Happy Diamond Jubilee!

This weekend marks the Queen's 60th year on the throne. The big celebration is called the Diamond Jubilee, and festivities are taking place everywhere. There are union jack flags and buntings on everything you can imagine, and we are all wearing red, white, and blue to all of the celebratory events; it is "best of British" to the hilt.

On Friday, Franny's school had a Jubilee festival, complete with decorations and snacks, a DJ, and everyone singing the National Anthem. Franny made a delicious batch of cucumber and cream cheese sandwiches to bring in, and some of the baked goods were incredible. It was a great afternoon and the perfect kick off to the Jubilee weekend and the half-term break.

  

On Saturday we attended the Queen's Birthday Parade-Major General's Review. Friends had given us their extra tickets and we headed into Central London early to grab our seats. It was the epitome of pomp and circumstance, with all of the soldiers in full regalia performing their birthday procession and military drills. It really was an amazing spectacle, and I'm so glad that we got to see it.

 


And today was the Jubilee Flotilla on the Thames, in which over 1,000 boats wove their way along the River in an amazing procession for the Royal Family, who were gathered on the Royal Yacht Brittania. We rode our bikes to a good spot on Wandsworth Bridge from which to watch the flotilla. We lucked out in being there before the rain started, but it was still a shame that it was such a grey day. Nevertheless, there were tens of thousands of people out watching the boats, drinking Pims, waving their flags, and celebrating. It was an impressive sight in many ways. They are calling this London's time capsule year, and sometimes I still can't believe that we are here to enjoy it.