Last week, I visited Balcombe Primary School who were getting into the Jubilee festivities early. The children were dressed in red, white and blue and taking part in activities such as crown making and learning about Her Majesty’s long reign. It was great to see how excited the pupils were and this will be something I am sure they will remember for the rest of their lives. I was 8 for the Silver Jubilee and still have happy memories!
There are numerous Platinum Jubilee celebrations taking place across the constituency whether that be through street parties, church services or parades and I am very much looking forward to the long weekend of celebrations starting with the Queen’s Birthday Parade (“Trooping the Colour”) on Thursday. I am delighted to see decorations emerging locally including wonderful knitted and crocheted post box toppers with particularly fine examples in Handcross and Trafalgar! It’s great to see so many shops in Horsham are getting into the festivities with wonderful shop window displays
It’s right to celebrate - the Queen is the first British Monarch to celebrate a Platinum Jubilee. On her twenty-first birthday in 1947, the Queen said “I declare before you all that my whole life whether it be long or short shall be devoted to your service”. The Queen has been, for most of us, a constant throughout our lives and we have all seen how her life has indeed been dedicated to service.
On a personal level she is hugely respected (President Obama when asked which world leader he most respected unhesitatingly replied Queen Elizabeth).
This week I have visited Ottawa (where Jubilee streamers grace the main streets) for talks with the Canadian Defence Secretary. On Ukraine I have equally have been heavily engaged with New Zealand and Australia. We (and her other realms) share the Queen as Head of State. Throughout all the turbulence of politics a Head of State that stands, respected, above the political fray and is a visible link to a long and rich history is a valuable gift we all share, one which Her Majesty embodies so brilliantly.
