As the dust was settling from the pomp and pageantry of the Golden Jubilee celebrations over the long weekend, Queen Elizabeth paid tribute to the unsung heroes of the festivities – “from street sweepers to bus drivers” – who had helped make it all possible.
As she left the balcony of Buckingham Palace after Tuesday’s pageant along the Mall, according to a senior royal source quoted in the London Evening Standard, the monarch’s thoughts turned immediately to the “unsung and unseen” heroes who had taken part and helped make the celebrations such a success.
“Her Majesty was deeply moved by the warmth and sheer scale of the celebrations,” said the source. “It was overwhelming; nobody quite expected it. As the Queen left the balcony, she spoke to members of her family with pride about the thousands of extraordinary men and women who contributed behind the scenes to make the event such a spectacle.
“It is typical of Her Majesty. She may be the Queen, the figurehead of the nation, but she knew none of this would be possible without the hard work and dedication of the people on the ground – from road sweepers to performers; from the police officers to the bus drivers who kept London moving.”
Lord Sterling, the chairman of the Queen’s Jubilee Weekend Trust, spoke to her soon after she appeared on the balcony. “The Queen was very excited,” he said on Wednesday. “She was absolutely sparkling – I think they (the Royal Family) all were. They were all chatting happily together about it.”
Despite fears that the Golden Jubilee might not be a resounding success, the celebrations were “much bigger” than those of the Silver Jubilee in 1977. Organisers have estimated that at least two million people poured into the Mall and the area around Buckingham Palace over the four-day weekend. On Tuesday alone, one million flag-waving revellers were packed into the area around the palace, forming a colourful sea of celebration.
Photo: © Alphapress.com
Photo: © Alphapress.com
Photo: © Alphapress.com
