The tiny person in ‘dusky dove blue’ was not simply smiling beneath a Royal Standard the size of a tennis court and 15 RAF Typhoons smashing overhead in a stunning ’70’ formation.
The Queen, like the open-jawed crowds reaching as far as the eye could see, seemed ecstatic.
A large crowd of people had gathered in London’s Parliament Square to honor the first Platinum Jubilee queen of British history, who had appeared on her balcony after three long years.
At the end of yesterday’s Trooping the Colour, she had come to thank them in return. As a result, the massive national celebrations marking her 70th year as monarch got underway.
Even before this four-day celebration of pomp, music, horseflesh and cream teas began, the Queen addressed the nation in a letter. She took to the streets early yesterday afternoon to vent her feelings in person.
Those who represent the current forefront of the Royal Family stood next to her on the balcony. This was a line-up that was as clear as any Palace announcement. Seen the future, people, is its unmistakable message.
The audience, which was so enormous that the Mall and the parks on either side had been cordoned off hours before, yelled its delight.
Indeed, they had come to see the Queen first and foremost. But make no doubt about it. The cheers that greeted the younger royals’ intermittent appearances, both in person and on huge screens, served as a reminder that this Jubilee is not some sort of nostalgia-fueled farewell.
It’s a celebration of an institution that stands for continuity and permanence above all else. That will be evident in the tens of thousands of parties being enjoyed by millions of people over the long weekend; it was evident in the excitement felt across the country last night as communities of all sizes gathered to watch 3,500 beacons light up the evening sky – more than twice the expected number.
It was clear in the thunderous applause that greeted every single participant in today’s spectacular Birthday Parade, from the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge’s angelic trio to the man running the street-sweeping machine gallantly scooping up after the Household Cavalry.
After the Queen’s previous ordeals – widowhood, pandemic, ‘episodic mobility difficulties,’ political and family upheavals – here was a sight that some within royal circles (both family and staff) had believed they would never witness. Act One of this long weekend of national unity, however, was a success.
The element of uncertainty set it apart from all prior Jubilees — and every other significant royal event for that matter.
There was a lot of improvisation yesterday, despite the ritualised protocol of Trooping the Colour on the Sovereign’s official birthday. Given that the Queen now prefers to take things one day at a time, no one could be certain when she would appear — fact, it was only tonight that we learned that she had been forced to withdraw from tomorrow’s thanksgiving ceremony at St Paul’s Cathedral due to ‘discomfort’ yesterday.
She was not to take part in the Birthday Parade for the first time since George VI’s reign. The salute would be taken by the Prince of Wales. Instead, she’d try to catch the last few minutes of the parade from her balcony. The Palace, on the other hand, would not confirm anything in advance.
The Royal Standard on the Buckingham Palace flagpole was still missing long after the march proper had begun on Horse Guards at the far end of The Mall. Is it possible that the monarch chose to stay at home in Windsor and watch it all on television?
There were also concerns about some of the parade’s other non-participants. Are any of the Queen’s great-grandchildren expected to attend? Would the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, who will be attending their first joint event in the United Kingdom since March 2020, be a distraction?
None of this mattered in the least to the massive masses who were determined to visit downtown London no matter what.
At 5.30 a.m., I arrived on The Mall to find every kerbside place taken. I chose one small group at random out of curiosity. Andre, a disc jockey from Quebec, had flown in specifically for this event. Jane, an Oklahoma nurse, feels the same way. Meanwhile, Vaughan was a retired South Wales businessman. To put it another way, this was a diverse group of people from all over the world.
Before the end of the day, many new friendships would have been formed. Jodi Sarkissan from Philadelphia and Joel Salmon from Finchley were also present. They originally met in 2011 while trying to catch a sight of the newlywed Cambridges at the same location. They’ve remained in contact ever since.
The ground in front of the Palace had been turned into a massive stadium in preparation for the BBC music event tomorrow night and the enormous pageant on Sunday.
The Royal British Legion received all 7,000 grandstand seats yesterday to distribute to its members. Around 3,000 tickets had been distributed to veterans of all wars, from WWII to Afghanistan. The War Widows’ Association, the Army Widows’ Association, and Scotty’s Little Soldiers – a charity that aids bereaved Forces children – had received almost 1,200 donations.