Highlights of the Platinum Jubilee

My highlights

1. The Queen of course! Such a treat to actually see the Queen in public. At 96 she missed a few events, but still she was there for the balcony appearances after Trooping the Colour and the Pageant, as well as the lighting of the Platinum Jubilee Beacon. She clearly wanted to make an effort, so people could see her a few times during the jubilee, even if it costed her some strenght.

2. Paddington … should I say more? Just watch!

3. The royal children were absolutely the other stars of the events, especially Prince Louis of Cambridge who, with making funny faces, stole the show during Trooping the Colour and the Pageant. The first time of the Cambridge children in the carriage at Trooping the Colour! But we shouldn’t forget the first appearance in public of August Brooksbank (Princess Eugenie’s son), or the children of Peter and Zara Phillips tremendously enjoying the festivities. It was so wonderful to see that the grandchildren and several great-grandchildren of the Queen were included.

4. The concert with a speech by the Prince of Wales and an eco message by the Duke of Cambridge. OK, we didn’t have Brian May of Queen on the roof of the Buckingham Palace, but that’s about all that was missing. I had a very lovely long evening watching.

5. Mike Tindall wearing the hats of his wife Zara on Instagram … hilarious!

Photos, etc.

Photos of Trooping the Colour by Royal Press Europe.

The order of service for the service at St Paul’s Cathedral on Friday.

Service at St Paul’s Cathedral, photos by Royal Press Europe.

Some lovely videos were released too: Our Queen, A Life of Service and Constant in culture (although there is a mistake in it).

BBC

Honestly I am really very, very happy that I have BBC One and BBC Two on my television. I was so happy they covered all the main events. However I also had a few complaints, or heard some from others. Especially irritating on Sunday 5 June during the pageant: the experts talking in between, I hated the moderators on the route itself, there was very little information about what was going on in the pageant itself. I could have done with some more close ups instead of overviews. And don’t expect everybody watching know who all these stars on busses and in oldtimers actually are.

A friend of mine called and complained that after the service in St Paul’s Cathedral on Friday 3 June the cameras switched away to the experts as soon as the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall had left the cathedral … while she was eagerly waiting for the other members of the family to appear.

On Sunday evening both Dutch and Belgian TV showed the documentary “Elizabeth: The Unseen Queen“. As I was disturbed when it was shown on BBC last week, and was far too late for Dutch television, I finally had a relaxed look at it on Belgian television on Sunday evening. If you are able to watch it: it is highly recommended. Shown is video material from the private archives of the royal family covering the years 1926-1953.

How I celebrated at home

Of course I spend the main part of these four days glued to my television. The house decorated with bunting, flag and British royal tableware. The screen was much to small to my liking, which doesn’t happen too often. I decided to prepare festive, British food. I made a tikka masala with naan bread, coronation chicken (both tasted better than the photos below look) and had a real yummy high/afternoon tea for dinner with all kind of delicious cakes, scones with clotted cream and jam and of course tea. Only my stomach thinks it was all a bit too much, but it was worth it. Now all I need to do is prepare a few club sandwiches too. Because as usual I bought far too much …