All republicans ran for cover this week as a shower of Diamond Jubilee celebrations poured down in Great Britain.

The 86-year-old monarch, Queen Elizabeth II, whose 60 “glorious” years the jubilee was meant to celebrate must have been pleasantly surprised at the scale of the festivities and the public response. Recession and economic woes were forgotten as even the normally dour Prince Charles managed to get full marks for a spontaneous and heart-warming speech where he addressed her as “Your Majesty… Mummy…” and drew a round of applause.
London was all dressed up, as was the rest of the country, and people who could not come to the capital decided to have street parties with their neighbours at home. Even the constant rain could not dampen the peoples’ mood to rejoice.
And like everyone else I, too, rushed back to London to participate in the jollities, because, frankly (it is very difficult and even a little embarrassing to try to explain) most of us who live here have a tremendous soft spot for this indomitable woman. I know, I know! This statement will outrage many who will ask “What’s so tough? She was born with a gold and Kohinoor-encrusted spoon in her mouth and all she has to do is look gracious and nod and wave a gloved hand about.”
I have heard this ad nauseam from everyone and I am prepared to suffer my share of hate mail and Facebook invectives.
And yet… even the worst cynics amongst us are a little more mellow towards her this week. Barring some mutterings from Left-leaning media and others such as the scourge of Rupert Murdoch and the deputy chair of the Labour Party, Tom Watson, who scoffed at the celebrations calling them a “show of opulence by state elites”, most people were in a mood to rejoice. And so all anti-monarchy remarks were dismissed with a good humoured shrug as Her Majesty’s subjects decided to use the long weekend to party with their family, gather at concerts or simply just line the streets to cheer as the Queen went past in her carriage.
No matter what the cynics say, the evidence that people care for her was apparent everywhere. They all spoke of the jubilee being a historic occasion and something they wanted to be present for, and hoped their children would remember it. In fact, the most amazing were the families who had arrived in London, all prepared with tents and blankets, to spend the night on the pavements to get the best view of the celebrations. The mall outside Buckingham Palace was almost always crowded with spectators. Yet, the atmosphere was peaceful and happy and the omnipresent police did not need to wave a baton about, at all.
Most events attracted a strong public participation; and there were many for which, such as the picnic and “rock” concert at Buckingham Palace, an open lottery was conducted, with lucky winners being able to attend. Similarly, as the space on the terrace of the House of Lords, overlooking the Thames was limited, a lottery was held in Parliament. A few lucky ones (yours truly included) were able to sit comfortably at a window and watch the Queen’s flotilla glide past, while we dined on a sumptuous repast. It was a wonderful afternoon. And later, like little children we hung over the parapet, umbrellas in one hand, cakes, glasses of wine and cameras in the other, trying to identify the various kinds of boats which accompanied the Spirit of Chartwell, the Queen’s barge.
The flotilla was again a sign of people power — from homegrown orchestras to designer pink hats trawling along the Thames. Of course, there were many kinds of historical vessels as well, all carefully signposted. The royals, for their part, stood for the entire four hours of the journey in extremely wet and cold weather, which is why the 91-year-old Duke of Edinburgh reportedly fell sick
and quite gladly skipped the concert the following day.
Most of the British commentators remarked during the celebrations that the Queen, too, must be tired and longing to put her feet up, to enjoy a quiet cup of tea, her corgis by her side. But often her expression conveyed how moved she must have been. After all, 60 years later how many people get this kind of love.