Queen's Jubilee
Star- studded celebration.
LONDON — Thousands of royal revellers descended Monday on Buckingham Palace to pay tribute to the Queen and witness a star- studded regal concert.
Under clear skies, the crowd roared its approval as the show began and the long list of music stars — including Paul McCartney, Elton John, Tom Jones and Stevie Wonder — took to the stage.
Watching the concert from the royal box was Queen Elizabeth, although her husband, Prince Philip, was absent because he was taken to hospital earlier with a bladder infection.
Meanwhile, thousands of people nearby bounced into the party atmosphere.
Among them were Britain’s Lynne Hughes and Canada’s Stephen Harper, who don’t have much in common except a deep respect for the Queen and everything she has done during her 60 years on the throne.
Hughes is a middle- aged woman from the British midlands town of Stourbridge who joined eight friends to make a four- hour train trip to London.
Once there, they camped on the sidewalk of the Mall, the processional route leading to Buckingham Palace. In front of them, a large TV screen set up to show the concert. Just metres behind them, a row of small tents where they planned to sleep overnight and be ready for the Queen’s horse- drawn carriage procession today.
Harper, as Canada’s prime minister, was lucky enough to be one of the 10,000 people with tickets to the outdoor concert, giving them a prized vantage point where they could see the music stars. Most received the tickets through a random draw offered to the general public.
“These are rare events in history,” Harper said about the celebrations. “This is a tremendous historical event and it’s a great honour to be able to attend and represent Canada.”
Hughes was ecstatic to be in the crowds to pay tribute to the woman she says is so important in her life. “She’s always been part of our lives, hasn’t she? We grew up with the Queen and we’ve never known anything but the Queen.”
Hughes said that regal presence has provided a constant familiarity and comfort.
“In a changing world, she’s always there. That’s the stability of the Queen. In spite of all the things that happen in the world, she’s always the same. And I think we cling to that in times of trouble, don’t we?”
The concert came amid a troubling development in the royal family.
Representatives at Buckingham Palace said the prince, 90, had been taken to King Edward VII Hospital in London from Windsor Castle as a “precautionary measure.”
Just a day earlier, he had been by the Queen’s side and had appeared in good health as they floated down the River Thames in a special barge as part of a 1,000- boat flotilla. They had remained standing during most of the 80- minute journey down the river. But the bladder infection prevented him from attending the concert.
He is expected to remain under observation for several days, missing another event in the Jubilee celebrations, a national service at St. Paul’s Cathedral today. The prince received treatment for a blocked coronary artery in December.
As they prepared for the concert, leading musicians heaped praise on the Queen. “She’s brilliant, she’s wise, she’s funny,” said Elton John. “We’re all very happy to be here.”
Thousands of people watched the concert on big screens throughout London, in St. James’s Park, Hyde Park and Trafalgar Square. It was also broadcast live on the BBC.