CHAUTAUQUA — As Baron Andrew Roberts was writing his lengthy, one-volume biography of British Prime Minister Winston Churchill, he received special assistance.

From a library? No.

From a librarian? Sort of.

The special assistance came from Buckingham Palace. Queen Elizabeth II, the longest reigning sovereign in the monarchy’s 1000 year history, allowed Roberts to see the diaries of her father, King George VI, who reigned during World War II and died in 1952.

At weekly lunches during the war with only the two of them present, Roberts said the prime minister kept no secrets from the king, including about everything that was happening during the war.

The king kept those confidences and–in Roberts’s words — “blabbed” to no one except his diary.

Imagine what a treasure those diaries are, and what a privilege it would be for any historian to have access to them.

Roberts had that privilege.

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Addressing Advocates for Balance at Chautauqua, or ABC, on Aug. 21, Roberts, who became a member of the British House of Lords in 2022, amusingly recalled that it took two heads of government and two heads of state for his membership to go through.

He was on track in 2022 with the support of Prime Minister Boris Johnson and the queen.

Then the prime minister left office and was succeeded by Prime Minister Liz Truss.

And the queen died and was succeeded by her son, King Charles III.

Even from his short time in the House of Lords, Roberts appreciates the hereditary peers, some of whom have been there for multiple decades, for their hard work in polishing legislation that comes from the House of Commons.

He recalls one day looking up at a 24-hour clock and seeing it was 14:32. Then he looked across the chamber and saw a duke who, along with his ancestors, have held a seat since 1432.

He, like many in his country, also treasures what is often called the “special relationship” between the United Kingdom and the United States, recalling that America “saved our bacon” twice in the 20th century.

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ABC was formed in 2018. Its mission is “to achieve a balance of speakers in a mutually civil and respectful environment consistent with the historic mission of Chautauqua” Institution. ABC is its own Section 501(c)(3) organization, legally separate from the institution.

ABC began when one longtime Chautauqua visitor took out a newspaper ad encouraging those seeking balance at Chautauqua to attend a chat group.

The response was tremendous, and ABC was born.

Events take place in the parlor of the Athenaeum Hotel during the nine-week Chautauqua season, almost always on Monday afternoons.

The enthusiasm for ABC events during 2023 was so great that almost every event packed the parlor.

So ABC frequently and unfortunately had to turn people away from the parlor.

That didn’t deter some eager guests, who proceeded to stand on the porch and listen through the open windows, which in the parlor open from the floor up.

If you haven’t been to an ABC event, please put it on your bucket list. Or, better, yet please put it on your list of things to do far more than once.

Yes, that goes for summer visitors.

It also goes for locals.

All locals, particularly — yet not only –those who appreciate the diversity of thought that ABC brings to the institution and, by extension, to the region.

ABC has brought 45 speakers to Chautauqua, Paul Anthony, ABC’s president, told the Aug. 21 audience. The organization’s supporters have exceeded 800.

“To echo the institution, we are forming our own strategic plan: 1000 forward,” he said.

When you attend ABC events, don’t forget to try the cookies. They’re really good. As the adage goes, if you break them into small pieces, they don’t have as many calories.

Dr. Randy Elf’s Aug. 20, 2020, ABC presentation, on “How Political Speech Law Benefits Politicians and the Rich,” is at https://works.bepress.com/elf/21

ç 2023 BY RANDY ELF