An exciting year ahead for town
Windsor: Events planned to celebrate Platinum Jubilee
Her Majesty the Queen marked 70 years on the throne on Sunday, marking the start of a monumental year for Windsor with events planned to celebrate the Platinum Jubilee.
Elizabeth II became Queen of the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth following the death of her father, King George VI, on February 6, 1952.
With events planned across Windsor to mark the Jubilee year, town manager Paul Roach expects it to be an exciting year for the town.
“Given the last two years it’s going to be a very welcomed year this year with the Platinum Jubilee celebrations,” said Paul.
“I think, not just for Windsor town centre or the Royal Borough but the country as whole, is looking forward to trying to celebrate properly what is an unbelievable milestone, and something that we’re never going to see again in our lifetimes.”
A whole range of events are planned for the celebrations, particularly over Jubilee Weekend at the start of June.
Platinum Jubilee Beacons will be lit up across the Commonwealth, including in Windsor, on Thursday, June 2, with a Jubilee Concert in St George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle, the following day.
Windsor Great Park will play host to two events on the Saturday and Sunday, with the Picnic in the Park taking place on the former.
Then, on Sunday, plans are in place for Windsor’s Big Lunch, with a table stretching down the Long Walk from Cambridge Gate to the Copper Horse, which Paul hopes will ‘break records’.
“What we didn’t have in 2012 that we do this year is a committee that was started in the summer of last year,” said Paul.
“[The committee] will be looking at very specific events to do with Windsor
town centre.
“There’s a lot of stuff that I suspect will be tagged ‘platinum year’ and we will be looking to support those groups.
“The whole of the Royal Borough is looking to celebrate this year, so it isn’t just about Windsor.”
A Platinum Jubilee has never been celebrated before in this country, and so Paul and his team are determined to justify the importance of such an occasion.
“Often we talk about unique events, and I think this is exactly this,” said Paul.
“Certainly not in my lifetime. We will not have a monarch who has served the country for 70 years – that is not going to happen anytime soon.
“It’s never happened before, so it’s a real chance to mark that milestone in a unique way, and so we’re trying to encourage as many people as possible to support that, get involved and hopefully mark the occasion in the way it should be marked.”
The Royal Borough is also inviting residents to share their photos of Royal Jubilee street parties and memorabilia dating from HM The Queen’s previous milestone anniversaries, to help create an exciting exhibition for her platinum year.
The council’s Library Service and the Mayor, Councillor John Story, want to see copies of people’s old snaps of street parties and other celebrations held locally for the jubilees in 1977, 2002 and 2012, or for the Coronation in 1953. They’re also appealing for photos of people’s commemorative collectables, whether that be crockery, ornaments, tea towels or postage stamps.
The resultant photographic exhibition, to be entitled 70 Years 70 Photos, will see those images put on display around local libraries, ahead of the main Platinum Jubilee weekend in June, with one lucky winner receiving a new book about the Queen.
Email photos to local. studies@rbwm.gov.uk