LONDON (AP) – Britain is gearing up for a party with a pack of mounted troops, sacred prayers – and dance mechanical corgis.
The nation will celebrate its 70th anniversary on the throne of Queen Elizabeth II this week in a four-day parade in central London. But the brass band, the street parties, and the planned appearance of the aged queen on the balcony of Buckingham Palak are all part of a campaign to show that the royal family still belongs after seven decades of change.
“The monarchy is not elected, so the only way the emperor can consent is through the people, not through the ballot box,” said Robert Lacey, a historical adviser to The Crown. “And if the emperor turns on the balcony and comes on the waves and there is no one there, it is a definite decision of the monarchy.
“Well, when you think of Elizabeth, the opposite is true. People can’t wait to come together and express their happiness, “he added.
And the monarchies, sometimes criticized for not being in touch with modern Britain, want to show that migration from the Caribbean, South Asia and Eastern Europe has the support of all sections of society that have become more multicultural.
As part of the jubilee competition, dancers from London’s African-Caribbean community, dressed as giant flamingos, zebras and giraffes, will re-imagine the moment when Princess Elizabeth learns she has become queen while visiting a game park in Kenya in 1952. The second group will commemorate the Queen’s marriage to Prince Philip in 1947 and will celebrate her marriage to the Commonwealth with Bollywood-style dance.
The jubilee is an opportunity for royalty to showcase their commitment to change and diversity, which the Queen has embodied in her travels around the world over the past 70 years, said Emily Nash, Royal Editor of HELLO! Monthly
“She has been everywhere and she has interacted with people of all levels, creeds and colors and faiths,” Nash said. “I think it’s easy to see, the lack of diversity and the variety. But looking at what the dynasties actually do, the people they’re involved with, the places they go, I think it’s probably a little inaccurate to say it’s not that diverse. ”
If the depleted stock at Cool Britannia Gift Shop is any indication, Jubilee has caught people’s attention. The shop on the corner of Buckingham Palace runs out of platinum jubilee tea towels. Spoons are sparse. Then the supply is low.
And it’s not just foreign tourists who are buying all of Elizabeth’s things. Ismail Ibrahim, who is behind the counter, said visitors from around the UK were also hunting for anniversary souvenirs.
“This is a very special year,” he said. “They’re celebrating it as a big event.”
The question for the House of Windsor is whether, in time, people will pass on their love for the Queen to her son and heir, Prince Charles.
This is a problem that, to some extent, stems from the Queen’s unprecedented career, the longest in British history. The only king recognized by the majority, she has become synonymous with monarchy.
Since her father’s death on February 6, 1952, Elizabeth has been a symbol of stability as the country marks the end of the empire, the birth of the computer age, and the transformation of Britain’s multicultural society. .
Monty Python, the Beatles, and the Sex Pistol lead the era with a small handbag, Corgi coming from behind, and a shy woman with a fondness for horses. Her star-studded turn as Bond Girl at the 2012 London Olympics is proof that people thought she was wrong.
Yet through all of this, the Queen has forged a bond with the nation through a never-ending series of public appearances, opening libraries, dedicated hospitals, and honoring deserving citizens.
Susan Dudridge feels that connection. Somerset’s administrator will dance at the Platinum Jubilee competition 69 years after her father marched in the Queen’s coronation parade.
“I find it amazing that the country always comes together when it comes to weddings, royal anniversaries, royal family engagements,” she said. “We love the Queen!”
The last two years have shed light on the strength of the monarchy as the Queen alternatively Kovid-19 consoled the lonely nation and thanked the doctors and nurses who fought the disease.
But the 96-year-old king buried her husband and was also found to be deficient as he was forced to hand over important public duties to Charles as he slowed down due to health problems. It came amid all-public tensions between Prince Harry and his wife, the Duchess of Sussex, who accused him of racism and hooliganism in the royal family, and of hateful allegations that P. Reins Andrew had an affair with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. .