“This is the last time”: London celebrates the jubilee of its queen

“On could not miss this moment, it’s historic! Danny, wrapped in a British flag, and Sophie, in a T-shirt bearing the image of Elizabeth II, are in the front row to catch a glimpse of the military parade in London this Thursday, June 2. Along The Mall, which stretches from Buckingham Palace to Trafalgar Square, tens of thousands of onlookers flock to watch Trooping the Colours, the first event of the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee long weekend. The couple came specially from Essex to celebrate 70 years of reigning. “This is the last time we see that,” they breathe, while the sovereign, at 96, has been accumulating health problems in recent months.

The day before, as London prepared for the festivities, shops and bars decorated their windows with flags and city officials deployed the barriers along the streets, some were already in pole position. John, arch-fan of the royal family, has pitched his tent since Monday along the Mall. “I don’t want to miss anything from the parade”, assures the Londoner who has already been able to observe a few rehearsals. A few meters further, Suzy and Shay have made the trip from New Zealand, and are also preparing to spend the night in a tent. “To keep warm we have sleeping bags… and Prosecco”, smile the young women as they pop the cork.

“Why are we clapping? »

For these big fans, the military parade kept all its promises. More than 1,400 soldiers, 200 horses and 400 musicians descended the Mall towards Horse Guards before ascending it towards Buckingham Palace. Absent from the parade, the queen greeted the crowd from the balcony of the palace, first alone, then with her family… with the notable exception of Harry and Meghan, yet present in London. The most enduring of British monarchs is acclaimed for a long time when she appears on the giant screen installed next door in St James’s Park, when Prime Minister Boris Johnson is booed by some of the spectators.

In the crowd, everyone has their little technique to make the most of the moment. There are the acrobats who try to balance on the barriers, the dancers who stand on tiptoe or the surveyors who spot the slight elevations in the ground to gain height. Mary brought her small portable radio to watch the action live on the BBC. The less determined let go. “Why are we clapping? asks a man, whom his wife tries to convince without enthusiasm: “No idea, but it is surely someone important…” In this case Prince Charles and Prince William, on horseback. They were the ones who conducted the review of the troops in the absence of the queen.

After hours of jostling, the parade over, onlookers take over the Mall. A joyous human tide, from which emerge thousands of flags proudly waved in the air, rises towards Buckingham Palace. A moment of popular fervor crowned by the flypast, with the figure of 15 Royal Air Force Typhoon planes forming a 70 and of course the Red Arrows (the British equivalent of the Patrouille de France) came to color the sky in blue, red and white.

Prince Charles in contact

Stars in their eyes, the crowd rushes into one of the small side alleys to return to the metro, when the continuous flow stops dead. “Stand back! urge the police, suddenly very agitated. ” Oh my God ! Prince Charles and Camilla come to greet their subjects. On her face painted in the colors of the Union Jack, Lucy has a smile from ear to ear: “It’s incredible, I don’t regret coming. And it’s only just started ! »

The party affects all the streets of the capital. In Carnaby Street, in the shopping district of Soho, a street orchestra plays the hits of the moment. A few blocks away, a street in the very chic district of Mayfair is occupied by a 60-meter-long table, where you can enjoy glasses of champagne while listening to a jazz band. During the four days of the Platinum Jubilee weekend – the British were blessed with two public holidays for the occasion – Street Parties invade the streets of the country. On the program: banquets, events, dance evenings or even concerts, such as at the Battersea Power Station along the Thames.

A first day of jubilee under the sign of happiness in a London full to bursting, hardly disturbed by the not very reassuring news of the queen. Elizabeth II will not be present this Friday at the mass organized at Saint Paul’s Cathedral, the palace announced in the evening. She did, however, make an appearance at Windsor Castle, to light the beacons, torches that are traditionally burned across the country to celebrate special occasions. In front of the balcony of Buckingham Palace, which we admire from afar, through the barriers that surround the palace, we try to reassure ourselves. “She has seen others, I trust my queen. »