invited to also take part with their own vessels. The Queen will lead the procession in a Royal barge. The spectacular displays will include live entertainment, music, daytime fireworks, water jets and a mechanical flame-spitting dragon. It is expected that more than one million spectators will line the route.
If Queen Elizabeth remains on the throne until 8 September 2015, she will become Britain’s longest reigning monarch. Considering that the Diamond Jubilee weekend will take place just weeks before the beginning of the London Olympics, London will very much be the place to be next summer.
The City’s secret alleyways The streetscape of London’s historic square mile has been evolving for centuries, but the City’s busy commercial heart still boasts an extensive network of narrow passages and alleyways, secret squares and half-hidden courtyards. David Long’s new book, Hidden City: the Secret Alleys, Courts and Yards of London’s Square Mile (the History Press, £19.99) explores the forgotten history of London’s historic commercial hub. Most of the alleys, courts and yards date back to medieval times or earlier, and often have colourful and evocative names recalling old taverns, trades and City traditions. Others commemorate individuals who were associated with
the City’s rise from an area around an old Roman wharf to the hub of global financial power it is today. While the City has been developed and redeveloped over the years to a massive extent, the survival rate of many of these ancient rights of ways is surprisingly high. David Long is the author of a number of popular and well-regarded books on the capital, including Spectacular Vernacular: London’s 100 Most Extraordinary Buildings and a sequel entitled Tunnels, Towers & Temples: London’s 100 Strangest Places. For more details of these and his other books on London visit www.davidlong.info
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