I hadn’t realized the depth of the love that the British people have for the Queen. The days leading up to her Platinum Jubilee (70 years on the throne) were filled with markets, parties, and endless bunting. The Union flag has been everywhere; boats had them flying high, rows of them were strung from every nearly every fence and door frame, and filled windows of every other home.
I asked many people what their feelings were and overwhelmingly it was simply love and respect for her. Not the Royal Family as an institution, or the monarchy itself (although those weren’t uncommon), but for her as a person. It’s not clear what it’ll be like when she’s gone. About one-third are okay with Charles taking over, about one-third think they should skip straight to William, and the rest either don’t care, have no opinion, or have no use for the institution. A very few outright hate it and will tell you so.
I haven’t been doing much these days, just trying to get some boat maintenance done between rain showers. It’s getting there… The engine compartment will be the big project, after I finish a second coat on the roof… Pictures to follow!
Take care all, as usual please don’t hesitate to send a comment to say hi! Thanks for reading this far… lol…
It must have been a great time, & I did see some on TV.
I like some of the royals, but I disagree with bowing, curtsying, & treating them as superior to the rest of us.
The country was in a great mood, I think it was needed after all the lockdowns… Everyone was more than ready for a party! A four-day weekend helps too.
Hey Doug, glad to see you’re doing well. Very wet here as well. Wish we could get over there for a visit but not this year. Ben is due to be a dad in late September. Take care, stay safe. Barry
Wow, congratulations! Give him my best… You take good care too, see you when the snow flies.
It was a brilliant weekend (4days) wasn’t it. So much fun stuff. Can honestly say I was glued to tv. That was because I was isolating due to the dreaded Covid! But ok. Loved the Queen and Paddington shows her sense of humour. Glad you could enjoy it too Doug.
Hi Doug,
Yes, we also noticed an outpouring of love for her majesty in Gloucester and Bath that weekend. Flags everywhere and some we still see up around the canals. I think there are a lot of fervent Monarchs in Canada too.
I was fortunate to be still living in London 70 years ago when she was crowned in ’52, and the following year (1953) for her Coronation. We lived in a row house in SE London, and the only TV on the street belonged to a neighbour. She invited all the women and their kids to her house for the day to watch the event. The kids (I was almost 7; my brother 9) played pick up sticks and chased around all day playing, while the mums sat in front of the box. We immigrated to Canada that summer.
My Welsh Grandma came down from Swansea with her ‘shooting stick’ and flask of tea, and placed herself the day before the Coronation, on the side of the road to Buckingham Palace in order to get a good viewing place watch the proceedings.
We’re on the Worcester and Birmingham Canal at present, having gone through the flight of 30 Tardebigge locks this morning. Whew. We’ll be heading back up to the Stratford on Avon Canal in a couple of days, and then back onto the Coventry.
Good luck with the boat maintenance!
Hilary