Diamond Jubilee

The Queen of England celebrates her Diamond Jubilee this weekend, the first since Queen Victoria's.  That one occasioned Kipling's Recessional, so recently quoted here.  I wish to remind readers of the Hall of the reason why we have cause to love this particular woman.  We must never forget...
....that this queen had the Coldstream Guards play "The Star Spangled Banner" at Buckingham Palace after 9/11; or that she sang it, herself and from memory, at a religious ceremony not long after.
Nor should we forget the faithful friendship of Her Majesty's armed forces in the nearly eleven years of war that have followed.  Here are some members of those armed forces performing for her on her 85th birthday.



The author of that piece wrote another famous song.  Already Kipling's prophecy has caught that one.



May our British friends have good kings and queens in the years to come.  On this occasion, congratulations, ma'am.
on

8 comments:

  1. tyree1:27 AM

    Agreed!

    ReplyDelete
  2. MikeD8:56 AM

    There was an excellent documentary on BBC America last night on this remarkable woman called "The Diamond Queen", and that's an excellent word for her. Remarkable.

    At an age that I recall as fairly unencumbered by responsibility or experience in much of anything, she was faced with the death of her father and elevation to a status that carries more duties than I had been previously aware of. And furthermore, she performed them with a grace that I don't think I could manage to this very day.

    ReplyDelete
  3. bthun12:06 PM

    "May our British friends have good kings and queens in the years to come. On this occasion, congratulations, ma'am. "

    I'm fairly certain, given the state of international affairs, the ancestors would not be overly roiled were I to agree with that wish.

    Long live the Queen!

    ReplyDelete
  4. dellbabe683:45 PM

    Commenting here while on "holiday" just to say that i have longed admired her for her steadiness, wisdom, decorum, and most of all her understanding of geopolitics, and slight envy at her meeting with eleven or twelve prime ministers. Think of what she knows!!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Anonymous11:52 AM

    Dellababe, and think what she's had to put up with while meeting all those prime ministers, secretaries of state and presidents! :)

    Her Majesty is a lady. Even if you disapprove of the monarchy, she is still quite a role model. Her mother as well.

    LittleRed1

    ReplyDelete
  6. Joel Leggett9:24 AM

    I am afraid that I, as a staunch republican, cannot join in the monarchy worship attending the Diamond Jubilee. She may be a good gal but I have no use for queens or kings. My ancestors proudly kicked them to the curb a long time ago.

    Nevertheless, I wish her well and dedicate to her the following song:

    ReplyDelete
  7. Joel Leggett9:24 AM

    http://youtu.be/fC-flQyRqfs

    ReplyDelete
  8. Grim2:40 PM

    Yeah, I thought about citing that song since we've got a certain number of punkrockers in the audience.

    ReplyDelete