A parade with golden carriages and dog puppets in London and picnics, once in the rainy season, across the United Kingdom culminates on Sunday celebrating 70 years of the historic reign of Queen Elizabeth II, largely absent due to his declining health.
After two brief appearances on the balcony of Buckingham Palace on Thursday, the 96-year-old monarch, struggling to walk, walked away from the main celebrations of his Platinum Jubilee. He did not attend religious services on Friday, or his beloved horse racing on Saturday, or the giant concert in front of his palace, and did not speak in public.
He left his heirs, Charles, 73, William, soon to be 40, and George, eight, in the foreground, confirming his gradual departure in recent months and the impression of many participants in the celebrations. of the end of an era, after an unparalleled reign that began on February 6, 1952 in a United Kingdom that was still a colonial Empire and subject to post -war rations.
Buckingham Palace has not specified whether Elizabeth II, who is now frail, will make her final appearance on Sunday, during a parade that will bring together soldiers, dancers, puppeteers and actors, which began in the early afternoon. , under the eye of the royal family and of the type of politics.
The 260 -year -old golden state carriage used for royal weddings and coronations opened the parade under the gray sky. There are expected pictures of the queen, young. Hundreds of soldiers followed in British ceremonial dress or from former Commonwealth colonies.
Expect in the afternoon a giant dragon, seven double-decker buses. Puppets of corgis dogs, the Queen’s favorites, will also be part of the party, which will be followed by a musical finale with star Ed Sheeran in particular.
Millions of Brits are gathering
Despite the once rainy season, millions of people are expected to take part in lunches and picnics with the neighbors, happily celebrating the historic reign of a very famous queen, both near and mysterious, an uplifting symbol of stability over a century. of great excitement.
In Windsor, 488 tables were set up in the driveway to the castle where the Queen lives, while Prince Charles and his wife Camilla joined him for lunch on a cricket pitch.
Despite her absence from the concert organized in her honor on Saturday night, Elizabeth II, known for her duty, as well as for her wit, provided a nice surprise for her subjects.
He shot a short video where he had tea with Paddington Bear, a clumsy icon of British children’s literature. He then beat the clock with a silver spoon in his porcelain cup, which coincided with the opening of the concert. The audience for the event reached a maximum of 13.4 million spectators BBCa sign of the continued strength of the monarchy in a country so divided in recent years because of Brexit.
The event will end four public holiday celebrations, a bracket for Britons during runaway inflation and political scandals, with a vote of no confidence looking increasingly imminent against Prime Minister Boris Johnson.
A historic moment
Many of the festival participants are aware of the historical dimension of the moment. A British monarch has never reigned so long and is unlikely to break this 70-year record in the future because of the age of his heirs.
Inevitably, these celebrations have a farewell flavorcolumnist Tony Parsons estimates in the tabloid tea Day. There has been real joy abroad and in this country in recent days. But there is also the keen awareness that we will never see a monarch like that again.
tea Observea leftist newspaper, is considered to be part of this jubilee the long farewell that began with his sole presence at the funeral’s [son époux] prince philip last year.
The move was underway, and while the Queen had no intention of stepping down, faithful to her 1947 promise to serve her subjects for the rest of her life, she was preparing them for what would happen next. His heir, Charles, represents him more often.
Consistent meticulousness promises: Charles is less famous than his mother, with a 50% favorable opinion versus 75%. Only 32% of Britons think he will be a good king (YouGov, April 2022). And the monarchy has been questioned on recent travels by members of the royal family, in the slave past of the British Empire.
Source: Radio-Canada
