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This is my final post on the events of the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Weekend.
For those who missed it, I have covered Trooping the Colour, the Service of Thanksgiving at St Paul’s and the Party at the Palace concert.
Today’s recap is about the fantastic pageant in central London and festive street parties around the nation on Sunday, June 5, 2022.
Before I go into that, however, there are two more things to cover from earlier in the weekend.
The first concerns lunch at the Guildhall following Friday’s Service of Thanksgiving.
On Monday, June 6, Dan Wootton wrote about it for the Daily Mail (emphases mine):
The sense of disappointment within London’s grand Guildhall was palpable.
One of the rooms hosting dignitaries and other invited guests had been left without a member of the Royal Family present to mingle and chat as promised.
The mood turned frosty when the upset attendees, who had expected to be hosted by a minor royal as they were served English sparkling wine and a buffet of traditional dishes like coronation chicken and smoked duck, were told by organisers it was because the Duke and Duchess of Sussex had turned down an invitation to attend.
But it wasn’t just the public who were stunned at Harry and Meghan’s notable snub following an awkward appearance at St Paul’s Cathedral for the Service of Thanksgiving.
That carefully choreographed event had been derailed by the boos received by Harry and Meghan from onlookers as they entered and then departed the church where Princess Diana famously married Prince Charles – the worst nightmare for courtiers who have long feared normally polite monarchists might vocally turn on the couple after their unrelenting attacks on the institution since Megxit.
I’ve learned some members of the Royal Family and many senior courtiers were horrified at the detached and cold appearance by the exiled couple, who had also made the decision to fly out of the country before the Queen had even made her historic Buckingham Palace balcony appearance, alongside Charles, Camilla and the Cambridges, on Sunday evening.
Lady Colin Campbell spoke with Wootton on his GB News show Monday night. She, too, said the Sussexes were snubbed:
She added that the couple were deeply unhappy because the Jubilee has outshone their own ‘brand’:
At least Her Majesty was able to meet Lilibet, who celebrated her first birthday at the weekend.
In another news event not widely covered, the Queen’s Baton Relay arrived in London on June 2 in advance of this summer’s Commonwealth Games in Birmingham:
Commonwealth Games minister Nigel Huddleston (wearing a red tie) met with some of the participants on Saturday at the Tower of London:
The Commonwealth Games will be starting in Birmingham on July 28:
Street parties
At lunchtime, the weather was dismal in many parts of the UK.
The Mail on Sunday reported:
Royal superfans are set to brave the elements on the final day of the Queen‘s Platinum Jubilee weekend, amid fears today’s £15million Pageant will be battered by thunderstorms.
The Met Office has issued a yellow warning for heavy rainfall and potentially even hail across much of England and Wales from midnight until 6pm this evening.
Forecasters have said that the bad weather – including downpours of up to 50mm an hour, and even hail – may cause travel disruption and flooding in some places, with parts of London and the South East, the Midlands, East Anglia most at risk.
In London, we had what I call Coronation Day weather. Coronation Day was on June 2, 1953. It was cold, damp and rainy.
The greatest of these lunch parties was the Big Jubilee Lunch at Oval Cricket Ground in Vauxhall, south London. Prince Charles and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, represented the Royal Family.
The Mail on Sunday has an article with so many photos, you will have felt as if you’d been there.
An excerpt follows:
Prince Charles today said he hopes ‘bickering’ does not return to Britain after the Platinum Jubilee generated a feeling of ‘togetherness’ across the country.
The Prince of Wales and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall are tucking into the Big Jubilee Lunch at the Oval cricket ground in South London, where they marvelled at a 20ft tea table made entirely of felt and cut a big cake before toasting Her Majesty.
Guests at the lunch have said that the future king remarked: ‘When it comes to Monday are we going to go back to all the bickering again? Let’s hope we don’t do that.’
That is one thing Charles and I agree upon. Unfortunately, Monday’s confidence vote about Boris Johnson put paid to that.
As for the rest of the nation attending street parties:
Britons are attending a record-breaking 12million parties and lunches today as they celebrate the Queen‘s astonishing seven-decade reign.
Dear me. How was that even possible?
And there were more lunches, not only in the Commonwealth nations:
More than 600 Big Jubilee Lunches are being planned throughout the Commonwealth and beyond – from Canada to Brazil, New Zealand to Japan and South Africa to Switzerland.
How wonderfuul was that?
Meanwhile, in Windsor, Prince Edward and Sophie, Duchess of Wessex, attended a ‘long lunch’ just outside the castle gates:
… the Earl and Countess of Wessex are expected to join thousands of the Queen’s neighbours for a record breaking ‘long lunch’ on the Long Walk outside the gates of Windsor Castle on the final day of the Platinum Jubilee celebrations.
Here is a photo montage of street parties and lunches across the UK, which the Eden Project has helped organise in an attempt to bring the nation together in unity:
Street parties are renowned for delightful sweet treats:
For once, Scotland had better weather than England.
Despite all their independence rhetoric as well as the SNP-run councils and the Scottish Parliament, Scots came out in force to celebrate the Queen.
Edinburgh, the capital, took the cake, according to The Times:
In Edinburgh, the street party capital of Scotland, neighbours laid tables and chairs outside their homes and shared a small mountain of home baking, wine and champagne to toast the Queen’s landmark achievement.
Residents of 32 streets applied to Edinburgh city council to ban traffic for the afternoon, the most of any local authority area, which allowed long lunches and children’s games to take place in safety …
In Rutherglen, South Lanarkshire, about 300 adults and children enjoyed a picnic in the town’s Overtoun Park, as part of the Big Jubilee Lunch. With the Duchess of Rothesay as patron of the organisation, an estimated 85,000 similar events were taking place around the UK at the same time …
Eugenie Aroutcheff, organiser of the Rutherglen event, said the eco-friendly project in the park was designed to combat social isolation and loneliness in the community.
Following the pandemic, the emphasis this year is on getting neighbours and friends back together again.
I will have more on street parties in general. The consensus among some people is that we should not need a Jubilee in order to organise street parties. I could not agree more, especially as the next Jubilee is likely to be decades away — unless the Queen shows exceptional longevity. It’s possible. Her mother died just days before her 102nd birthday.
The Platinum Jubilee Pageant
There was no time for the thousands of people organising and participating in the Platinum Jubilee Pageant to have a too leisurely sit-down lunch:
They were all busy making their final preparations for the last official event of the weekend:
In all, 10,000 people made this spectacular pageant possible. It was amazing, and I’m not all that keen on this sort of thing.
This was the parade route, which is quite long:
The theme was honouring the Queen and each of the seven decades of her reign:
The Royal Marines had been part of the official events since Thursday. They must have been exhausted. Here we can see a short video about their many rehearsals:
This video shows a few of the Pageant performers and the floats involved:
The acts were magnificent. The costumes and choreography were so creative. I’ve never seen anything like it.
Here’s the full three-hour video as seen at the end near the Victoria Fountain in front of Buckingham Palace. All the Royal Family members and most of the politicians and dignitaries who were at Saturday’s concert were there:
The Queen’s third balcony appearance
Around 4 p.m., news emerged that the Queen would be travelling in from Windsor Castle to Buckingham Palace for a final balcony appearance, bringing an end to four days of celebrations.
Four generations of the Royal Family appeared on the balcony: the Queen, Prince Charles and Camilla, Prince William and Kate and their children.
One must object, however, to Prince William’s entreaties the night before about saving the planet as he and his family took a private helicopter to London:
Hmm. Perhaps it’s not the best look.
The Queen looked stunning in an emerald green outfit. She appeared before the crowd around 5:10 p.m.:
The crowds in The Mall ran to the palace as soon as her Standard (flag) went up sometime after 4 o’clock. When the Standard flies above any Royal household, the Queen is in residence:
Agence France Presse had lovely photos:
Chart-topper Ed Sheeran and a few other singers sang the National Anthem. Afterwards, Sheeran swiftly but sincerely wished everyone a safe journey home. The crowd dutifully dispersed. By then, the weather had improved.
The Queen’s influence is worldwide
Incredibly, the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee was celebrated even in countries that are not part of the Commonwealth, e.g. Thailand, Switzerland, Poland, Morocco and Portugal:
What a wonderful four-day weekend it was!
Long live our gracious Queen! Long live our noble Queen! Long live the Queen!
Saturday and Sunday, June 4 and 5, 2022, were a time of fun and frolic, ending the four-day Platinum Jubilee holiday.
As delightful as it was, unfortunately, the first news item on Monday morning was that Prime Minister Boris Johnson would undergo a vote of confidence early that evening.
Sir Graham Brady, the chairman of the 1922 Committee, the Conservative group of backbench MPs, made the announcement at 8 a.m.:
He gave a short press conference outside the Palace of Westminster:
Brady had already received 54 letters from Conservative backbenchers, the minimum number of no confidence letters needed — 15% of Conservative MPs — in order to trigger the vote:
He had received most of them before the Platinum Jubilee celebrations started. He probably has more than 54 letters; someone on GB News said that he had received 83.
Sir Graham arranged a time for Boris to have right of reply to his party’s MPs, scheduled for 4 p.m.
GB News interviewed a number of Conservative MPs during the day. Those supporting Boris said that MPs calling for him to stand down are either Remainers, those who never liked him, those who never received a Cabinet post and those who fell out with him and were reshuffled from Cabinet. Some of the MPs falling into the last three categories voted for Brexit.
It’s a pity that Boris’s premiership has been far from perfect, unlike the resplendent appearance of the Duchess of Cambridge:
Most of the viewers writing into GB News are Boris supporters. This was the result of Dan Wootton’s Monday night poll on whether Boris should lead the Conservatives into the next election (2023 or, more likely, 2024):
Jacob Rees-Mogg, former Leader of the House and current Minister for Brexit Opportunities, tweeted that rebel MPs should remember that voters elected Conservative MPs, i.e. Boris, therefore, for MPs to depose him implies that people’s votes do not count. As such, Conservatives could lose the next election largely for that reason:
UPDATE — The 1922 Committee announced the result of the vote at 9 p.m. Boris has won but not by as big a margin as John Major in the 1990s or Theresa May a few years ago:
Speaking after Sir Graham Brady announced the vote result, Boris said that the Government can move on and focus on the things that ‘really matter’:
Jacob Rees-Mogg, a monarchist, no doubt thoroughly enjoyed the Platinum Jubilee weekend and tweeted a Telegraph editorial which said that the Queen has increased the UK’s love of the monarchy:
Interestingly, the editorial is dated June 1, the day before the long weekend.
However, it was spot on, because Jubilees have united the nation like nothing else, other than the Olympics and Paralympics. This is why (emphases mine):
Since we have no national day in the United Kingdom, the four significant jubilees of the Queen’s reign have each served to reassert a patriotism that is always present but only occasionally allowed to flourish.
People need events such as these to feel a sense of belonging beyond our immediate family, neighbourhood or region. To manifest itself through the Queen, rather than a nebulous concept of nationhood, makes it more personal – a relationship that is never possible between citizens and an elected politician.
While a proportion of her subjects will recall the reign of her father, or even her uncle and maybe her grandfather, for the vast majority of the population the Queen is the only head of state we have known – a constant companion through our entire lives, the still point in an often turbulent world.
In a statement in February to mark her accession, the Queen signed off as “Your Servant”, which is how she has always seen herself. As the heir-presumptive in 1947, still not expecting to take the throne for many years, she gave a radio broadcast to declare: “My whole life, whether it be long or short, shall be devoted to your service and the service of our great imperial family to which we all belong.”
Mercifully, it has turned out to be a long life and Her Majesty has more than lived up to the pledge she gave then …
With that, let us look at the Jubilee events of Saturday, June 4.
The Queen did not attend one of her favourite racing events, the Epsom Derby. She watched it on television instead:
The Princess Royal, Princess Anne, represented her mother at Epsom. I do wish Anne could succeed her. She does so much unsung work for charity — and we have no idea what she thinks about climate change:
Forty jockeys wore the Queen’s silks in honour of her 70-year reign. She has met some of them:
Princess Anne was not the only member of the Royal Family representing the Queen in the UK that day.
Prince Edward and Sophie, Countess of Wessex, travelled to Northern Ireland for official engagements:
The following video shows the Queen on her previous visits to the province also known as Ulster:
The Cambridges had an equally busy day, especially the children.
The Countess of Cambridge, better known as Kate, made cupcakes with the children for a Sunday street party in Cardiff:
The family also visited Cardiff on Saturday:
In the evening, they attended the concert, the Platinum Party at the Palace:
Earlier, while in Cardiff, they were able to meet performers and planners for the Welsh contribution to the concert:
As happened during the Diamond Jubilee, the concert was a true son et lumière — sound and light — experience:
There was a terrific light show with drones. This bit with a corgi dropping a bone is amusing:
Although the Queen was in absentia, she opened the show with a brilliant comedy sketch she secretly recorded in March with Paddington Bear.
The Sunday Times has the story:
At 96, the Queen showed she has lost none of her humour, starring in a surprise televised sketch with the fictional bear from darkest Peru. The skit opened the Platinum Party at the Palace, a live concert at Buckingham Palace broadcast by the BBC.
It echoed the James Bond spoof at the opening ceremony of the 2012 London Olympics, in which she and her corgis appeared with the actor Daniel Craig at the palace, and the Queen later appeared to jump out of a helicopter and parachute into the stadium.
During her encounter with Paddington in the crimson drawing room at Windsor Castle, the Queen laughed as the clumsy bear caused chaos, accidentally depriving her of a cup of tea, glugging directly from the spout of the teapot and spraying her footman with cream from a chocolate éclair.
As he showed Her Majesty the marmalade sandwiches he stores under his red hat, the Queen prised open her black Launer handbag, confiding, “I keep mine in here,” before closing her bag and wryly observing: “For later.”
Paddington, who is created with CGI and voiced by the actor Ben Whishaw, congratulated the Queen on her historic reign, wishing her a “happy jubilee, Ma’am” and adding: “And thank you. For everything.” The Queen replied: “That’s very kind.”
The Queen has worn Launer handbags since 1968. She awarded them with a Royal Warrant many years ago and visited their factory in 1992. A Launer is hardly a handbag in which one would store marmalade sandwiches.
The sketch had to segue perfectly into Queen’s — the band’s — performance:
Rosie Alison, of Heyday Films, which produced the two Paddington films and is making a third this year, said: “Filming Her Majesty’s tea party with Paddington Bear was such an emotional day for the entire crew. All of us were in awe of the Queen’s wit, warmth and radiant aura as she patiently engaged with a polite, clumsy but very well-intentioned bear. Of course, she shone, and put all of us at ease.”
Mark Sidaway, executive producer of the BBC’s Platinum Party at the Palace, said: “We were thrilled and honoured when we learnt Her Majesty had agreed to run with this touching yet joyful idea the team had come up with — although it was slightly nerve-racking ensuring it all blended seamlessly with the live performance from Queen.”
One of my readers, Sylvia, sent in the link to a Mail article which has a link to the full video and terrific concert photos. Many thanks, Sylvia!
This version has the addition of the Monarch and Paddington Bear tapping their tea cups to Queen’s opening number. We also get a glimpse of the crowd as it was at that moment:
Here are more scenes from the concert, which featured much musical talent from past and present, including Rod Stewart, Elton John, Duran Duran and Diana Ross. The following video shows more of the drone light displays, which were amazing:
At the concert, Princes Charles and William paid tribute to the Queen.
What follows comes from The Sunday Times report.
William spoke first:
Earlier in the evening, Prince William, 39, an ardent environmentalist, used his tribute to hail his grandmother’s calls over the years to protect the planet and spoke of his “pride” that “my grandfather and my father have been part of those efforts”. Sir David Attenborough also gave a tribute praising the royal family’s commitment to conservationism.
Before William appeared on stage, the German composer Hans Zimmer and an orchestra performed a specially arranged version of the Planet Earth II Suite, followed by a performance by the Royal Ballet, as words from the Queen’s 1989 Christmas message, focusing on the environment, were broadcast: “The future of all life on Earth depends on how we behave towards one another and how we treat the plants and animals that share our world with us. We share the Earth as human beings. All of us. And together as the nations of the world will leave it to our children and children’s children. We must be kind to it for their sake.”
William called his grandmother the Queen ‘of hope’:
A clip from the Queen’s message to COP26 last year was also shown.
Charles said, in part:
Taking to the stage in front of Buckingham Palace, which was illuminated with images of the Queen personally chosen by Charles, the prince was cheered by a crowd of more than 20,000 as he addressed his mother, who was watching on television from Windsor Castle.
“Your family now spans four generations. You are our head of state. And you are also our mother … Looking back, we think of the countless state occasions that are milestones along this nation’s road. And you will think of red boxes, filled with government papers, at the end of the day … We think of all you have done to make the Commonwealth such an important force for good. You continue to make history” …
“I know what really gets my mother up in the morning is all of you, watching at home.
“You have met us and talked to us. You laugh and cry with us and, most importantly, you have been there for us, for these 70 years. You pledged to serve your whole life — you continue to deliver. That is why we are here. That is what we celebrate tonight. These pictures on your house are the story of your life — and ours. So, your Majesty, that is why we all say thank you.”
He ended his tribute by calling for “three cheers for Her Majesty”.
Here is the video:
Members of the Royal Family were out in force. The Sussexes did not attend, however.
Many politicians also attended, including Boris and his wife Carrie, Labour’s Sir Keir Starmer, Scotland’s First Minister Nicola Sturgeon and her husband, the Welsh First Minister Mark Drakeford and the Mayor of London Sadiq Khan.
The weather in London held out for Saturday. However, all changed overnight.
I’ll cover Sunday’s Platinum Jubilee Pageant tomorrow.
On Thursday afternoon and evening, I watched GB News’s wall-to-wall commentary on the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee. It has been excellent.
GB News is available worldwide, live and on video.
Nigel Farage was in London for Trooping the Colour and said that the parade and the enthusiasm of everyone he met elsewhere was very moving, indeed:
Retired Royal correspondent Michael Cole, who had watched the Coronation in 1953 as a little boy on his family’s brand new television set, told Farage that he felt the same way:
Continuing on from Thursday’s post on the Platinum Jubilee, likely to be a one-off event in British history, here is the marvellous flypast that took place after Trooping the Colour:
That evening, the Queen symbolically set off the beacon lighting around the UK and Commonwealth nations:
This video shows how the lighting unfolded at Windsor Castle …
… and here we can see them lit up around the world:
On Friday morning, June 3, a Service of Thanksgiving for the Queen’s 70-year reign took place at St Paul’s Cathedral in the City of London.
The evening before, Buckingham Palace announced that the Queen would not be attending, having suffered ‘discomfort’ after Trooping the Colour. She made a second appearance on the balcony to acknowledge the military personnel and officers participating.
However, the BBC commentators told us that she was watching the broadcast as it unfolded on television.
Interestingly, Queen Victoria arrived for her Diamond Jubilee at St Paul’s Cathedral in 1897 only to find out that she could not exit her carriage because of ill health. When everyone inside found out, they all — clergy included — went outside to conduct the service there:
The Times‘s Valentine Low wrote the following about Elizabeth II:
The Queen may not have been able to take part in the Trooping the Colour ceremony on Horse Guards, but she takes her role as Colonel-in-Chief very seriously. Her decision to make that extra appearance was prompted by the same motivation that saw her make a last-minute appearance at the opening of the Elizabeth line: her unwavering sense of duty.
The Queen will be extremely disappointed at not going to St Paul’s. She has a sincere religious belief, and takes her role as head of the Church of England seriously too …
For the moment, the jubilee remains all about the Queen: wherever she is.
Personally, I would have had the Service of Thanksgiving at St George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle. The Queen returned to the castle after lunch with the Royal Family following Trooping the Colour.
The Sussexes attended the lunch at Buckingham Palace. They did not appear on the balcony as they are not working members of the Royal Family.
However, once at Windsor, where Archie and Lilibet stayed while their parents were in London, the Queen finally got to meet her newest great-grandchild:
The Daily Mail article has the order of the Service of Thanksgiving, which was traditional and dignified in all the best Church of England ways. Why can’t more C of E services be like that?
St Paul’s Cathedral also has the Order of Service as it was printed for those attending:
Crowds had gathered outside by 6 a.m. in the limited space Paternoster (Our Father) Square affords:
Attending these services as invited guests or military guard requires a bladder of steel and optimum decorum. Waiting for everyone to arrive takes longer than the actual service.
Today’s service welcomed as guests the charity sector, military cadets, Girl Guides, Boy Scouts, Commonwealth dignitaries, the military, politicians past and present as well as the extended Royal Family.
The public sector were there, too:
Outside were a military guard as well as military representatives from the Commonwealth nations. They had to stand perfectly still as the guests filed into the cathedral.
Here is another set of guards inside:
Musicians played traditional music. The Royal Marines provided the brass accompaniment. The Royal Air Force played the closing fanfare introducing the National Anthem, which concluded the service. Everyone sang his/her heart out. I’ve never heard anything like it:
Former Prime Ministers were in attendance: Sir John Major, Tony Blair, Gordon Brown and David Cameron. Brown and Cameron brought their respective wives, Sarah and Samantha.
Members of the Cabinet, including Defence Secretary Ben Wallace, Foreign Secretary Liz Truss and Home Secretary Priti Patel, attended.
Opposition leaders Sir Keir Starmer and Sir Ed Davey were there, along with Scotland’s First Minister Nicola Sturgeon and her husband.
London Mayor Sadiq Khan and his wife also attended.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson got a huge and prolonged cheer when he arrived at the cathedral, accompanied by wife Carrie.
These photos show Boris and Carrie in the main photo. On the top right are the Camerons and on the bottom right are the Blairs, Tony and Cherie:
The only others who got louder cheers were the Sussexes …
… and the Cambridges:
I have read media reports that the Johnsons and the Sussexes were booed. I watched the proceedings on television. What I heard were most definitely cheers for both couples.
A royal expert commenting on the service said that, where the Queen is concerned:
nothing happens by chance.
Therefore, we can conclude that the fact that the Sussexes arrived by private car and got their own mini-procession down the aisle of St Paul’s was an instruction from the Queen (see second tweet):
The couple sat near the front, next to Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie, who were with their husbands.
The minor Royals arrived in a large black coach (bus). It took ages for them to file in, as they shook hands with a long line of Anglican clergy, including the Bishop of London, the Right Revd and Right Hon Dame Sarah Mulally, who had a lucrative career prior to entering the priesthood.
The clergy wore elaborate crimson and gold copes which were created for George V’s Silver Jubilee service in 1935. Most of them looked as good as new.
Yeoman Warders (Beefeaters) from the Tower of London stood behind them. They were on official duty guarding those inside the cathedral.
You can see both below:
Prince Edward and the Duchess of Wessex brought along their children. I really like Sophie. So does the Queen:
Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall were the last to arrive:
By now, readers might be wondering who the gentleman wearing ermine is.
He is the Lord Mayor of London — the City of London, that is. This is a rotating one-year position and the new Lord Mayor assumes his responsibilities beginning every autumn at the Lord Mayor’s Show, a parade in the City, which is the oldest part of London and still serves as the financial district.
The Lord Mayor of London is in charge of the City and, in that district, is second in power only to the Queen. Therefore, Prince Charles is subordinate to him while within those boundaries.
For centuries, until the Great Fire of 1666, that part of London was the capital, outside of Westminster, which was some distance away.
Everyone lived and worked there unless they had responsibilities at the heart of government in Westminster, which was most easily accessed by boat along the Thames.
Everywhere else that is now very much a part of the capital was a rural suburb until a few hundred years ago.
From that, we can better understand the importance of the Lord Mayor of London’s historical role.
The Lord Mayor has several swords, now ceremonial, that he uses. However, each sword has its own role. Today’s was the sword of state. If the Queen had been in attendance, he would have worn his most important sword.
The Lord Mayor’s assistant also carries a sword and wears a mink hat for ceremonial occasions:
You can see him outside the cathedral, hands resting on the sword, just immediately to the left of the main entrance:
Returning to the service, these chairs were for Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall:
Prince William and the Duchess of Cambridge sat right next to them in ordinary chairs:
Here is a view of what the congregation saw — the main altar, the choirmaster and the men and boys choir:
Boris Johnson delivered the New Testament reading, Philippians 4:4-9, which one can imagine that the Queen selected personally, as it truly gave us a message about our present circumstances and the transition of the monarchy. We are to think on higher things — and not worry:
Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. Let your gentleness be known to everyone. The Lord is near. Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, beloved, whatever is true, whatever is honourable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is pleasing, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. Keep on doing the things that you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, and the God of peace will be with you.
The Archbishop of York, the Right Revd Stephen Cottrell, gave the sermon, as the Archbishop of Canterbury has coronavirus, along with Prince Andrew.
The Archbishop of York’s sermon began with a brief discourse on how seriously the Queen took her Christian duties and ended on a lighter note with references to her favourite pastime, horse racing, particularly apposite as the Derby is on Saturday. Her Majesty is not expected to attend:
Children from the Commonwealth took turns in giving the prayer intercessions.
After the service, guests went to the Guildhall for lunch:
Meanwhile, Britons up and down the land gathered for street parties:
Thankfully, it was another reasonable day in London, dry and partly cloudy.
On Saturday evening, another spectacular concert in the style of those for the Golden and Diamond Jubilees will take place in front of Buckingham Palace.
On Sunday, a celebratory pageant will take place in the same location.
I plan to have more posts next week on the importance of the Queen’s 70-year reign as well as the many social and political changes during that time.
The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations began on Thursday, June 2, 2022.
A special Bank Holiday in the UK was declared months ago, and Britons have a public holiday on June 2 and June 3, taking us into a very special weekend.
The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee is an historic first. Never before has a British monarch celebrated a 70 year reign:
This is her message of thanks to the people of the UK and the Commonwealth countries:
June 2 is also the 69th anniversary of Elizabeth II’s coronation. The weather right now has been very similar to that time in 1953: cool and rainy.
Below is the chair in which 26 British monarchs have been crowned. It is kept in Westminster Abbey. Although it looks quite worn — and, yes, there is schoolboy graffiti on it — on Coronation Day it is covered with expensive fabric and cushions to look regal:
The Queen’s coronation needed a year to arrange, so it could not have taken place in 1952, when she suddenly acceded the throne following her father’s — George VI’s — sudden death that year.
This three-minute video has clips of the coronation ceremony, held on a cold, rainy June day at Westminster Abbey, during which participating adults and children alike were in great discomfort from the chill, even if it doesn’t look like it:
Today’s — Thursday’s — big event was Trooping the Colour.
Trooping the Colour celebrates the monarch’s birthday. It used to be held on the actual date of birth. Edward VII’s was in November, when the weather is cold and damp. Therefore, he had the date changed to June. Since his time, the monarch has two birthdays, so to speak: the actual one and the official one, marked by Trooping the Colour.
This year, it is two weeks early to tie in with the Platinum Jubilee weekend celebrations.
Because of her mobility issues, the Queen was not at Horse Guards Parade for this auspicious anniversary. Instead, she appeared on the balcony of Buckingham Palace to acknowledge those from the military who took part.
Gun salutes and a Royal Air Force flypast also took place:
Returning to Trooping the Colour, because of coronavirus restrictions, the military parade took place at Windsor Castle. This year is the first time in three years that it has been at Horse Guards Parade, so additional preparation was needed to make sure that everything was perfect.
This video gives a short insight on Trooping the Colour and the work that goes into making the Queen’s official birthday a special one:
Here is a quiz question on the Irish Guards:
This is the Irish Guards’ mascot, Seamus:
Horses are also an integral part of Trooping the Colour. They are groomed more than usual. Their many brasses must be perfectly polished, too:
Many hours of rehearsal are involved. The 251 Signal Squadron makes sure that everything happens when it should. It makes one wonder how they survived without radios decades ago. The parade must have been that much more onerous. The Queen would have known what was poorly timed:
Trooping the Colour dates back to the mid-18th century. The following photos show the Queen — then Princess Elizabeth — as well as other members of her family over the past century:
When the Queen actively participated in her Birthday Parade, she wore a modified military uniform. She served as an Army mechanic during the Second World War:
Although the Queen was at Buckingham Palace this year, members of the Royal Family attended, with Princes Charles and William and Princess Anne taking the salutes as the military passed by:
This was the scene at the Mall early on Thursday morning:
People were told that public viewing areas were at full capacity and to make other arrangements:
A Telegraph associate editor tweeted that onlookers gathered early in the morning:
The Mall was full by 9 a.m., 90 minutes before Trooping the Colour began:
Those fortunate enough to watch proceedings from Horse Guards itself dressed to the nines:
Meanwhile, back at Buckingham Palace, the Queen’s great-grandchildren looked forward to a splendid day:
Shortly before the Birthday Parade took place, the Royals set off for a horse-drawn carriage journey down The Mall to Horse Guards:
They waved to those lining The Mall …
… some of whom enjoyed Champagne and a song or two:
The Royal children were thrilled:
Prince George is clearly having the time of his life as he experiences his first Jubilee, writes Gordon Rayner.
As his carriage drove down the Mall, George, sitting with his siblings opposite his mother the Duchess of Cambridge, said: “Wow. This is GREAT!”
The Duchess said to her children: “This is wonderful! look at all these people!”
Princess Charlotte also said “wow” as she saw the crowds, and as the carriage reached Horseguards Parade Prince George asked the Duchess: “Mama, where does this stop?”
They watched the parade from a balcony (see circled area):
Afterwards, everyone returned to the balcony at Buckingham Palace to await the 82-gun salute and the RAF flypast:
When the Queen appeared, the crowds erupted with joy:
The Royal Navy and the Royal Marines will be participating in the Platinum Jubilee Pageant on Sunday at Buckingham Palace:
Meanwhile, in news across the English Channel, Trooping the Colour was the main story this morning in France, at least on their talk radio station RMC.
And Emmanuel Macron sent in warm words of praise for the Queen:
He gave her a thoroughbred gelding named Fabulous — Fabuleux de Maucourt — to mark the happy occasion of her Platinum Jubilee:
Friday’s big event is a service of thanksgiving for the monarch’s reign at St Paul’s Cathedral.
On Saturday, the younger Royals will travel around the country to participate in various events.
Meanwhile, towns, cities and villages up and down the country will hold local events, including street parties, throughout the weekend. While the weather might be good today, Sunday’s is forecast to be very much like that of Coronation Day in 1953.
The State Opening of Parliament is always a grand affair.
Now that I am retired, I have been able to watch three of them, thanks to Boris Johnson. We had the first of the three after he erroneously prorogued Parliament in the autumn of 2019. The second followed the election in December that year and now there was today’s, on Tuesday, May 10.
In my April 29 post, I wondered whether the Queen would give the speech about the upcoming legislation (emphases mine):
The new session will begin on Tuesday, May 10, with the Queen’s Speech. One wonders if she will be there in person or delegate Prince Charles to deliver it for her.
I was not wrong:
ITV’s Royal Editor, Chris Ship, explains how this delegation works:
Even PARLY, which covers all things going on in the Palace of Westminster, missed that one:
The first photo was from the last State Opening of Parliament. Note the thrones. Today, Tuesday, May 10, the Queen’s throne was removed and Prince Charles read the speech from the Consort’s throne.
The Government writes the Queen’s Speech, even though it is read in the first person. As Charles was reading it, they changed ‘My Government’ to ‘Her Majesty’s Government’.
Prince Charles and Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall, arrived at the Palace of Westminster together:
Prince William arrived separately:
Although the Queen was not present, the usual regalia — showing the Head of State’s authority — arrived and were placed on the dais in the House of Lords after having been examined in the Robing Room:
Chris Ship, posted the following Twitter thread.
Black Rod — Sarah Clarke — walked behind Charles and Camilla for part of the procession:
Prince William followed. However, the crown, hat and maces were at the head of the procession:
Once the procession has finished, Black Rod goes to summon the House of Commons. This dates back to centuries ago when there was animosity between the Lords and the Commons. Black Rod used to have the Commons door slammed shut in his face after knocking the first time. That response was to show that MPs were in charge of making law rather than hereditary peers (as they were back then), but they leave that part out now:
The Speaker of the House of Commons and MPs then follow Black Rod out of the chamber to the House of Lords, where they stand in back to hear the Queen’s Speech.
Meanwhile, peers are comfortably seated and wearing their formal robes.
The following tweets are highlights from the Queen’s Speech:
And we can’t forget levelling up, which continues in the new session of Parliament:
Finally, there was a mention of this year’s Platinum Jubilee:
Afterwards, MPs return to the Commons for a week-long debate on the Queen’s Speech. The debate is known as the Humble Address. A different aspect of proposed legislation is discussed each day:
There are two other arcane traditions, also relating to ancient history when MPs were occasionally at serious loggerheads with the monarch:
On another historical note, the first image from the 19th century shows Queen Victoria in the old Palace of Westminster which burned down some years later. The second image shows the current one, built afterwards:
In closing, there are 38 proposed pieces of legislation for this session of Parliament. However, there is no obligation for the House of Commons to bring each one to fruition. Often, that does not happen.
Critics have complained that the Queen’s Speech was too vague, but the Government does not wish to be too prescriptive and be held to every jot and iota. This is particularly true of sensitive issues such as the Northern Ireland Protocol and other Brexit issues, which are part of a process.
As they say, a week is a long time in politics often driven by unforeseen events. Better too vague than too specific. Details of necessary legislation can be ironed out later in parliamentary debates.
To commemorate Queen Elizabeth’s Accession Day on Sunday, February 6, The Telegraph republished its front page of Thursday, February 7, 1952:
The text of the lead article in the left hand column reads as follows:
HIS MAJESTY KING GEORGE VI DIED IN HIS SLEEP AT SANDRINGHAM HOUSE IN THE EARLY HOURS OF YESTERDAY MORNING. A SERVANT FOUND HIM DEAD IN BED AT 7:30 A.M. AN ANNOUNCEMENT FROM SANDRINGHAM REPEATED IN A SPECIAL EDITION OF THE LONDON GAZETTE LAST NIGHT, SAID:
The King, who retired last night in his usual health, passed peacefully away in his sleep early this morning.
Princess Elizabeth, who immediately became Queen, was informed of her father’s death while she was at the Royal hunting lodge near Nyeri in Kenya. A thunderstorm delayed for two hours the departure of the plane which is to bring her to London, where she is expected at 4:30 p.m. to-day.
The Accession Council, which consists of members of the Privy Council summoned with others, “notables of the Realm” such as the Lord Mayor of London, to act on the demise of the Crown, met at 5 p.m. yesterday to decide on the accession proclamation. This will be read at 11 a.m. tomorrow at St. James’s Palace, at Temple Bar and on the steps of the Royal Exchange in the City.
The Queen, who is 25, is expected to take the Royal oath before a second meeting of the Council to-day. She was proclaimed Queen Elizabeth II in Ottawa yesterday. Prince Charles automatically becomes Duke of Cornwall.
Mr. Churchill will broadcast on all B.B.C. wavelengths at 9 o’clock to-night for 15 minutes.
OUT SHOOTING ON PREVIOUS DAY
The King, who was 56 and in the 14th year of his reign, was born at Sandringham. During what proved to be his last stay there he was out shooting on Tuesday morning and afternoon, and appeared to be in good health. In the evening, he walked in the grounds.
The Queen-Mother and Princess Margaret accompanied him when he went to Sandringham last Friday. On the previous day he had gone to London Airport to see his elder daughter and the Duke of Edinburgh leave for Nairobi.
Queen Mary was informed at Marlborough House of her son’s death. The Duke of Gloucester, who was at his home in Barnwell Manor, Northants, went to Sandringham on hearing the news. The Princess Royal was told at St. James’s Palace. The Duchess of Kent returned from Germany last night and the Duke of Windsor leaves New York in the Queen Mary to-day.
The Prime Minister and Sir David Maxwell Fyfe, Home Secretary, were given the news by telephone. A Cabinet meeting was held. The House of Commons and the House of Lords met formally for two minutes and adjourned until after the Accession Council, when M.P.s and Peers began to take the Oath of Allegiance to the new monarch. The two Chambers are expected to meet on Monday for addresses of condolence and then adjourn until Feb. 19.
Subject to the wishes of the new Queen, the body of King George will lie in state in Westminster Hall from Monday until the funeral, the date for which has not been fixed. Carpenters at Sandringham finished midday the coffin of oak from the estate last night.
CINEMAS AND THEATRES CLOSED
The effect of the news from Sandringham was felt immediately throughout the nation. All cinemas were closed and the Lord Chamberlain directed that theatres should be shut for the day and also on the day of the funeral of the King. B.B.C. programmes were cancelled except for news bulletins. There will be a restricted programme from to-day until after the funeral. The Stock Exchange and Lloyd’s closed, courts adjourned and a number of public dinners and other functions were postponed. Flags in every town were at half-mast.
All sport stopped except for the four Football Association Cup ties. Saturday’s Rugby Union International between England and Ireland at Twickenham has been postponed. Football League and Rugby League fixtures will be played as arranged. National Hunt racing was suspended.
As soon as the news became known a crowd began to gather outside Buckingham Palace and was there until late at night. Ambassadors were calling throughout the day to sign the visitors’ book as an official expression of their sorrow, and messages of sympathy flowed in from every quarter.
Mr. Churchill issued a statement from 10, Downing Street last night, asking that there should be no public gathering at London Airport when the Queen arrives from Kenya.
A few historical notes follow:
– London Airport became Heathrow Airport in 1966.
– The Lord Chamberlain is the most senior officer of the Royal Household.
– The Duke of Gloucester at the time was Prince Henry, the King’s brother; he, too, was born at Sandringham.
– The BBC programmes at the time were exclusively on the radio — or wireless, as the British say.
The Telegraph‘s article about their front page from 1952 has a lot of photos and more news items from the days before and after the King’s death. History lovers will find them fascinating.
Prince Charles and Princess Anne were young children at the time; the family lived at Clarence House:
On 31 January 1952, 25-year-old Princess Elizabeth bid farewell to her children, Prince Charles and Princess Anne, at Clarence House as she departed for a tour of the Commonwealth that was planned to include visits to South Africa, Australia and New Zealand.
Princess Elizabeth and her consort were standing in for her father, who had been in poor health from lung cancer:
The couple were standing in for the King, who had been battling illness for some time as they aimed to strengthen the relationship between the Commonwealth. Little did they know that they would not meet him again …
Final farewell: Against medical advice King George VI – along with Princess Margaret and the Queen Mother – sees off the young princess on her first royal tour of the Commonwealth. The Telegraph reports that the “King looks well.”
The Commonwealth tour began in Nairobi and ended in Kenya:
Greetings from England: The young Princess – in a mauve, blue and pink calf-length frock – greets citizens of Nairobi alongside the Duke of Edinburgh at a garden party on the first afternoon of the Commonwealth tour.
Calm Before the Storm: The couple explores the grounds of the lodge, gifted to them from the people of Kenya. The day’s highlights include seeing a herd of 30 elephants.
Winston Churchill said that the Queen was ‘just a child’:
A face that reflects the nation: Churchill in top hat returns from the Accession Council at St James’ Palace, summoned automatically on the death of the monarch. The Prime Minister was brought to tears upon the news of the King’s passing, remarking that the new Queen was “just a child”.
I read elsewhere that he was sceptical about meeting regularly with her to discuss affairs of state but was pleasantly surprised at her mastery of the subject matter.
Churchill, his deputy Prime Minister (and eventual successor) Anthony Eden and the previous Prime Minister Clement Attlee met the Queen at London Airport:
Left a Princess, returns a Queen: Queen Elizabeth II lands at London (Heathrow) airport at 4:30pm, greeted by Churchill, Eden and Attlee, among others. The Queen was brought suitable mourning clothes by an aide before alighting from the plane.
The Royal couple returned briefly to Clarence House before leaving for Sandringham:
Returning to Clarence House: The Queen is met by silent crowds as she travels from the Mall to her residence with her husband. The royal standard is unfurled for the first time over Clarence House as she approaches her home …
Through the gates: The Queen and Duke of Edinburgh are saluted by a policeman as they arrive at the Jubilee Gate of Sandringham House, two days after the King’s death. After greeting her mother and sister, she and the Duke head to the room where her father lay.
This is how the King’s coffin was transported to London:
Taken to the church: George VI’s body, guarded by keepers from his estate, lies in the Church of St Mary Magdalene in the grounds of Sandringham. He was taken from the House at dusk with his family following in procession.
Final journey begins: Five days after arriving in Sandringham, Elizabeth makes her way to Wolferton Station to take the King’s body to London. Crowds gather to watch the new Queen and her sister pass by.
Last stop: People line the streets in the rain to see the coffin in the capital. George’s body is carried from the train at King’s Cross Station and taken on a three-mile journey to Westminster Hall. On the coffin rests the Imperial State Crown and a wreath from the Queen Mother …
Lying in state: George VI lies in Westminster Hall. Over the next few days, 300,000 people would come to pay their respects, braving the February snow and a queue that backed up to Vauxhall Bridge.
Westminster Hall is the oldest part of the Palace of Westminster and is attached to the main building which houses both chambers of Parliament.
The Queen Mother lay in state there; I was one of 200,000 Britons who paid their respects in 2002.
The Queen, the Queen Mother and Princess Margaret went to Buckingham Palace:
Day of mourning: The Queen, the Queen Mother and Princess Margaret, clad in veils, travel down from Sandringham. They watch the procession at King’s Cross Station, before ending their journey at Buckingham Palace.
London’s streets were lined with mourners:
Packed London streets: Members of the public pay their respects as the procession bearing George VI’s coffin enters New Palace Yard from Parliament Square. The coffin was carried on a gun-carriage by the Royal Horse Artillery.
Three hundred thousand people paid their respects at Westminster Hall:
Lying in state: George VI lies in Westminster Hall. Over the next few days, 300,000 people would come to pay their respects, braving the February snow and a queue that backed up to Vauxhall Bridge.
The King’s funeral was held in Windsor. The funeral train left from Paddington Station.
The funeral service was brief:
Three Queens in mourning: Wearing black veils, Queen Elizabeth II, Queen Mary and The Queen Mother … at the King’s funeral. The service took place at St George’s Chapel in the walls of Windsor Castle, lasting less than half an hour.
George VI lies buried beneath St George’s Chapel:
Homecoming: The funeral procession arrives at Windsor Castle. Around 1,400 people were present to watch George’s coffin descend into the Royal Vaults beneath St George’s Chapel.
That concludes the story of the death of the Queen’s father, much loved by his subjects.
I am grateful to The Telegraph for that walk through history.
The 70th anniversary of Queen Elizabeth’s accession to the throne was Sunday, February 6, 2022:
She is the first British monarch — and likely to be the only one — who has reached this marvellous milestone.
The day before, she was at Sandringham House in Norfolk, where she welcomed members of the Women’s Institute (WI), who presented her with a Platinum Jubilee cake.
The Queen cut half of a slice, then quipped:
Somebody else can do the rest of it.
Here’s the video:
GB News reported (emphases mine):
On the eve of her Platinum Jubilee, the Queen was on “sparkling” form as she laughed and joked at a celebratory reception at Sandringham House.
The head of state cut a Jubilee cake, met members of the local Women’s Institute and chatted to former cookery school student Angela Wood who helped to perfect the famous coronation chicken dish served to guests after her 1953 Coronation ceremony.
Wearing an Angela Kelly wedgwood blue crepe with white brocade dress, the Queen, who beamed with delight throughout, used a wooden walking stick to rest on and also carried her trademark black handbag.
The Queen was aptly wearing glittering platinum jewellery – The Nizam of Hyderabad Rose brooches – given to her as part of a diamond tiara set when she married Philip in 1947.
Members of the West Norfolk Befriending Society also attended the reception.
In thanking people around the nation and the Commonwealth for their support over the past seven decades, the Queen also issued a statement announcing that Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, will become Queen Consort when Charles accedes to the throne:
There are two types of Queen in the United Kingdom: Queen Consort and Queen Regnant (‘reigning’ in French; traces of the Norman Conquest remain).
A Queen Consort does not have the same powers as a Queen Regnant. Queen Elizabeth is the latter and is our head of state.
In a written message to the country and Commonwealth, Her Majesty moved to resolve the key question that has been hovering over the Duchess of Cornwall since she married into the Royal family in 2005.
The Queen expressed her “sincere wish” that her daughter-in-law should become “Queen Consort” when the Prince of Wales one day becomes King.
As she marks the 70th anniversary of her accession to the throne on Sunday, she urged the public to support her eldest son and “his wife Camilla” in the same way they have shown their love and loyalty throughout her long reign.
“I remain eternally grateful for, and humbled by, the loyalty and affection that you continue to give me,” the Queen said, in a message released in time for Accession Day.
“And when, in the fullness of time, my son Charles becomes King, I know you will give him and his wife Camilla the same support that you have given me; and it is my sincere wish that, when that time comes, Camilla will be known as Queen Consort as she continues her own loyal service.”
Her words confirm that the current Duchess of Cornwall will one day be known to the public as Queen Camilla, and addressed as “Her Majesty”.
She will be crowned side-by-side with her husband, with the couple henceforth called the “King and Queen”.
The style follows that of the Queen’s parents and grandparents, with the Queen Consorts of the 20th century known as Queen Elizabeth, Queen Mary and Queen Alexandra.
The Prince and Duchess were said to be “honoured and touched” by the Queen’s warm words.
The Prince will be paying his own public tribute to his mother on Sunday, in a statement of congratulation upon reaching her Platinum Jubilee.
Personally, I think that Charles should have married Camilla in the first place. They were always well suited to each other. However, I remember at the time that the Queen Mother (the current monarch’s mother) disapproved of Camilla’s love life and wanted a spouse with less romantic history for her grandson.
The Queen is carefully planning for her succession so that there is no contention and no surprises.
The Telegraph article says:
Peter Hunt, former BBC royal correspondent, said: “This is the most extraordinary message. The Queen is ensuring the transition, when it comes, to her son as King is as seamless and trouble free as possible.
“She’s future-proofing an institution she’s served for seventy years. And for Camilla, the journey from being the third person in a marriage to queen-in-waiting, is complete.”
Last month, the Telegraph reported that the Duchess of Cornwall was on track to be accepted as “Queen” after she received her highest public approval rating in a decade.
Camilla has done an admirable job as part of the Royal Family. I wish her the very best:
In church on Sunday, our vicar recited the Collect for Accession Day:
Almighty God, the fountain of all goodness,
bless our Sovereign Lady, Queen Elizabeth,
and all who are in authority under her;
that they may order all things
in wisdom and equity, righteousness and peace,
to the honour and glory of your name
and the good of your Church and people;
through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord,
who is alive and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and forever. Amen.
This is a more traditional Collect for the day:
O God, who providest for thy people by thy power, and rulest over them in love: Vouchsafe so to bless thy Servant our Queen, that under her this nation may be wisely governed, and thy Church may serve thee in all godly quietness; and grant that she being devoted to thee with her whole heart, and persevering in good works unto the end, may, by thy guidance, come to thine everlasting kingdom; through Jesus Christ thy Son our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Ghost, ever one God, world without end. Amen.
Saturday’s events officially opened the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee year. May Her Majesty remain in good health throughout to enjoy the many celebrations, which culminate during the first weekend in June.
Last week, GB News, thanks to Nigel Farage, scored a world exclusive with an interview of Donald Trump, who has not been on television outside the United States since he left office in January 2020.
GB News is available to view worldwide. I suggest their YouTube channel, which has not only live streaming but also full episodes of most of their shows.
Here’s the full show from Wednesday, December 1. The 30-minute interview with President Trump at Mar-a-lago in Palm Beach is shown in two parts:
Others interviewed include Trump’s former speechwriter Stephen Miller, ex-press secretary Sean Spicer and CPAC chairman Matt Schlapp as well as two Democrats advising Joe Biden.
Unfortunately, the 30-minute interview of Trump is no longer available.
The first half of the interview is about the 2020 election. Highlights follow.
Trump talked about his January 6 rally and the violent incident at the Capitol building:
Asked by GB News presenter Nigel Farage whether it was ‘a mistake to have that rally on that day’, Mr Trump said: ‘The insurrection took place on November 3rd, that was Election day, and before and after, that was to me the insurrection and the January 6th was a protest.’
The 45th President went on: ‘I have spoken to very big crowds. I have never spoken in front of a crowd that size, nobody ever talks about that.
‘And then unfortunately some bad things happened, but also the other side had some very bad things happen.
‘And add this, I offered 10,000 and suggested 10,000 national guardsmen… or even the military, because I knew the crowd was going to be massive, because I knew the anger that took place over the election being rigged and I understood that, I understood it better than anybody.’
‘And Pelosi and these people turned it down. We would have had tremendous security but they turned it down.’
Trump lamented the current status of the United States:
I think it’s at the lowest point it’s ever been at.
I don’t think it’s ever been in a position like this.
We’re not respected anymore.
Trump did not say for certain that he would be running again in 2024. Pundits say he is awaiting the outcome of the 2022 mid-term elections, but he gave Farage a few hints:
Speaking to GB News presenter Nigel Farage, Mr Trump was asked why he would consider ‘going back into hell again’ and re-enter mainstream politics.
The 45th President responded: ‘If you love the country you have no choice – it’s not a question.
‘I love our country. I brought the country to a level it’s never seen before.
‘Then we had Covid come in and then I brought it back, came up with vaccines that you’re using, we’re all using, the world is using, saved tens of millions of people throughout the world in less than nine months.
‘It was supposed to take 12 years… they were expecting it to take 12 years and everyone said it wasn’t going to work and they worked incredibly well.
‘We’ve done an amazing job.
‘This is a wonderful, beautiful life, but I like that [politics] too because I’m helping people.
‘That’s why I did it.’
…
Mr Trump further indicated his intention to try and regain office in 2024, saying: ‘I think you’ll be happy in the future too, because that’ll be your next question.’
Nigel Farage responded: ‘Well I know you can’t answer that question because it would start the campaign clock ticking.’
To which Mr Trump replied: ‘That’s right.’
The second half of the interview was about British politics and the Royal Family.
Farage asked Trump about Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s green policies. Trump is not a fan of windfarms and thinks that Boris has moved to the left:
Nigel Farage informed Mr Trump about the Prime Minister’s comments that he wants the UK to become the ‘Saudi Arabia of wind’, to which Mr Trump replied: ‘I think it’s a shame.’
‘I’m surprised that he would allow that to happen because you’ve got one of the most beautiful countries in the world and you’re destroying it with all these wind turbines all over the place.
‘In Aberdeen they built this ugly wind farm in the ocean. It’s so disgusting to look at it – it’s a shame.
The former President continued: ‘I think it’s a shame what’s happened in Scotland, in [the] UK, all over the place. You take a look.
‘I think Ireland’s been better about it, if you want to know the truth.
Despite Mr Trump’s assault on the Prime Minister’s support for wind energy, the former President still spoke warmly of his relationship with Boris Johnson: ‘I like him, I like him. I get along with him, I’ve always gotten along with him.
However, he told GB News he felt Mr Johnson was erring away from conservative values, noting: ‘He’s gone a little on the more liberal side.’
Trump also thinks that pursuing a Net Zero policy is mistaken:
The former President then attacked the Westminster Government’s pursuit of net zero.
‘In your country [the UK], which I do know something about… I see what they’re [the Westminster Government] doing and I think they’re making a tremendous mistake.’
Then Farage asked him about the Royal Family, beginning with the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, better known as Harry and Meghan:
Donald Trump has accused the Duchess of Sussex of being “disrespectful” to the Queen and the royal family.
… the former US president also said he thinks the Duke of Sussex has been “used horribly”.
Speaking about Meghan, Mr Trump said: “I’m not a fan of hers. I wasn’t from day one. I think Harry has been used horribly and I think someday he will regret it.”
He added: “I think Harry’s been used and been used terribly.
“I think it’s ruined his relationship with his family, and it hurts the Queen.”
In response to comments from GB News presenter Nigel Farage about Meghan using Duchess of Sussex headed writing paper to lobby members of Congress, Mr Trump said: “She is trying do things that I think are very inappropriate.”
He had high praise for the Queen and said he really enjoyed meeting her in 2019 while he was president:
Former President Donald Trump says he has been watching the Queen ‘very closely’ after a ‘tough year’, but hopes she is ‘not too ill.’
In a world exclusive interview for GB News, the 45th President told Nigel Farage that the Queen is ‘a fantastic woman’ who is ‘respected by everyone.’
Mr Trump recounted his interactions with Her Majesty whilst President: ‘I was supposed to spend like a half an hour with her [but] I ended up being there for much more than an hour.
‘Everyone said “oh that’s so rude” but I said “no but she liked it and I liked it I’m not going to be rude”.’
He went on: ‘We had a great time together, we then had an evening the likes of which you rarely would see.
‘She was really laughing and smiling, we got along great, we talked the whole night.’
Mr Trump continued: ‘She is a great, wonderful woman… and respected by everyone.
‘And no scandal, no anything, think of it.
‘She’s done this for more than 70 years and she’s never had a scandal about herself.’
Mr Trump met the Queen in June 2019, during a state visit, and again in December of the same year during a Royal family reception at a NATO summit hosted at Buckingham Palace.
His love for the Queen began with his mother, who had emigrated from Scotland in the 1930s:
He said of his mother: She was really somebody who respected the Queen, she loved the Queen.
‘Anything with the Queen, when they were doing anything ceremonial… she was glued to the television.
‘She had great respect and love for the queen.’
Trump denied former press secretary Stephanie Grisham’s claim that Prince Charles bored him:
Nigel Farage asked Mr Trump about claims from his former Press Secretary, Stephanie Grisham, that he found the Prince of Wales ‘boring’ during a private dinner hosted by the Queen.
The former President responded: ‘No I wasn’t bored, I like Charles, I thought he was good.
‘No, he’s an environmentalist, he talked about the environment most of the meeting, which was fine.
‘I understood that was the purpose of the meeting and he was telling me his views.
‘I was not bored at all, no, I think Charles is a wonderful person.’
Sean Spicer gave an upbeat interview, facing off against the Democrats’ Eric Guster about a second Trump term in the White House and his Twitter account:
Dan Wootton’s show followed Farage’s interview.
Wootton asked him if Trump had said more than what was shown on television. Farage demurred, saying that he does not discuss private conversations:
Wootton is clearly in the tank for Trump’s 2024 candidacy, should it happen:
His fellow conservative panellists, however, were far less enthusiastic.
It was good of The Times to cover the interview early Wednesday morning before it aired that evening. Most mainstream newspapers, especially The Telegraph, have taken pot shots at GB News since it launched on Sunday, June 14.
Guido Fawkes also plugged the interview:
Guido also recapped the highlights the following day:
The interview was a huge ratings success for GB News, the best since their launch night:
Guido’s accompanying post says that GB News trumped (!) the BBC during the two-hour special (emphases in purple mine):
Unsurprisingly, Farage’s interview with Trump last night was box office for GB News. Figures seen by Guido show the interview pulled in Farage’s highest ever viewer count, and the largest GB News viewership since its original opening night. For two whole hours between 7pm to 9pm, GB News beat the BBC’s average by 155,600 viewers to their 118,200, with Sky News some distance behind on 60,500. The interview reached 208,500 just after 7pm and held steady for the next hour. Nigel’s certainly earning his fee…
Nigel Farage has been great for GB News. I rarely miss his show, especially the revelatory Talking Pints segments.
Thanks go to President Trump and the other interviewees for taking the time to give Britain — and the world — an excellent two hours of television.
On Sunday evening, November 21, 2021, I watched a GB News interview featuring former Royal butler and etiquette expert, Grant Harrold, on whether Prince Charles should abdicate for Prince William when the time comes.
Mark Dolan interviewed Harrold, who took the traditional side of the argument, affirming that Prince Charles should become King. Former Labour MP Stephen Pound from London said that the Prince should abdicate.
Short clips follow:
The full interview, which is 20 minutes long, follows:
In other Royal news, the Queen has recovered from her sprained back which prevented her from attending London’s Remembrance Sunday ceremony last week.
Last week, Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall, visited Jordan and brought back with them several vials of holy water, a customary gift to the Royal Family from Jordan. The holy water is used for christenings.
Yesterday, a rare double christening of the monarch’s two great-grandsons took place at Windsor Royal Lodge. Fortunately, the Queen was able to attend:
Returning to the Royal butler, I was struck by his courtesy in the face of a difficult subject. An abdication is a fraught subject and Edward VIII’s was a difficult period for the British when it took place in the 1930s. Yet, every cloud has a silver lining. George VI’s accession to the throne resulted in Elizabeth II succeeding him in 1952.
GB News host Mark Dolan emphasised Grant Harrold‘s expertise in etiquette. Investigating his Twitter feed reveals that he gives etiquette courses in person and online.
With the holidays around the corner, it seemed apposite to share a few of his insights. Some of them are quite British, but some aspects are worth adopting elsewhere, as they do exhibit courtesy.
When staying at someone’s home, it is worth keeping in mind the hosts’ schedule and those who work for them. This is the traditional breakfast rule for houseguests:
This is a gentleman’s breakfast attire when he is a houseguest:
Turning now to the hosts, anyone giving a dinner party should send out invitations six weeks in advance:
In Britain, there is a certain etiquette at formal dinner parties as to when one can leave the table to use the loo. Obviously, if it’s an emergency, one can leave the table.
‘Pudding’ is the traditional British word for ‘dessert’:
Sometimes, when we are together with friends, it is tempting to pass along another friend’s personal details. However, we should not do that unless we’ve asked the friend’s permission first:
Sometimes, the holidays are the time for romantic commitment. Harrold explains why men get down on one knee to propose. This is a mediaeval, chivalric holdover that should be respected:
A woman’s handbag is one of the most personal items of property she owns. Avoid the temptation to look inside:
Harrold also has advice regarding office life. Despite coronavirus, the rules remain the same.
This is where one should stand in a lift, depending on how many people are in it:
Once in the office, if someone else has boiled the kettle, let them fill their mugs before helping yourself. Be sure to refill it afterwards:
It is also paramount to wash one’s own utensils and crockery. As one of my former bosses said to my then-colleagues, ‘Your mother doesn’t work here’:
Regarding coffee, I fully agree with Harrold’s advice on drinking cappucino, which is a morning drink, not an all-day one:
This next tip was the only point of etiquette with which I disagree, the notional hazards of making friends in public places:
I would have had a very lonesome time had I adopted that rule, especially on my Scottish holidays decades ago. I met several men and women who stayed in touch with me for years afterwards. Be careful, be alert. Assess accordingly, then take a decision. I always prayed to the Holy Spirit before and after a social situation whilst on holiday. He guided me to and through them, and for those blessings of friendship, I will be forever grateful.
In closing, The Royal Butler, as he styles himself, gives us a glimpse into his work in media over the years:
I haven’t watched the video yet, but here it is:
What struck me about Grant Harrold was his inner calm, something of a rarity these days.
His peaceful demeanour would appear to indicate that etiquette and good manners do work!
When I left off on Wednesday, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said that day that there was no public appetite for a referendum on whether the UK government should continue with its goal of Net Zero:
I would not be too sure about that. There is a petition on the UK government site requesting such a referendum:
Guido Fawkes’s accompanying post says (emphases in the original):
Despite Boris’s attempts to resist calls for another referendum, a petition calling for the government to hold a vote on whether to keep the 2050 net zero target has today reached 10,000 signatures – meaning that the government must formally respond. If the petition hits 100,000 signatures it will have to be debated in Parliament, so Boris may have to reconsider his stance yet. Re-ordering our society to achieve net zero is a massive change; one that has not yet been democratically endorsed. Let the politicians who want us to eat bugs, have cold showers, lukewarm heat pumped houses, higher energy bills and far more expensive foreign holidays, make their case!
Writing early Friday afternoon, I saw that over 12,000 people have signed it. The map showing signatures by constituency is quite interesting. Nearly every constituency has signed up in lesser or greater numbers. Only Glasgow North East had 0 signatures.
The British are not the only ones who are upset about what they have seen on the news about COP26. On Thursday, I listened to a lively — heated — debate on RMC, France’s talk radio station, about the blatant hypocrisy on the part of the elites with their private jets and limos who want to legislate us into serfdom when we already have high enough taxes and other things on our minds.
Returning to the UK, it seems to me that half the public are pretty incensed by what they have witnessed this week via television in Glasgow.
Boris Johnson
YouGov’s latest poll, taken between November 3 and 4, have shown a drop in popularity for the Conservatives. They are now only one percentage point ahead of Labour. It wasn’t too long ago that Labour overtook them for a week in the polls.
Guido Fawkes attributes this to the resignation of a Conservative MP yesterday for allegedly promoting a firm paying him as a consultant, but, like some of Guido’s readers, I think it has less to do with Owen Paterson and more to do with COP26, which is the straw that could break the camel’s back:
Guido’s post says, in part:
The 2.5% swing sees Labour up two points to 35% and the Tories down three to 36%, the smallest Tory lead for The Times since Rishi’s social care tax rise in September. 22% of 2019 Tory voters are now undecided about who to vote for…
How did Boris become such an unabashed climate change spokesman? Was it only because he was hosting COP26? Or are there influencers, such as his wife Carrie, not to mention his father Stanley?
On October 21, Conservative Home posted a profile of the elder Johnson, 81: ‘A serious environmentalist who, as COP26 looms, has at last made a convert of his son’.
Andrew Gimson, the author, tells us of Stanley’s early life, his interests and the jobs he had during his career.
Excerpts follow, emphases mine:
There is scarcely an endangered animal for which Johnson has not campaigned, a senior environmentalist with whom he has not made common cause, and his efforts have been recognised by prizes awarded by Greenpeace, the World Wildlife Fund, the RSPCA and the RSPB among others …
In February 2016, Johnson became Co-Chairman of Environmentalists for Europe, a group set up to campaign for Britain to remain in the EU, and set out his case in a piece for ConHome in which he recalled how poor Britain’s environmental performance was before 1973 …
… the tone is serious. Johnson’s record as a committed environmentalist stretches back half a century. In 2017 he switched sides and accepted Brexit, but the environmentalism remains a constant.
On television, Stanley displays a jokey joviality, a characteristic Boris has adopted.
Andrew Gimson concludes:
Various characteristics have come down from Stanley to his eldest son, including an indefatigable, at times almost unhinged optimism; a compulsion to make every joke suggested by any given situation; and a fondness for the mannerisms of a stage Englishman, occasionally hard to distinguish from those of a cashiered major.
What lies behind such persistent frivolity? What is each of them hiding? The angry but lazy answer is nothing, which is one reason why the Prime Minister’s chances of success have been so persistently underestimated.
In Stanley’s case, there is the serious, long-term commitment to the environment, and as COP26 comes into view, he finds he has made a convert of his son.
On Tuesday, November 2, Boris flew back to London for a dinner with Telegraph journalists at the Garrick in Pall Mall, London:
Guido says (emphasis in the original):
Instead of wasting his time schmoozing celebrity swampies in Glasgow with the Prince of Wales, Leonardo DiCaprio and Stella McCartney, Boris was instead at a far more important and influential event: a reunion dinner party for Telegraph leader writers at the Garrick.
It’s not the dinner or the private club that is irksome, but the fact that Boris flew back from Glasgow whilst telling the rest of us that we will have to lower our own standard of living.
The Mail‘s veteran columnist Richard Littlejohn wrote about the sheer hypocrisy of it all (emphases mine):
For the record, I have no problem with a few like-minded chaps getting together for Chateaubriand washed down with Chateauneuf du Pape.
I don’t even care if Boris takes a private plane back from an international summit.
It’s the stinking hypocrisy that sticks in my craw, the ‘Do as I say, not as I do’ arrogance of all this.
I couldn’t give a monkey’s about the double-standards of Joe Biden, Jeff Bezos, or any other of the preening global junketeers who turned up in Glasgow this week.
But I am extremely concerned about the behaviour of our Prime Minister and his Cabinet, who increasingly behave as if the rules they impose upon on the rest of us don’t apply to them.
Boris has spent the week warning about climate change apocalypse. In pursuit of his insane Net Zero vanity project, he proposes to make us colder and poorer, change our diets and cut back on travel, especially foreign holidays.
After banging on about aviation and vehicle emissions destroying the planet, does he really think taking a private plane and a thirsty Range Rover to a jolly-up at an exclusive London club is a proper way to behave?
What kind of example does that set? If catching the train back from Glasgow meant missing a dinner with Lord Snooty and his pals, so what?
Sadly, this pattern of behaviour has become the norm among our ruling elite, ever since Boris’s ex-sidekick Dominic Cummings flouted the Covid lockdown by driving to Durham.
Ministers exempted themselves from the travel ban and the need to self-isolate. On the pretext of combating global warming, the Tories’ Cop26 champion Alok Sharma flew to no fewer than 30 countries, never once quarantining on his return to Britain.
Next month, it’ll be two years since we gave Boris a thumping 80-seat majority. It should have been the start of a national renaissance under a popular, self-proclaimed libertarian PM.
Admittedly, the pandemic changed everything. But that is no excuse for what has happened subsequently. I’ve been asking friends and family who voted Tory in 2019, some for the first time, if they can name a single one of this Government’s policies they actually support.
Other than getting Brexit done and sub-contracting the vaccine programme to Kate Bingham, most came up blank.
Somewhere along the line, a so-called Tory Government has completely lost the plot …
I could not agree more.
The Royal Family
After having read about COP26, a good friend of mine told me the other day that he would not be upset if the Royal Family disappeared into oblivion after the Queen departs this mortal coil:
At least with a president, we can get rid of him in four or five years.
I do not yet share my friend’s sentiment, but this week’s events have pushed me ever closer.
The Queen
Is the Queen coming out as an environmentalist, further honouring her late husband, Prince Philip, founder of the World Wildlife Fund?
Was it appropriate for her to give a statement via video about COP26? I’m of two minds about it. Then again, only those at the VIP reception at Kelvingrove Museum in Glasgow got to see it. The following article from the Mail has the transcript in a sidebar.
The Daily Mail reported on the reception, held on Monday, November 1:
Her Majesty, 95, told leaders ‘to rise above the politics of the moment, and achieve true statesmanship.’
She went on to say that ‘none of us will live forever’ and ‘we are doing this not for ourselves but for our children and our children’s children, and those who will follow in their footsteps’ as she urged leaders to reach decisive COP climate change deals.
In her most personal speech ever, the monarch also paid tribute to Prince Philip and described how ‘the impact of the environment on human progress’ was a subject close to the heart of her ‘dear late husband’ – who in 1969 told an academic gathering: ‘If we fail to cope with this challenge, all the other problems will pale into insignificance.’
Was it appropriate for her to express her opinion on coronavirus vaccinations last Spring, intimating that those who did not get them were selfish and self-centred? That was bang out of order, in my opinion.
The Queen is now speaking out publicly on subjects that have traditionally been out of bounds for the Royal Family, the monarch in particular. One dreads to think what will be in her televised Christmas message this year.
Prince Charles
On Monday, I watched Prince Charles’s brief speech at COP26.
As expected, he catastrophised, calling on everyone to adopt a ‘war footing’.
The apple does not fall far from the tree. He is like his father in that respect.
As with his mother, is this the sort of thing he should be pontificating on in public? Climate change is highly political.
The Cambridges
The Duke of Cambridge — Prince William — has embraced environmentalism as, so it would appear, his wife, the Duchess, a.k.a. Kate.
The aforementioned Mail article gushed about her outfit, far out of reach for mere mortals:
Kate Middleton looked the picture of poise in a blue coat dress and navy heels as she walked alongside Prince William in a dapper suit at the arrival.
Wearing her hair back in a low bun, the Duchess opted for a glamorous make-up look for the ceremony tonight where she was hosted Prince Charles, Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall and Boris Johnson as well as key members of the Sustainable Markets Initiative and the Winners and Finalists of the first Earthshot Prize Awards.
Her custom dress came from Eponine’s SS20 collection and made from a double wool crepe fabric, the price is available on application but similar dresses cost around $3,278.
Meanwhile, Camilla, 74, opted for a teal Bruce Oldfield featuring buttons recycled from another outfit.
William and Kate’s appearance comes just hours after royal couple, both 39, visited Alexandra Park Sports Hub in Dennistoun to meet with Scouts from and learn more about the group’s’ #PromiseToThePlanet campaign.
Meanwhile, the article says that Prince William had a laugh with Joe Biden, as did the Duchess of Cornwall — Camilla — with Angela Merkel.
The Cambridges will never have to worry about installing heat pumps. They will be able to live in warm rooms and enjoy hot baths or showers thanks to traditional boilers. Meanwhile, any member of the public foolish enough to go along with installing and running a heat pump will never be warm again, either while dressed or abluting. Heat pumps stop working at 4°C. Furthermore, installing one requires tearing up one’s back garden at a cost of £12,000.
Conclusion
The world has changed. We have more inequality now than we did when Prince Charles was born after the Second World War.
UnHerd has a profile of the prince, which has quite a few sad anecdotes in it, and concludes with the world’s changes over the past 70 years:
Charles never changes. But the world always does. When he was born in 1948, wars and revolutions had levelled everything. There was a ‘Great Compression’; inequality was suppressed, by accident, bloodletting, and design. For 30 years there were high taxes, good novels, middle-class successes, and an operational meritocracy.
By the Nineties, Tory politicians in Britain could dream of a “classless” society. Charles was most-lambasted in this midlife period, not merely because of the “War of the Waleses”, but because this socially democratic mood made the monarchy itself look ridiculous. “Who knows what fate will produce?” Diana said, ominously, at the time.
Fate dispatched her, then produced a vastly more unequal world. Meritocracy calcified into an aristocracy. It treats national and international institutions as outdoor relief for its favoured families. After Iraq, the financial crisis, and 2016, this elite, viewed from below, began to look like an Ancien Régime. With their fabulous wealth, estates, yachts, villas, servants, and elaborate sex lives, this class resembles the Windsors, just with stronger chins.
And those are the people who are going to tell us how to live our lives according to the new religion of climate change.
Bring on that Net Zero referendum! We need it!
Happy Bonfire Night to my British readers.
Churchmouse Campanologist 