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The Phoenix–June 2012
JUBILEE CELEBRATIONS - ROUND UP
Bringing our communities and country together More than a million people, from a multitude of communities braved the poor conditions to pay respect to the Queen, during the Diamond Jubilee celebrations, that she was moved to make a speech in response to the euphoric outpouring.
She, deeply touched and humbled by what she witnessed at firsthand, talked of how overwhelmed she was at the way the celebrations had brought communities together as one. Equally overwhelmed she made the decision to make the address after witnessing the groundswell of public support in the run-up to the Jubilee weekend. She said. “The events that I have attended to mark my Diamond Jubilee have been a humbling experience. It has touched me deeply to see so many thousands of families, neighbours and friends celebrating together in such a happy atmosphere. This is something that has brought the country
together and you definitely notice that in my constituency, in the smallest villages that I went to. In the whole country, everyone's talking to each other, everyone is chatting with their neighbors. It brings communities of people together, whatever your politics." With the her husband, Duke of Edinburgh, taken to hospital with a bladder infection she showed great courage and dedication to Her people by choosing to go ahead with her duties and responsibilities hours later. They have been married for 64 years with the Queen credits him as being her ‘strength and stay’ for the six decades of her reign. It’s been an eventful six decades with a huge number of positives during her reign. To date, who better to represent us than the always regal, stoic and upstanding Queen-of all our community’s collective hearts?
The Queen’s musical Jubilee celebration
F
Take That front-man, Gary Barlow, deserves a knighthood for putting together such an event, on the Her front doorstep. Take that, then, eh?
Stars, old and fairly new paid their own respect in a weekend of celebrations with a concert that you, me and they will remember for years to come.
Grace Jones’s extraordinary display with those hula-hoops proved a ‘show-stealer’ as she oozing charisma others lack, her classic ‘Slave To The Rhythm’ caused everything in her wake to curl up and wither away. A standout performance, if ever there was one, with stunned looks from the royal box, she won’t be forgotten any time soon.
Ego’s put too one side and stars from Sir Elton John, Stevie Wonder, Dame Shirley Bassey, Sir Tom Jones and Sir Cliff Richard, to JLS, Cheryl Cole, Jessie J and Ed Sheeran rocked the rain soaked night, leaving us overwhelmed with what we were all a part of.
The Queen did miss first hour and half a miss, which meant she got there in time for Grace’s typically ‘Grace’ performance. She also managed to take in rock’s own royal family of Sir Paul McCartney, Elton, Stevie and Shirley, who all serenaded her quite amicably, with their indi-
or anyone to have a gig in your front garden must be the dream present. For Her Royal Highness, a concert of mega-proportions on Horse Guards Parade, with the biggest names in the world of music in her ‘front garden,’ as it were, was a triumph for all that is great in music and the Queen herself.
vidual hits including ‘Your Song,’ ‘Sir Duke,’ ‘All My Loving’ and ‘Diamonds Are Forever.’ They definitely rocked crowd. Pop veterans Madness’ performance at the end the night’s fes-
tivities was, as they always are, refreshing and, as on the night, very poignant, especially with their performance of ‘Our House’ from the roof of Buckingham Palace.
Also worth mentioning that between the music acts, hosting duties were handled amicably by comedy’s own royalty, Dudleyman, Lenny Henry, Rob Brydon, Miranda Hart, and Lee Mack.
With an OBE now to his name, doesn’t ‘Sir Gary’ have a little ring to it?