Thank You, Ma'am
I am confident that words alone cannot express the incredible experience I was fortunate enough to have this platinum jubilee weekend. There isn’t a way to describe the roar of the crowds, the outpouring of love and gratitude for the Royal Family or the historic atmosphere that can only be achieved through seven decades of unwavering service to the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth.
What I can tell you is every single person I spoke to, from those in the crowds to taxi drivers to wait staff or new friends we met in pubs, every single one of them were happy, excited, and proud of Her Majesty beyond measure. The two words I heard most throughout the weekend were unique and historic. There was a common understanding in the crowds that this had never happened before and will likely never happen again. It created a sense of community amongst the diversity of the crowd; we may have all come from different places, had different experiences and spoke different languages but we were all there to celebrate the Queen, the legacy of the crown that she has worn for seven decades.
It seems impossible that the Queen could set any other records, after all she is the longest reigning female head of state ever, she is the longest reigning British monarch ever, she is the most travelled head of state ever and she has had a front row seat to almost a century of human history. She’s had fourteen (potentially fifteen depending on a certain vote happening as I write this) British Prime Ministers, Thirteen U.S. presidents and seven popes. This weekend she celebrated 70 years as Queen but she’s already set to break another next week when she will become the second longest reigning monarch of a sovereign state, second only to King Louis XIV (who became King of France when he was 4 years old). While her workload has slowed down over the last several years, she remains as dedicated to the people of the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth as ever. She has figured out new ways to continue the job that she swore to dedicate her life to when she was just 21.
She made three appearances during this Jubilee and each one was met with overwhelming positivity. While she was unable to attend several events in person, her family stepped in and stepped up. Her two heirs, Charles and William, showed the world they will always support the crown with dignity, grace and respect and that has to be attributed to the fact that they’ve had the very best example to learn from over the last seven decades.
While the Queen was missed at several events, the future of the monarchy has never been more clear. Charles will dutifully carry on the role his mother has trained him for. Though he will never compete with his mothers legacy (and to be clear, nobody can compete with the Queen) he will carry on the job and after this weekend, I am confident he will do a good job. He will have the support of the woman he loves and the loyalty and dedication of his eldest son and his daughter-in-law. His siblings, Princess Anne and Prince Edward will not waver in their roles, they will continue to do what they always have: support the monarch.
The Queen has celebrated a milestone nobody probably thought possible seventy years ago and she’s done that with the support of her family and people from all around the world. I’m certain she will continue to amaze and inspire, even long after she is gone and this weekend will be a testament to that quiet dignity, endless perseverance and commitment to service she is so well known for. So I want to say Thank You again, Ma’am. This weekend has truly been one of the most special of my life and I will never forget it. Thank you so much for all you have done and continue to do, it was an absolute honor to play even the smallest part in this historic milestone.
xx