Celebrations come with a twist to get into the swing
King’s Road closes for a jubilee for first time as residents get bunting out and show off their moves
FOR decades, King’s Road in the heart of west London has been the place where fashionable people went to be seen. But yesterday, as the street was closed for the first time for a jubilee party, the only stylish thing to be seen doing was raising a glass of champagne to toast the Queen’s 70 years of service.
Even pet corgis, one wearing a tiara, joined in the festivities as they lapped up fizz from champagne flutes. Row upon row of white tables and chairs were lined up underneath Union Jack bunting crisscrossing the famous road. Thousands of local people and visitors created a uniquely British carnival atmosphere on the road running from Chelsea to Fulham.
The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee is expected to see more than 16,000 lavish street parties being held up and down the country.
At first, the great British weather threatened to dampen the hopes of party organisers as the weekend began with widespread showers. But, by mid morning much of the country was enjoying at least intermittent sunshine.
Wearing a Union Jack hat with sunglasses to match, Maryam Zamani, a 47-year-old doctor who has lived in Chelsea for more than a decade, admitted she is “one of those Americans who loves the monarchy”.
“This is fabulous; there are no cars on the street, there are so many people out and the sunshine has come out for the Queen,” she said from King’s Road. “I work right here, so it’s just so nice to be a part of this special day.”
Dee Ali, 43, an artist and Ms Zamani’s friend, even “forced” her husband, who is American, to fly over “just for the Jubilee” from the USA where they live. Ms Ali, who is English, said celebrating the Jubilee was “part of the fabric of who I am”.
She added: “I tried to buy scones and clotted cream and jam but it’s all sold out. I love the Queen. Ever since I left England, she has meant a lot more to me. It’s about unity and British culture. She’s the epitome of everything that I was raised with and that I am.”
Janine MacKinlay, 79, used the party as an opportunity to perform the twist (again), a nod to the road’s heyday in the Swinging Sixties.
“It’s fantastic,” said Ms MacKinlay, who has lived for 30 years just off King’s Road. “A man was telling everybody how to do the twist. Well, I knew how to do it from the Sixties. I’m almost 80. The Queen has been there every single day of my life you know. She’s been with us all through everything – the Cold War, the recessions, everything.”
A few miles away in Camberwell, hundreds of families attended a fete on the green where the corgi, the Queen’s dog of choice, played a key role.
Children decorated paper cut-outs of the dogs while a real life dog show and canine assault course was also held. In keeping with the jubilee theme, first place for “Best Outfit” was awarded to a corgi called Mackie.
Frog Morris, from Camberwell Arts, said: “It’s great to see all walks of life coming together. We have seen lots of people getting into the spirit and dressing up and making crowns.”
More than 40 miles away, Kelshall village hall was adorned with photographs from the previous jubilees.
In the Hertfordshire village, Angela Louch can recall the day George VI died and the nation prepared for the Queen’s coronation.
“I was at a day school in Buntingford and we all had to stand in silence for two minutes,” she said, adding: “I remember being amazed that all the lorry drivers got out of their lorries and stopped driving by the side of the road. That wouldn’t happen now.”
In Wales, the villagers of Rhosneigr, Anglesey, have established a long history of holding celebrations in honour of the Royal family.
Vicki Clancy, 77, has helped organise today’s street party. However, she can remember how villagers threw their first party in celebration of the Queen – for her coronation in 1953. Many rented television sets to watch the ceremony. “The reception was just dreadful,” she said, explaining how post-war rationing also meant there was no shared meal.
Mrs Clancy also remembers her father making a replica of the Queen’s Gold State Coach which was pulled through the streets by ponies.
In that coronation year the monarch came to north Wales, prompting Mrs Clancy’s father to take that replica to the estate where the Queen was staying. “He parked up there with a carriage and my sister and I on the ponies. The Queen actually came past and she slowed down,” Mrs Clancy added.
John Morrison, 73, remembered the Silver Jubilee in 1977 being marked with another party and a series of sea races organised by the local sailing club.
“The change since then has been health and safety”, he said. “Now, you’ve got to have First Aiders, you’ve got to have insurance and so on.”
While the nature of the parties has changed, the village has continued to celebrate with gusto. In 2002, the Golden Jubilee was marked with a parade of local servicemen and women.
The village even became a centre of royalist attention when Prince William was stationed at RAF Valley in his job as a search and rescue helicopter pilot so his
‘I’m almost 80. The Queen has been there every single day of my life. She’s been with us all through everything’
wedding in 2011 was marked with a street party, followed by another just one year later for the Diamond Jubilee.
Today, they are once again planning a weekend of fun, including a baking competition, crown making, live music – and of course, a village party.
Back on King’s Road, Fay Campbell, who helped organise that party, said: “This is the first time we’ve ever done this for a jubilee. Closing King’s Road is quite a new thing. But I love the Queen. This is a celebration of her – she deserves it.”