Source: The Daily Mail
Who else is glad that the Jubilee celebrations are done with?
Although I've had no hand in any of it, didn't go to any street parties, saw no beacons being lit and didn't get soaked standing around in the rain for hours, I sat in front of the TV, oddly mesmerised by the whole spectacle, unable to get up and switch off. Let me say that I admire the Queen for her endurance, stoicism, stamina and well-bred patience, and her acceptance, with impeccable grace, of posturing and obsequious nonentities. I saw her crack a genuine smile just a few times, mainly when she was speaking to family or those of her entourage she knew well, she also had a benevolent eye for the young who were singing and playing for her and she truly came alive on the balcony, during the fly-past. Otherwise she looked what she is, an old lady got up for the occasion, standing her ground and doing what she does well, waving a languid, white-gloved hand at the adoring, shrieking crowds.
The pageant itself was quite a spectacle, but it could have done without the inane comments by the BBC commentators. I know they have to fill their two minute slots over and over, but I lost count of the number of times they mentioned the weather, each time emphasising, that being British inures one to the drenching rain and 'no British spirit can be dampened by it', then turning round to the poor miserable crowd behind them and asking them to show their enthusiasm, which they duly did, instantly waving their little banners and screaming. I loved the boats, all valiantly sailing up the river in the pouring rain, the man-powered ones deserving our special appreciation, but the BBC coverage of the event was truly tedious. I like a bit of gravitas and dignity on these occasions, but most of the commentators were minor celebs and newscasters who didn't have a clue what they were talking about. Some even made bad mistakes, which showed they had done little in the way of preparation.
The concert was a bit of a let-down too. It's not only the Queen who has aged over the past sixty years; we had the Sirs, Cliff Richard, the skeletal would be Peter Pan, the utterly grotesque Elton John - looking more like a queen than the Queen, and Paul McCartney, croaking and squeezing out his notes, rarely hitting the one he was aiming for. The only one of the older bunch who still has it is Tom Jones, but then he actually started out with a powerful voice, whereas the others were always lightweight singers. All of the performers, old and current, with the possible exception of the military bands, were put in the shade by the special effects, which were truly amazing. The front of Buckingham Palace became a magnificent screen for displays of colour, light and shade, endlessly shape-shifting, abstract and realistic in turn. My bottom was turning numb, but I sat through it.
A bit of dignity was restored by the thanks-giving service in St Paul's Cathedral and the drive back, in coaches resplendent in gold, to Buckingham Palace, after an intimate lunch for seven hundred at Westminster Hall today. The Royal Family was much reduced, only the Queen, and those immediately next in line, Charles, William and Harry, and their spouses appeared on the balcony. I wonder if that's something to do with protocol or if all the other family members, who had graced the event with their presence, had gone back to their respective homes.
After three days of pomp and circumstance, endless renderings of Rule Britannia, Land of Hope and Glory and God Save The Queen, this lot of Panem et Circences is over; Royalist or Republican, the Queen deserves our respect for staying the course, not only during these three days but for the sixty years leading up to the beanfeast. I cannot see her job other than mind-numbingly boring and spirit- sapping. I hope she gets a chance to kick off her shoes, loosen her corsets and take those pearls off. I hope Prince Philip makes it and that they can soon sit back together on the sofa with a nice cup of tea and look at the photos. Perhaps she'll say: "you had to be there."
Hello:
ReplyDeleteHappily, we have seen none of it...the Jubilee Celebrations that is.... except for what we have read here!
We are pleased to say that we have been abroad now for every major Royal Event/ Royal Birth/ Royal Funeral/Royal Wedding/Royal Divorce in the past decade, but that does not mean to say that we can escape entirely. For, even here in the Republic of Hungary, the daily newspapers are filled with red, white and blue!
HM The Queen is, as you say, to be commended for a job well done, but then so have countless millions of others and they have done so without Royal privilege. Will the soap opera at Buckingham Palace ever stop?!!!
Thanks for having us over to view the proceedings though your eyes, Friko.
ReplyDeleteYou expressed it very well: the soaring, the boring, the historical. . .
I oft feel lucky to be informed and educated by you.
God Save the Queen! She is commendable; a constant; Appreciated.
Tomorrow I post the view on Her and on all this from the Hawaii
perspective, and hope to shed a new aspect!
Through your posts I very much enjoy my armchair visits to England, and to FrikoWorld.
Fond Aloha from Waikiki,
Comfort Spiral
> < } } ( ° >
I so enjoyed this post--such an amusing and balanced critique of all of the royal excitement. Of course we, on the other side of the pond, are not tired of it since we saw only the highlights--distilled down to shots of the glorious Buckingham Palace display and the amazing flotilla. By the way, I have no doubt that your BBC commentators learned their ways from their American counterparts. Just think...we get to listen to them all again when the Olympics start! :) ;)
ReplyDeleteFinally - a realistic post about the Jubilee weekend. I admire Elizabeth II for her grace and strength, and am happy, as a Canadian, to have a distant relationship with the monarchy, but the news commentators seem to love nothing more than the sound of their own voices. Inanity ruled. Your post perfectly expresses, in a down-to-earth manner, the fascination and ridiculousness of the affair.
ReplyDeleteOn the other hand, I've enjoyed seeing pictures of the flotilla, and of the wardrobe choices of the Royals.
Most of all, I'm looking forward to hearing of the event first-hand from my daughter and son-in-law who were there and are currently en route home - we'll be picking them up at the ferry in a few hours. Time is ticking by oh, so slowly.
haha you had to be there...it was fun looking in a few times...that much pomp and circumstance though would def drive me inane no matter what we were celebrating...bring on the bare feet and tea...smiles.
ReplyDeleteBeing in the states, we don't see days of coverage. Well, must have been on cable TV someplace, but I don't get cable. What few pictures I've seen I have to say that for being 86 the queen looks good and she certainly has stamina to last through the three long days of festivities. Sixty years is amazing! She is all I have known of the British reign being as I am 61. ;)
ReplyDeleteI loved hearing your account of the celebration. If it was on here where I could see it, I know I would have watched at least some of it...may have gotten sucked in to watching the whole thing, too. ;)
I think it would have been fun to be British for a few days. My favorite part is all the funny hats, but I really can't imagine the Queen any other way.
ReplyDeleteIn my opinion, the Queen had a damn horrible life. Does she get 1/2 an hour a day to herself? I would doubt it. Funny hats just don't make up for that kind of hard core unprivacy.
ReplyDeleteA cogent summary of the parts of the spectacle I was able to watch, Friko. I think your commentary scores the highest points.
ReplyDeleteI did hear a commentator say that a big part of this Jubilee, from the Queen's point of view, was to feature the future heirs to the throne. Thus only Charles and Camilla, William and his wife, and third in line, Harry. Perhaps that is why the other children were so obvious in their absence.
I, for one, would liked to have seen some of the pomp and circumstance. Not much coverage over here in the colonies. At least, not that I could find. Oh well, I guess I will just have to catch the next one.
ReplyDeleteI didn't see any of it on TV but I "was there" for the flotilla - therefore didn't see much but it was nice to be part of the crowd and feel part of the event, even though I got SOAKED to the SKIN cycling home!!
ReplyDeleteI believe the BBC commentary was awful. The BBC used to do this kind of thing very well but no longer takes itself seriously as a national broadcaster. I feel very sad about it.
Well . . . I like Queen Elizabeth. She's such a rock, isn't she? If I'd been able to watch all the brouhaha I would not have, for the same reason I never felt duty-bound to watch the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade.
ReplyDeleteThese spectacle are always intriguing but we are relieved when they are over.
ReplyDeleteDarryl and Ruth :)
I feel bad for Queen Elizabeth. She is an old lady and probably just wants to sit at home and be warm. I wonder if she has owned sweat pants? Not the old frumpy ones but the nice tasteful old lady ones that keep you warm and are easy to get on and off. I hope so.
ReplyDeleteWhile considering the British monarchy a bad thing...not just for the reinforcement of privilege but for the use made by government of the prerogative powers to sidestep Parliament,I had been looking forward to TV coverage of the Thames pageant as I like traditional boats.
ReplyDeleteThe BBC overage was a farce, and their refusal to admit what a shoddy, incompetent business it was is all too typical of the arrogance shown by the institutions running th U.K. - and, unfortunately, most societies.
Quite a while back, we turned the TV off at our house and haven't missed it since (though we do watch plenty of rented movies). My Mom and Hilary (positive letters) are the basis of virtually all my information on the Jubilee. I did like the photographs (like yours here) of all those boats. As for TV commentators, perhaps the best way to view such things is with the TV on mute. One amusing thing I noticed: on the blog stats, British visitors dropped almost to zero during the Jubbly!
ReplyDeleteThis post brought home to me the reasons I never question why I visit your world and read your posts Friko! :)
ReplyDeleteExactly !
ReplyDeleteThe concert was f-a-r too long . I could see why the Queen only watched the second half , though it was a pity that she missed Tom Jones who was the only one worth listening to .
And I did like Madness's fez . The best hat of the whole weekend .
Funniest jubilee report. Your description of old musicians is classic. Poor Elton better not get on the wrong side of you! I'm not a monarchist and didn't bother to follow anything on telly. However, I just saw the coolest report on CNN which was what a lip reader thought the Queen said while on the balcony. Nothing rude or revealing unfortunately ;) The funniest thing I read on Facebook was an English friend who posted the moment the celebration was over.... "can we take down the bunting now?"
ReplyDeleteMy sentiments exactly, Friko, especially about the BBC coverage of the flotilla (on the BBC's own messageboards, one of the politest comments was "Amateur Night"). I live near the final dispersal point for the flotilla, and managed to see the leaders of the man-powered boats go past on their last mile, with plenty of people turning out in the pouring rain to cheer them home. I did find the fervour of some of the crowds excessive - almost a throwback to the mediaevalism around at the time of the Coronation (I've never heard groups of people spontaneously shouting or singing God Save the Queen before - but I suspect it will now die back to the more usual mildly sceptical and inquisitive acquiescence.
ReplyDeleteFrico, I've not seen the celebration on TV here, working in my garden, I think it's a tribute to the Queen.
ReplyDeleteLoved your take on the festivities!! I was amazed at those aging stars at the concert as well. Poor Paul..he should give it up for sure.
ReplyDeleteHugs
SueAnn
We had Skyplussed the pageant as we were at our own jubilee celebrations and so we were able to see it all in x6 time and bypass the commentary.
ReplyDeleteAs for the concert, it was dire really until Tom Jones appeared. Sir Cliff was awful which is unusual for him. Could have done without the comedians in between although Peter Kay dressed as a beefeater was funny. However it was an amazing sight. I've enjoyed what I've seen but ive not been watching all of it.
Nicely done, Friko. Just the right amount of acerbity - particularly where the concertn was concerned. i didn't have to endure the BBC commentary, rather that of an intelligent French panel, including the UK ambassador to France and a historian with a special interest in Britain.
ReplyDeleteShe's done a good job for the most part, Elizabeth has. She could teach a lot of people about dedication and putting up with things, and Britain would absolutely not be the same without her. I thought it a pity that she didn't seem to be enjoying herself more, but the whole thing must have been an endurance contest for somebody of her age.
I agree that the boats were brilliant. Aside from wincing every time the French announcers pronounced the Thames 'Tamese' I was glued to that part of it. And I want a Royal Barge of my own, thank you very much, although it reminded me slightly of the floats of the Calgary Stampede.
The best account of the Jubilee I've read. Perfectly honest, a large but tasteful dollop of humour, but above all, pure common sense.
ReplyDeleteThe queen didn't ask to be born, and I utterly concur with your thoughts on how tedious and mundane the majority of her engagements must be.
I missed the 'pop'concert (through choice) but will forever address Sir Cliff as 'The skeletal would-be Peter Pan'. Good work!
And if I hear the the word 'stoic' once more, I shall scream!
Lucy x
I also was glued to the TV screen on Sunday outside it rained cats and dogs ! The UK is not the only country where it rains all the time, in Belgium it's exactly the same and even more ! I haven't seen the concert yet I recorded it. So I don't know. I only know that Elton John when he came to Brussels last year for a concert was real good and had a lot of success. I found that he had aged well and didn't hop around like so many other oldies which makes them ridiculous. The Queen certainly has changed and became a modern Queen, after Diana's death, she learned quickly she is very intelligent ! I admire her for that !
ReplyDeleteI think being inside watching on TV makes much more sense, but then again, rain and I have become old friends since I moved to the Pacific Northwest. As long as I'm in proper rain gear, it's not bad. It was quite a pageant, and I agree with you that the Queen's life is one of pomp and circumstance. I bet she has never even worn a pair of old sweatpants! :-)
ReplyDeleteI must write that I was totally impressed by the pageantry...really jaw dropping. I love the costumes, the fireworks, the ships! I did not watch for hours but I think celebrations like this really can bring a country together for a time. Since our country is now so divided due to the millionaires pouring money into angry divisive ads, I am glad to see happiness and carefree attitudes across the pond. I do think that the Queen gives new meaning to stiff upper lip, though. Such a contrast to those warm smile upon her coronation.
ReplyDeleteIn this little corner of the Empire, where some inhabitants fancy themselves more British than the British, there was a little bit of hype.....stores on Government Street had the odd window display, there were a few parties (covered by CBC) and one or two sad, solo protesters in front of the legislature (but they are always there with a sign to suit the occasion). I can't imagine how awful it must be to live in London this year. First the Jubilee, and then the Olympics.....I'd be taking a long road trip.
ReplyDeleteEnjoyed reading your take on all the festivities. Here in the US, we still have "royalty envy" to some extent...everyone can get caught up in what goes on across the pond. Next stop - the Olympics...betting England will pull out all the stops for that. I admit to being riveted from the Opening to the Closing ceremonies each time and oddly enough always try to make a quilt from start to finish during that time frame. Pressure is off for this year as we will be on the road all summer with no regular TV...actually looking forward to it though and relief from the ad nauseum political garbage we are going to be inundated with.
ReplyDeleteI say - treasure your Royals - they are infinitely more interesting than our politicians.
I have to say, Friko, I really enjoyed almost everything. I did think it ridiculous for the Queen and Prince Philip to stand for 4-hours in the cold and rain -- there were seats provided for them, but apparently they would have got wet if they'd sat in them.
ReplyDeleteAs for the concert: I loved seeing the old farts doing their thing. I'm an old fart myself and had two girlie friends staying with me over the weekend and we thoroughly enjoyed singing and dancing and having 'a few' throughout the evening -- even singing the national anthem over and over again, as well as wishing we knew the words to "Land of Hope and Glory"!
Our church had a special Service of Thanksgiving on Sunday and the place was full to bursting even though the weather was horrendous. I loved being able to participate in something that was 'real' and just on the television.
So, yes, maybe all the hoopla was over-the-top, but I found it quite inspiring. After all, it isn't often that the British get to fly the flag of patriotism and when they do who can blame them for going a wee bit over the top?
not being a brit it held no interest for me and I saw none of it. but I agree with your assessment of the talking heads. we would all be better off without them.
ReplyDeleteI think about her too, and how mind numbingly boring being "somebody" can be. We didn't watch very much TV and of course it was broadcast over here. My favorite part whether it is a wedding or a coronation or a reminder of a coronation is the sight of the riders in red coats wearing those nineteeth century helments with horse hair tails flying in the breeze. Wonderful. Too bad they hav all been turned to dust. Dianne
ReplyDeleteDear Friko, as I'm not British, I don't want to wade in on what the queen does or doesn't do. Mostly, I simply remember her as a member of the Girl Guides (I think that was the name) during World War II. I'd see photographs in the paper of her and the Queen Mother and the King and Margaret. Elizabeth was a few years older than I and I admired her greatly. But oh the stoicism.
ReplyDeleteWhat I would like to comment on is commentators. I watch golf and baseball on television and often I turn off the sound so that I can simply watch without hearing inanities. Filling up time, that's all it is.
Peace.
What a dreadful waste of impoverished tax payers' funds on celebrating the regal rights and longevity of inherited privilege! No offence against Liz but really? Take two steps back and stare at the godawfulness of it.
ReplyDeleteSeriously.
XO
WWW
An ex-student of mine (and ex-head boy to boot!) remarked on Facebook that Sir Cliff looked like a 'funky paedophile' on stage at the concert.
ReplyDeleteThis is how I will forever think of him.
K xx
I didn't watch any of it, but did see photos of the pomp. The Queen is one of those people who actually just might live forever. "Long live the Queen!" I do like Elton though.
ReplyDeleteI wish I had planned ahead and been in London to see the pageantry. She
ReplyDeleteIt was interesting to read your opinions on these celebrations Friko. Our TV coverage was pretty thorough here in NZ too, but as to be expected the Thames flotilla went on far too long to maintain our interest. We never watched much of the concert either. We are not Royalists but do admire and respect the Queen, and like you we admired her stamina.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed a Japanese TV coverage about Queen Elizabeth’s diamond jubilee. I like it when people become somewhat patriotic centered around the Queen (or Emperor in my country) as the symbol of the nation, not the military campaign, but don’t like it when the same kind of broadcast is repeated over and over again.
ReplyDeleteRegarding BBC in general, at the time of Iraq War years ago, I didn’t count on CNN but BBC. But now it’s hard to get accurate news. In my impression, media has become very nationalistic, not neutral, regardless of which country.
Yoko
my feeling on the Queen is that she probably does quite a good job for someone who had no choice and that any alternative,ie a president, would be much, much worse
ReplyDeleteBut other than wondering if she ever pops down to windsor shops for jammie dodgers i dont really think that much about her either way
I saw the whole show with a Canadian twist. And Like you I was a bit surprised at the choices but I think we fail to remember the tribute is to her so likely the events chosen were directly linked to what she enjoyed over the years. And to top it all off it is protocol that she must put her stamp of approval on every last detail. She would have picked what she liked most of all. As far as the concert goes I agree with you but it wasn't meant for us. We just got to share it. It was meant to be for her. She seemed content so I guess it worked out for her.
ReplyDeleteNice description of the celebration. I'm embarrassed to say I didn't follow it at all from here in Washington State. Your Queen has been around longer than I can remember, and it seems to me she has done a good job of it.
ReplyDeleteThe highlight for me was the teenager who found she was on the wrong page at the service and managed to sort it all out with a smile. That's called aplomp. She needs to run seminars.
ReplyDeleteI've done everything I could to avoid it. I think the whole thing has been overdone.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed your views on the Jubilee – it certainly must be different to watch all this at your end. I did not see the festivities on TV but on a link on my computer showing just images, no commentary at all. I did not see the concert either – I had gotten my feel with the flotilla. Although because of our weather I saw the end of the show last Tuesday morning. I always liked your Queen – such tenacity to protocol and country for so many years have to be saluted. After sixty years of reign I am surprised that it did not last at least a week….Vive la Reine d’Angleterre!
ReplyDeleteI am a republican, but remain interested in the monarchy. It is incredible that so much reverence is accorded to the holders of an hereditary position, which has no necessary connection to ability or character. In Australia the celebrations were broadcast and rebroadcast endlessly, ad nauseam. Wonderful summary you gave! I am always amazed at all the deference and platitudes. I would wish for more appreciation to be directed towards democratic institutions, practices and systems, which seem instead to be subject to endless denigrations.
ReplyDeleteI absolutely loved your review of the entire Jubilee extravaganza. To be honest with your, I had been wondering what your take on it all would be and hoped you would write a blog post about it. You have not disappointed me. I shared the post with my husband who also really enjoyed reading it also.
ReplyDeleteI do admire the Queen now more than ever I suppose. She is a model of stoicism, tenacity, protocol, and duty. I don't envy her life, but she accepted it and did the job she was given to do. I remember watching her coronation as a child. I was fascinated. This led to a life long interest in her life. I do hope there is some 'realness' to her life, and like you, I hope she will have more days with Phillip by her side.
Well, while everyone is harumphing and critiquing and bemoaning the ain't-it-awful aspects of the monarchy, I must say - I loved it.
ReplyDeleteThat is, I loved the River Pageant, and St. Paul's. I didn't even watch the concert because I didn't think I could stand it. I wasn't that much of a fan of the performers in their heyday, and after seeing the Rolling Stones cruise through a recent Superbowl - well, it just didn't seem wise to watch.
But I still remember the magic of her coronation. We were the only family on the block with a television, and the entire neighborhood came. The magic of technology got caught up with the fantasy of the event, and it's never left me.
As for contemporary events, I had rather a personal interest in the flotilla. Watching the Royal Barge come down the Thames, all I could think was, "My goodness! Look at that varnish job!"
I quite like her hats and overall look these days, too; how clever of her to go so bright with her dresses as she's getting older. Mental note: do the same, Jocelyn. Do the same.
ReplyDeleteI am rather fond of the queen and all the pomp of royal occasions, so I was quite delighted by the whole thing. Of course, I missed the flotilla, but caught some of it online. And stayed home from work to watch the drive to the palace from St. Paul's, the balcony scene and the fly-past. I loved every minute and my only regret was that we had so little time in London so shortly before. An anonymous benefactor dropped off a bag filled with tabloids and Jubilee flags for me Sunday. I still don't know who it is. I'm not sure I want to know. The mystery is so much sweeter!
ReplyDeleteHi Friko .. better late than never .. or maybe not. I agree with you re the BBC - I was prepared to give them the benefit of the doubt .. the enormity of the event etc ...but exactly as you say there was no gravitas, nor dignity, or realisation of the history of moment in our British story.
ReplyDeleteThe commenting was awful - and I didn't sit through it - no-one seemed to have a full grasp of the event ... and then the BBC missed out the schoolchildren gathered together for that event to sing ..
The concert concentrated too much on celebrities and could have given more time to the charity aspect of that show; but charity was omitted too much .. as many charities had been supported by the Jubilee events.
I did think St Paul's service, the lunch, the carriage ride and the flypast gave us a better timbre of the actual day .. I did move between ITV and BBC, but tended to stick with the Beeb ...
It might have rained at the Pageant, but the presenters should have done their homework and been much more knowledgeable .... it's a real pity that that will hang over the publics viewing memory - those actually in attendance will have a different idea and probably appreciate the magnificence of the occasion, even if wet.
I hope to hear from a narrowboat participant .. whose aunt is up at the Nursing Home, when we tie in with his visits to see her - he lives in your neck of the woods ..
Cheers - well written and put across .. and a good summary of events .. Hilary