A day of Thanksgiving

Photo: BBC

The Queen was a very lonely figure as she climbed the steps to the magnificent St. Paul's Cathedral on the morning of Tuesday 5 June, to attend the service of Thanksgiving.  Prince Philip had spent the night in hospital and it was a very sad sight to see Her Majesty having to cope with this very busy and special day on her own.  However, as always she takes everything in her stride and with the support of her family was able to be her usual dignified self.

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Wearing a mint green lace coat and matching hat Queen Elizabeth joined the rest of her family, representatives from the Commonwealth, members of the Government and invited guests under the soaring dome of St. Paul's Cathedral. The congregation enjoyed a joyful celebration of our Queen's utterly demanding service to her country and the Archbishops of Canterbury paid tribute to the selflessness of our monarch and also offered prayers for the speedy recovery of the Duke of Edinburgh.

Photo: PA

The service over, the sound of cheers and pealing bells filled the City of London and the Queen and other members of the Royal family split to attend receptions at Mansion House and The Guildhall in the City, before The Queen, the Duke and Duchess of Cornwall, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry attended a lunch at Westminster Hall in the Palace of Westminster. This was organised by the Livery Companies of trades and professions in London, who had invited representatives from charities and the armed forces.

The 1902 State Landeau  Photo: Reuters

No time for a rest after lunch for our 86 year old monarch, carriages were waiting to take the Royal party back to Buckingham Palace.  The Queen sat next to the Duchess of Cornwall and Prince Charles took the seat opposite and following behind in the next carriage was the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry.

The route from Westminster to The Mall was lined with troops from all the armed forces facing outwards , whilst the police were facing inwards to spot any potential trouble in the crowds.
The cheering and flag waving public exuded happiness as the Sovereign's Escort led the Royal party through the streets whilst the sound of a 60 gun salute from the King's Troop on Horseguards Parade boomed down the streets like thunder.  There were so many horses to accommodate that the Wellington Barracks had to turn an underground car park into temporary stables for the day!

The Guard of Honour were ready with their welcome in the forecourt of Buckingham Palace and later performed a Feu de Joie (Fire of Joy) which is a celebratory cascade of rifle fire given as a salute by the The Queen's Guard.

Photo:  Reuters

The crowds were entertained by the bands of the armed forces as they escorted the troops back from their positions along the route, then the police carried out a very controlled operation to slowly allow the crowds into the Mall and down to the front gates of the palace.

                                                 

Soon the whole area was filled with happy smiling people waiting for the door to the balcony to swing open and send up a loud cheer.

Photo: Getty

The Royal party stepped out to a thunderous reception and spent a long time enjoying for themselves the sight of so many people with messages of goodwill.

Photo:  PA

With the Duke and Duchess of Cornwall on her right and the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge on her left and Prince Harry at the end, their attention was drawn to the small black dots in the distance, it was the start of the flypast.

                                                             

The breathtaking sight of Spitfires, a Lancaster Bomber and Dakota, and Hawker Hurricanes from the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight led the way for the Royal Air Force Red Arrows with their trail of red, white and blue smoke.

Photo:  AP

This was an occasion for everyone to feel united in happiness and despite difficult economic times, forget about the worries of everyday life for a few days.  The Queen looked a picture of happiness over the hectic four days of celebration, despite the worry about the health of her husband.  We all thought she should have a 'pyjama day' on the Wednesday, but no, she was back out again to meet with the heads of the Commonwealth for a luncheon.

Our resident artist managed to find a few moments to start a sketched memory of the day from the comfort of the seating area outside the Palace.