Queen Elizabeth II
Official Diamond Jubilee Portrait
[from UK Telegraph]
This is the weekend of the Diamond Jubilee Celebration of the 60-year reign of Queen Elizabeth II.
Her coronation was on June 2, 1953, when she was just 26 years old. How many young people that age do you know who could step into the kind of responsibility that faced young Elizabeth upon the death of her father, King George VI.
From Royal.gov.uk:
The Central Weekend to celebrate The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee takes place from Saturday 2 June to Tuesday 5 June 2012, with celebratory activities throughout the United Kingdom and across the Commonwealth.
The Jubilee Weekend features an extra Bank Holiday for the Diamond Jubilee, with the late May Bank Holiday moved one week later, thereby making a 4-day long weekend. The government announced the extra Bank Holiday for the Diamond Jubilee on 5 January 2010.
The Queen's Diamond Jubilee Emblem
The itinerary for family visits to all parts of the Commonwealth is also on that page.
From the UK Guardian:
The Queen begins her jubilee weekend in one of her favourite places, the royal box at Epsom racecourse, for the Derby on Saturday, where the popular mezzo soprano Katherine Jenkins will sing the national anthem.
'The Thames diamond jubilee river pageant will make history on Sunday, with an ambitious flotilla of 1,000 ships recreating royal pageants of old. More than 20,000 people will be on the boats, some of which were beginning to muster in advance on Friday.
Over a million spectators are expected to line the banks and bridges as it sets off at 2.30pm with the last of the vessels expected to sail under Tower Bridge by 5.30pm. (and wouldn't it be fun to be there for that!)
Up to 50 large viewing screens have been placed along the river, bringing central London to a standstill with some roads and bridges closed. Family festivals in Battersea Park and Hyde Park are also expected to attract large crowds.
Sunday will also see thousands of street parties as the jubilee coincides with the Big Lunch. More than 9,500 applications for road closures have been approved across the UK – almost twice as many as for last year's royal wedding of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.'
So how many of you are planning to be in England for the Diamond Jubilee celebration?
From the UK Guardian:
The Queen begins her jubilee weekend in one of her favourite places, the royal box at Epsom racecourse, for the Derby on Saturday, where the popular mezzo soprano Katherine Jenkins will sing the national anthem.
'The Thames diamond jubilee river pageant will make history on Sunday, with an ambitious flotilla of 1,000 ships recreating royal pageants of old. More than 20,000 people will be on the boats, some of which were beginning to muster in advance on Friday.
Over a million spectators are expected to line the banks and bridges as it sets off at 2.30pm with the last of the vessels expected to sail under Tower Bridge by 5.30pm. (and wouldn't it be fun to be there for that!)
Up to 50 large viewing screens have been placed along the river, bringing central London to a standstill with some roads and bridges closed. Family festivals in Battersea Park and Hyde Park are also expected to attract large crowds.
Sunday will also see thousands of street parties as the jubilee coincides with the Big Lunch. More than 9,500 applications for road closures have been approved across the UK – almost twice as many as for last year's royal wedding of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.'
So how many of you are planning to be in England for the Diamond Jubilee celebration?
Be sure to 'ring me up.'
or is it now 'ring me.' ??
I'm never sure if I should try using British slang. Who knows when the definitions might change into something I'll wish I hadn't said!
in 1953 I lived in the backwoods of kentucky and did not even know there was a queen. I was 9 when she took the throne. i must say i am very happy our presidents don't get to reign for 60 years.
ReplyDeleteThere are so many things I would like to see and places to go, but this is one where I would like to be dropped in to see it and then lifted out and away to avoid the crowds.
ReplyDeleteThere will be celebrations all thru England over this 4 day holiday weekend. It would be fun to see London all decked out. I remember when my daughter Rachel and I was at the Order of the Garter ceremony at Windsor Castle, it was fantastic, we were only a foot away from all the Royal family, Prime Minister, etc., when they walked down from the castle to St. George's Chapel. We had a lovely afternoon there. Have a great weekend.
ReplyDeleteI couldn't even imagine some of the 26 year olds I know being queens or kings! We'd be in trouble, let me tell you!! lol
ReplyDeleteRobin, I've seen the Order of the Garter ceremony only on a TV documentary. It was SO interesting. How fun to have been there in person! And I'd like to be there now for the Diamond Jubilee celebration, but like Amy, would like to be lifted out and most certainly not stick around for the Olympics!
ReplyDeleteShe certainly is an interesting person, and I agree, age 26 seems way to young for such responsiblities!
ReplyDeleteIt's lovely to have a four day long weekend. No street parties where I live so will have to watch the celebrations on the T.V.
ReplyDeleteIn 2006 my son, who lives in London, treated me to a tour of Buckingham Palace. It was the summer opening of the State Rooms and was fabulous. I have the official souvenir guide here with me right now.
I wish I was there this weekend!
I, too, am an Anglophile and would love to see some of these celebrations. I have a very dear friend in Birmingham and I am determined to visit her lovely country one of these days.
ReplyDeleteMy brother is in England right now. Wish I could be there to join him. :)
ReplyDeleteI hope to watch some of it on TV this weekend! Enjoy your weekend!
ReplyDeleteI was raised on the royal family - a huge mazal tov to Elizabeth for steering the country through so many decades, remaining steadfast and solid and loyal to "The Firm" despite tumult and stress and so much change ....
ReplyDeleteI have been hearing about this - she has been Queen a long time. Wasn't she pretty when she was younger? I bet everyone will be celebrating.
ReplyDeleteSandie
She is an amazing role model, and could you imagine, two small children, and being Queen?
ReplyDeleteJen @ Muddy Boot Dreams
I hope it doesn't rain on them this weekend! I bet you would be over there if you could!
ReplyDeleteI serioulsy thought about being there for Jubilee weekend, but life got in the way. Besides I think the prices would have been through the roof!
ReplyDeleteAnd, not that I don't like the Queen, but I would want to see England, not one big party! Lol!
She was visiting Dublin last year :)
ReplyDeleteI would love to be there! Did you see the 20/20 special last week with Katie Couric? I recorded it and have watched it twice already! I loved her interviews with William and Harry.
ReplyDeleteI would love to be there for all the celebrations but alas I am not so well off that I could just jump on a plane and go. I think the queen has aged wonderfully - don't you?
ReplyDeleteWhen I was in sixth grade, we got the day off from school to watch the coronation on TV, which was relatively new then. Seems like yesterday at times, and then at others long ago. What a lot of responsiblity to have for so long!
ReplyDeleteNice fitting friday post.
ReplyDeleteI remember seeing the queen on several occasions in one day during her silver jubilee celebrations back in1977. Unfortunately as we we arrived later all the sightings were never as good as the first one.
I was at work yesterday and managed to catch at lunchtime on TV the queen arriving at Epsom. It's always a peculiar sight seeing the royal cavalcade driving along a racecourse and then watching the first step of the queen sink into the grass.
I'm going to try & catch The River Thames spectacular today whilst I am making late lunch & I have plans to be involved in a friends street party in Sheffield. I've been asked to bring amongst other things my guitar ... they don't know how long ago it was when I played it last.
The weather knows that the bank holiday has been moved :-) It was glorious here last weekend ... although I'm not moaning about it yet !
Definitely WISHING we we were in England for the celebration!
ReplyDeleteGod bless the queen.
ReplyDelete