Two Weeks with the Queen
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| Author | Morris Gleitzman |
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| Original title | Two Weeks in London |
| Cover artist | Moira Millman |
| Country | Australia England United States |
| Language | English |
| Genre | Young adult, drama |
| Publisher | Pan Books |
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Publication date
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1990 |
| Media type | Print (paperback) |
| Pages | 127 |
| ISBN | |
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.
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 City of London Police for attempting this, and taken home to their parents. 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. He then slashes tyres on cars, which were Mercedes, BMW, Jaguar and Audi, to get revenge on the doctors. Colin storms back to his aunt'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 homosexual. 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.
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