A Royal Procession

Today was crazy. Crazy in the best possible way!! My alarm went off at 7am and I hopped out of bed ready to be part of the festivities! I had packed my survival kit the night before so I just got dressed and ran out the door. I was hoping to be at the palace at 8:00am but by the time I walked through the detour that was set up, and walked there I was later than I wanted to be. I was shocked to see that the streets were already lined with a crowd that was 4-5 people thick. You have GOT to be kidding me! I decided to head away from the palace and head down the mall. I tried across the street also in St James Park, but that was stupid because everyone that had camped out had done so in the park. (makes sense) So I crossed back over and headed away from the palace!

After walking for a bit I found a spot that was behind a tree, but only had one line of people. I decided to camp out there. I got out my little towel and plastic bag and sat down. It was 8:30am. 6 hours to go. There isn’t much to say about the first hour. I attempted to entertain and keep a polite distance from the mom and daughter that were sitting in front me. There was a really annoying man who literally took pictures for 6 hours. He had FOUR cameras. Really?? Just pick two dude. Anyways things picked up when behind me started to get filled in. A mom with a little girl came up behind me with a little stool. I moved forwards so they could claim a spot and not get trampled by the people walking behind us.

We sat there until all of sudden people started FREAKING out. What was going on?? I stood up and grabbed my camera (just in case!) A Royal Claret Bentley was rolling down the mall… wait that’s the Queen’s color! We all started getting pumped! It was Charles and Camilla. We could see them REALLY well even though they were in a ca. (the picture was el stinko) We start talking amongst ourselves and then another was coming!! Kate and Will!! Will was on our side and he waved! (again horrible picture) How exciting. Then someone in our little group dug out the itinerary for the day and we learned that the Queen would pass at 10:15. She did! We had a great view as her and her lady-in-waiting passed! What a surprise!!! It was great to have unexpected entertainment!!!


We went back to sitting down and chatting. Then the speakers started blaring the trumpet that signaled that the Queen had arrived at St. Pauls. They were piping the service to us on the mall. We listened to the singing and I recognized Rowan talking! I listened to his sermon (Very good by the way) and the most amazing thing happened. Someone (I forgot who was speaking) led the Lord Prayer at the service and I noticed a murmuring and looked around. Everyone was whispering the prayer with him, and when they were praying for the Queen everyone said “amen” and “God Save the Queen”. I wonder if she knows how much people really care about her…. I feel like that wouldn’t happen in the States.

After the service I ate lunch that I had packed and then it was time to start standing to claim my spot. People were starting to fill in behind us. Our core crew were all still there and were joking around with the coolest policeman ever. When a band went by he would “march” down the curb for us, he made the Vulcan sign with some kids and taught them to do it, and told us all that he played the piano. He had been there since 6am and wasn’t going to be done until after the mall was clear of people after the balcony was cleared! Poor guy!



At 1pm I was starting to wonder why I was doing this. The woman with the girl (never did ask her name) said that the last hour was always the worse. It was. She demanded that she took my picture so I could always prove I was there. At 1:15 or so things got interesting! The soldiers arrived! We had a blast watching them march up the mall and being measured out! Hilarious! Then the best part came… soldiers came marching up to us with a stretcher. We watched them unfold it, tuck it by the tv box, and then…. Stand in front of us. WHAT!! No!!! We told our policeman to get rid of them. The policeman ACTAULLY went over to ask them if they would be there for the entire parade. They informed him they would be, and he told us. Gah. Then after 5 minutes the middle guy turned and looked at us, looked at the solider to his left, and then moved over to his right so he was in front of the lamp post. The solider on his left turned to us and said “are you happy now? You made him feel bad and guilty!” We all cheered and waved our little flags (I had managed to get a free one!) Everyone else on either side of our little group looked down the mall to see what we were cheering for. It was so fun! We dubbed the middle guy our “hero of the day” and called him the cute one. He was a really good sport. About 10 minutes a soldier arrived, another came over and went away… The solider on the left (who sad that our “hero” felt guilty) said that he liked us so much that they were all going to the other side of the street to stand in front of other people. We were happy to see them go, but at the same time they were really fun. We gave them a hooray and some cheers and they waved and left.



By this time we were really getting excited. The policeman had been counting down for 4 hours with us and announced that it was close. Then the band came down the mall and we all got set to see the queen. We squeezed the little girl up front and waited with bated breath!!
The mounted band started down the mall. They are my favorite band! They have the best uniforms and they play instruments on horseback… not too shabby! Behind them were the mounted guard on their black horses. I was expecting a longer preamble before the Queen but suddenly horses came into view and thought “hey.. those are the queens!” I snapped a picture and then… freaked out. She was looking on our side of the mall (she was on our side!!!) and smiling/waving. I was so busy waving that I forgot to take a picture! I quickly did but I wasn’t fast enough… she put her hand down and just as I pushed the button her head turned away. NO!!!!!! I did get a really good picture of Charles though (who I had missed on the river!)


Then I turned my head back down the mall… here comes Kate, Will and Harry!!! Kate was on our side and I know I am going to sound like my mom when I say this (for those of you who know the Macys Day Parade Story when Kenny Rogers apparently waved right at mom….) Kate waved right at our group. We had started chanting “Kate, Kate, Kate” and it worked! She looked RIGHT at us and waved. Again I was too busy waving and hopping up and down (yeah… Ill admit it. I hopped) to take a good picture (which would have proved my story and stopped the snickers) so my pictures aren’t the best. Also I missed Harry this time. The first time was thanks to the guard, the second the tiny Asian girl who decided right at the moment to stand on her tip toes. Grr.


It was all over in a flash but it was worth the 6 hours. And our group was so much fun that it was all entirely worth it. After the procession up the mall, the police open the barriers and let everyone stream down to see the balcony appearance. I wasn’t planning on going.. I was tired of crowds but then I decided that I had stood for 6 hours, what was another one? I began my walk down the mall. The little girl next me (not the same one) was so excited that she was walking down the middle of the road that usually had a ton of cars on it. She was cute. I wasn’t expecting to make it far, but I got to where the mall meets the circle. One thing I should have thought about was the Victoria Monument…. I was directly behind it. Good job Anna. Oh well… there were screens and even if I was on the side the Royal Family would have been tiny specks.


I knew she had come out when the crowd roared. I watched the screens and took pictures. Then everyone started shouting and turning around… the planes were coming. We couldn’t see them yet where I was, but the Queen had seen them. The appeared and the fly over on the tv seems pretty lame. In real life it is Awesome. The bombers ROAR over you. The 3rd wave was tinier planes but they had red, white and blue exhaust. It was epic. The national anthem was playing and then everyone started singing God Save the Queen. I only know that one line, so I “la la la”-ed though the rest. I knew the tune though! :) The gun salute went off and everyone cheered then was the best part. The head guy shouted “three cheers for the Queen” “Hip Hip” and everyone screamed “HOORAY” and we did two more times. I had never actually hip hip hoorayed anyone before! It was fun!


The Queen went back in and everyone followed behind her. It took about 10 minutes to get off the mall but once I did it was easy getting home. Everyone was heading to Green Park, but I was was so SO happy I knew the city. Especially that area! I walked to Piccadilly Circus and the station was virtually empty!! Awesome! I got home quickly! I uploaded my pictures, unpacked, relaxed, ate dinner and skyped my sister!! Then it was off to bed!

It was worth my tuition for school and my living expenses for being in London JUST for the Jubilee alone. Yesterday was the best experience! It made me want to British. I was for this weekend! Sorry America!! I will be back in 10 years when Her Majesty celebrates her Platinum Jubilee! Ill stand for 6 hours to see her pass by again! This was the best weekend in London. Hands down. I doubt anything (yes even the Olympics) will be able to top it!! I wish I could get to know the Queen. She always looks so dignified, sleek and together but there is a twinkle in her eye that suggests that she has a great sense of humour. Too bad we cant hang out!

God Save The Queen

Royal Sighting: TWO!

P.S all of these pictures are from yesterday!