I had a wonderful day yesterday enjoying a barbecue with my parents and then watching the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee river pageant. I think I annoyed everyone with my constant interruptions, telling them about Anne Boleyn’s coronation river pageant but historian Anna Whitelock was also pointing out the similarities on the BBC so I was in good company.
The pageant was an incredible sight and although it was bigger than Anne’s, it gives us some idea of what the Thames may have looked like on the 29th May 1533. I loved it when they passed the National Theatre and Joey the horse (not a real one!) from War Horse saluted the Queen! It made me think of the mechanical dragon which was part of Anne Boleyn’s procession and how that must have amazed the crowds in 1533, just as Joey delighted people yesterday (see video).
You can see photos and video from yesterday’s pageant on the BBC website:
- As it happened: Diamond Jubilee River Pageant – From the BBC
I did enjoy watching it, but fell to dreaming of what it would have been like in past times, like the one for Anne Boleyn. It’s great that we still do them even if it’s very rare.
It would have been fun to hear your commentary! 🙂
Claire, it sounds like a wonderful time! I remember sobbing on the sofa at age five because I couldn’t be at Queen Elizabeth’s coronation. My poor mother didn’t know where this behavior came from. My family has been in the U.S. since the 1600’s, and here was this tiny Royalist inconsolable at missing the coronation.
Would have liked to celebrate the Jubilee as well.
Thanks for the clip and the notes–I hadn’t seen any footage before yours, now I’ll have to find more.
What a fun couple of days you must be having!!