It started with a bang, the tragic events at the Manchester Arena. How do we get to Piccadilly train station now? Taking a long detour and entering Manchester from the south east we made the train with 20 minutes to spare. On our way at last. Clouds started to thicken as we approached London but the journey was uneventful. After a nice lunch in Ed's at Euston Station, we played at sardines on the London Underground to Green Park on the Victoria Line. A gentle stroll across Green Park led to the gates of Buckingham Palace. Which queue should we choose? We were directed to the centre gate by a kind policeman.   After a quick security check there we were in front of
Buckingham Palace.
Going through an arch led us into the courtyard where visiting dignitaries alight from their cars to enter the Palace and where the coach and horses await the Queen on special occasions. To get to the gardens we had to pass through ornate anterooms filled with china, portraits and beautiful furniture. A date on the archway said 1853. The view from the terrace towards the lake was magnificent, set out with marquees and already crowds of elegantly dressed people.
  We had an hour to wait for HRH the Queen to arrive at 4 pm so we strolled around the gardens along with the other guests admiring the array of plants, the greek urn, rose gardens etc. After a brief rest on some seats by the marquees we went in search of some tea.        Whilst we were waiting the Queen arrived on the steps of
the terrace, a distant figure in lemon. A minutes silence was held in a mark of
respect for the victims of last nights awful bombing in Manchester ended by the
national anthem.   Tea was delicious, a selection of delicate sandwiches and savoury wraps followed by sweet tarts topped with fruit and cakes. We noticed the crowd was gathering in the centre of the lawn and realised the Queen was slowly making her way across the lawn to the royal tea tent for her tea. She stopped to talk with people on the way but unfortunately we could see none of this as the crowd was too deep. People were holding cameras aloft in the hope of stealing a picture of the Queen. Some were successful but we were not, yet.   Would you believe it, it started to spit with rain! Luckily it was only a fleeting shower and did not spoil the moment. Whilst her Majesty was having her tea we noticed tubs of ice cream being consumed by the guests so we went in search, unsuccessfully at first. At last we were lucky and were treated to some delicious, organic, clotted cream vanilla ice cream from Somerset.   So impressed were we with the ice cream, we managed to acquire a second helping! At this point the sun broke through, the gardens and the palace took on a more beautiful and regal vista. Realising that the only way out of the royal tea tent was a small opening, we made our way across in time to see the Queen's Guards lining the route for Her Majesty to return to the Palace. After a short wait we were rewarded with a view of the Queen, Prince Philip, Prince Charles and Camilla together with a number of other dignitaries. Success at last, all captured on video.   |
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