Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee 2012

The past week (1 - 5 June 2012) saw the whole of Britain celebrating Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee.  It was baffling for hubby and me at first, because as far as we know, 'diamond jubilee' refers to a celebration to mark the 75th  anniversary of an occasion (wedding, establishment, etc).  Queen E, on the other hand,  has only been on the throne for 60 years.  A check with Wikipedia enlightened us on the matter:  'Diamond jubilee' is also used to mark the 60th anniversary of a monarch's reign (started during Victorian times).

Queen Elizabeth II on her coronation day in 1953

Celebrations kicked out months earlier with retailers selling festive paraphernalia: bags, mugs, tea towels, fridge magnets, you name it.  You also have diamond jubilee packaging of biscuits, chocolate, sweets, etc.  There were diamond jubilee sale, diamond jubilee street parties planned in various neighbourhood, etc... surpassing the Royal Wedding frenzy :)

There were many tv programmes to commemorate the week-long celebration,  I watched some and skip some.  I enjoyed "A Jubilee Tribute to the Queen by the Prince of Wales" (BBC1) as I got to see private photos and home videos of the royal family.  This and "Elizabeth: Queen, Wife, Mother" (ITV1) showed a different side of the queen.

Pictures of yesteryear reminded  us of how beautiful the Queen was when she was young...  

The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh...

The Royal family

The queen as a child, with her sister

The queen, now

In between packing for my North England-Scotland-Midlands Trip, I managed to catch the "Diamond Jubilee Thames Pageant" (BBC1) and "All the Queen's Horses:  A Diamond Jubilee Special" (ITV1).  In the former, the Queen's royal barge led a procession of over 1000 boats from Battersea Bridge to Tower Bridge.  A very colourful flotilla despite the rain.  The latter, showcased horse performances from various nations, within the grounds of Windsor Castle.  Never thought that horses can be so adorable, prancing and jiggling to the music!

Yeah, I watched everything on TV.  I wouldn't have gone to see it live anyway, because I'm sort of claustrophobic?? Not a chronic one, but just can't stand crowds.   Anyway, I do feel lucky to have been able to experience the festive mood of so many historical events and happenings over my three years here, like the Royal Wedding, the Queen's Diamond Jubilee, and in the near future, the 2012 London Olympics.  Memang terasa kemeriahannya.  Syukur atas kurniaanNYA :).