country Lead at the British Council In Italy. Her Majesty the Queen, helped by her Equerry Major Ollie Plunket presented a collection of classic stories to the Headmistress of the Manzoni School Simona Simola . Everyone then sang Happy Birthday to the British Council to the musical accompaniament of students from the school. After the ceremony the winning classes were presented by Pearson Graded Readers to take home and continue their experience with reading in English.
Throughout the visit, we had the chance to observe first-hand the elegance and precision that come with a royal event: from the carefully timed arrival, to the security and protocol, and the beautifully balanced tone of celebration and respect. And yet, amid the formalities, there was a clear sense of human warmth and curiosity. Her Majesty took time to engage with the children and their teachers, ask questions, and share in their excitement and see the beautiful entries to the British Council Creative Writing competition that decorated all of the walls of the school.
For Donatella Fitzgerald, this was an especially meaningful day. After receiving her MBE in King Charles III Birthday Honours in June 2024 being part of this anniversary celebration with Her Majesty Queen Camilla in Rome was a way of bringing together her professional dedication, her British roots, and her love for education. She described the day as “a moving and unforgettable experience that I will treasure for ever” and one that confirms just how vital the work of teachers and educators is in building bridges between countries, cultures, and generations.
The 80th anniversary of the British Council in Italy is not just a historical milestone – it is a tribute to decades of educational cooperation, mutual understanding, and shared values. Happy Birthday British Council! At Pearson, we are proud to contribute to this legacy through our support for English language teaching and learning at all levels. Seeing the sparkle in the eyes of the children, the pride of their teachers, and the genuine interest of both Her Majesty and the Minister of Education and Merit was a powerful reminder of why we do what we do.
Let this royal day inspire you! Keep nurturing your students’ love for English through music, stories and creativity — because every classroom can be a place of wonder, and every lesson a step towards something extraordinary.
Referenze iconografiche: Donatella Fitzgerald with Her Majesty Queen Camilla ©Giovanni Rovelli