Queen's Jubilee Continues, Thames Pageant, Jubilee Concert

Today is Tuesday Cuppa Tea, but I don't have a teacup...just Diamond Jubilee news. Another great day yesterday. The Diamond Jubilee had it's Big Lunch midday which included Prince Charles and Camilla as surprise participants in Piccadilly.

Then it was on to the Thames Pageant. I watched it streaming from 5am Pacific time on the BBC website.

This was the scene as it crossed under the MIllenium foot bridge..a favorite river crossing site for us between the Embankment and the Southwark side.


There were over 20,000 folks on the river participating. There were 93 narrow boats which ply the canals of the UK and over 1,000 different vessels from 1 man kayaks to Uni crews, lifeboat brigades, a Venetian gondola and a fleet of boats who had actually participated in the fleet of boats who rescued people after the battle of Dunkirk.

The royal family braved the 2 hours in the worsening weather which culminated in a downpour.  Below is the Royal barge Gloriana which I posted about recently as it was being built.  I said at that time it would carry the Queen, but she and most of the family were actually on the much larger Spirit Of Chartwell.

 The GBP, or Great British Public as they are known, turned up trumps as usual and celebrated with an undampened spirit despite the uncooperative weather. I love the hand knit crown wooly hat made and worn by Janet Mead above, and the rain jackets seen all over during the festivities below.

Today, there is currently a live concert going on on a stage built around the Victoria Memorial, just outside the gates of Buckingham Palace.

I had to show you this. After the opening fireworks display, the revelers had the band perform of the Coldstream Guards of the Queen's guards, which is my husband's old regiment. Quite moving for us!

This is the line up for the concert, but Sir Paul McCartney is dur to end with 3 songs and that's not on the list. The Sing portion is organized by Andrew Lloyd Webber:

16:19 The line-up for tonight's concert is quite something. Apparently the Queen asked for Kylie's Timebomb especially. I'm most looking forward to Madness singing Our House from the top of....The Queen's House! And Elton John's rendition of I'm Still Standing which either seems appropriate or completely inappropriate.

• Madness – Our House (From roof of the palace)
• Robbie Williams – Mack the Knife/Let Me Entertain You
• Gary Barlow and Cheryl – Need You Now
• Ed Sheeran – The A Team
• Alfie Bow and Renee Fleming – Somewhere (From palace balcony)
• Gareth Malone and Military Wives – National Anthem
• Shirley Bassey – Diamonds are Forever
• Tom Jones – Delilah/Mama Told Me Not To Come
• Cliff Richard – Medley
• Grace Jones – Slave To The Rhythm
• Paul McCartney – Medley
• Jessie J – Domino
• Annie Lennox – There Must Be An Angel
• JLS – Everybody in Love/She Makes Me Wanna
• Alfie Boe – O Solo Mio
• Jools Holland and Ruby Turner – You Are So Beautiful
• Renee Fleming – Un Bel Di Vedremo
• Lang Lang – Hungarian Rhapsody
• Elton John – Your Song/Still Standing/Crocodile Rock
• Gary Barlow and the Commonwealth Band featuring the Military Wives – Sing
• Stevie Wonder – Medley
• Kylie Minogue - Medley (including Timebomb)

The concert will be followed by the National Beacon by Queen Elizabeth, the first lighting that began in New Zealand yesterday. I leave you with a Jubilee highlights video from the Guardian that is great!