The Colonel's Review on 4th June 2011 including Prince William

Some video clips from the processions before and after The Colonel's Review of Trooping the Colour on 4th June 2011:



This is the first rehearsal of Trooping the Colour on which the Duke of Cambridge (Prince William) has ridden.

An article in The Daily Mail shows photos of Prince William dressed in a red guardsman's uniform, taking part in the rehearsal of Trooping the Colour:

Just another soldier or the heir to the throne? Busby-wearing Prince William blends in during horseback drill

That poor dog - the Irish wolfhound mascot - didn't look at all happy taking part in the parade!

The day after the Royal Wedding - recap by Channel 4 News

Channel 4 News presents a recap of the events after the Royal Wedding:

William and Kate Royal Wedding honeymoon delayed as official pictures are revealed.

The wedding guests had bacon butties (bacon sandwiches) for breakfast after a night of partying.

Kate Middleton's bridal bouquet was laid at the Grave of the Unknown Warrior inside Westminster Abbey.

The cartwheeling verger is shown and the identity of the "Dancing Policeman" on the Mall is revealed.

The bride's family returned to their home in Berkshire.

The Royal Wedding of Prince William & Catherine Middleton

The Royal Wedding of Prince William and Catherine Middleton was the event today, and what a perfect success it was too! The weather even cooperated - it was very cloudy at first and looked like it might rain but the sun came out.

I didn't go into London today because I dislike huge crowds and figured I'd see more on the TV at home but after watching how festive the atmosphere was in London, I wish I had gone after all. It must have been a faboulous experience.

Crowds gather outside Clarence House to celebrate the wedding of Prince William and Catherine Middleton




I'm not a royalist but I definitely got caught up in all the hype by the media so I made a point of watching the whole wedding, and I must say that I enjoyed every minute! I also tweeted about the event as I watched it and that added to the fun. Twitter is a real bonus for events such as this!

I loved watching as guests arrived, followed gradually by members of the royal family and finally the members of the wedding party. I thought Prince Harry and Prince William looked very handsome indeed in their military uniforms. Prince William wore the red tunic of the Irish Guards. I thought it was sweet how Harry looked more nervous than William did!

The bride's sister, Pippa, as bridesmaid, looked stunning in a white dress, and she was accompanied by four sweet little flower girls and two charming young pageboys:

Lady Louise Windsor, seven, the daughter of Edward and Sophie, the Count and Countess of Wessex; Eliza Lopes, three, the child of the Duchess of Cornwall's daughter Laura and her husband Harry Lopes; Grace van Cutsem, also three, is William's goddaughter - the daughter of his close friends Rose Astor and Hugh van Cutsem; the Hon Margarita Armstrong-Jones, eight, daughter of Viscount and Viscountess Linley; William (Billy) Lowther-Pinkerton, ten, the son of William's private secretary, Jamie Lowther-Pinkerton; and Tom Pettifer, eight, the son of William's former nanny Tiggy Legge-Bourke and her husband Charles Pettifer.




When the bride arrived with her father, we were finally able to see her wedding dress. It was beautiful and Catherine looked very elegant and radiant as she walked down the long aisle with her father.



The ceremony itself was beautiful and very moving. I was surprised by how emotional I felt as I watched. Mind you, I'm that way at weddings anyway.



By the way, it was announced today that after their marriage, Prince William and Catherine Middleton will become The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.

I think one of the highlights of today's event was their carriage ride back to Buckingham Palace. All the pageantry is what makes this sort of event, the envy of the world.




Another highlight was the kiss on the balcony, which they did, not just once, but twice, to the delight of the huge crowd waiting to see them.



The traditonal fly-past at Buckingham Palace was impressive too. The aircraft participating in the fly-past were a Lancaster, a Spitfire and the Hurricane followed by two Typhoon and two Tornado fighters. Very cool.

A short while later, after the balcony appearance, William and Catherine left Buckingham Palace for Clarence House, with Prince William driving an open top Aston Martin (owned by his father) while Catherine waved to onlookers. The car was decorated with balloons and L plates and balloons trailing and it said JUST WED on the numberplate. Brilliant!



This is an interesting bit of trivia I learned via twitter:
The last time a future monarch of England married a commoner was in 1660.

I thought the whole event was a joy to watch. I love all the British pomp and pageantry. Very dignified and also quite magnificent. And I don't believe in fate but William and Catherine do seem very well-matched indeed and her new status definitely suits her. She looked regal even before she married William!

Did you watch the Royal Wedding? What did you think about it?

My view is that there is so much sad news in the world, that this spectacle was pure escapism - a fairytale come true. And it's good for bringing in loads of tourists to London so the tourism business must be very happy indeed!

Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment inspection

Video clips from The Major General's Inspection of the Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment in Hyde Park, London on 19 April 2011:



They certainly had perfect weather for this today. It was more like summer than spring, with a temperature of 76F today!

Happy Mothering Sunday!

Happy Mothering Sunday to all the mums in the UK

Today is Mothering Sunday in the UK. It's not the same as Mother's Day in the USA (which is celebrated on the second Sunday in May) because it started as a religious holiday here and it is still connected to Easter. Mothering Sunday always falls on the 4th Sunday in Lent in the UK.

It's noticeable though that the greeting cards and adverts here are increasingly referring to "Mothering Sunday" as "Mother's Day" here in the UK.

I've selected two clips to show in honour of mother's everywhere. The first one is a montage of scenes with Sally Field as Nora the devoted mother in the (excellent!) TV show, "Brothers and Sisters":



and a trailer from a movie called Mother, starring Debbie Reynolds:

Garage sales, Rummage sales (USA) vs Car Boot Sales, Jumble sales (UK)

I was quite surprised today to see a neighbour holding a garage sale. Why was I surprised? This is the first time (that I know of) that anyone in my town has held a garage sale. I'm hoping the idea will catch on.

The British way of selling unwanted items from the household is to load up the car and drive to a Car Boot Sale - where you sell your items from your car's boot (trunk). These type of sales are usually held in a field or a car park (parking lot) and sellers have to pay a fee for their pitch (car space). The fees can vary depending on the day of the week (weekend charges are higher) and can range from about £6 to £12 for a car, £8 to £15 for a van. And buyers usually have to pay a fee for entry to the car boot sale! The entry fees also vary, from as little as 20p or as much as £5. Charges to enter are higher on weekends. There usually isn't an entry fee for children.

The other popular method of selling secondhand items is at a Jumble Sale. This is like an American rummage sale but whereas in the USA, the items would be sold either from the owner's garage or their yard or even sometimes from inside their home, the Jumble sale is held at a church hall or school or village/town hall. And yes, there are fees - the sellers have to pay a fee for a table to sell from and the buyers have to pay a fee (usually from 50p to a £1) to enter the sale. These sales are often (but not always) a way to raise money for a special cause and will be advertised as such.

As an American, I have to say that I miss seeing the widespread presence of garage sales. I always thought it was fun to see a sign pointing to someone's yard or garage and just stopping at the spur of the moment to have a look. Garage sales and rummage sales are a very common occurrence throughout the USA and not only an easy way to get rid of household clutter and make a bit of money or be able to find a good bargain but also a fun way to meet neighbours.

I don't really enjoy going to car boot sales and I've never felt like participating in selling items at one either. I dislike the idea of having to pay a fee to sell my items, and I'm also not keen to have to spend a day hanging out in a field for a whole day. I've also noticed that sellers don't put price tags on their items which means you have to ask "how much?" and then you have to wait while they seem to contemplate how much you will be willing to pay.

I have considered selling items at a jumble sale when our local schools or town hall have advertised about holding one but still think it's more trouble than it's worth. It involves loading up the car and taking the items to the venue and taking them inside and displaying them on a table and spending the whole time at that venue.

Also, I think it's odd that people are charged an entry fee to both car boot sales and jumble sales. In my opinion, charging an entry fee only makes sense if the fee is going to a charity. If it is for a charity or a local cause, I try to support them by going to their jumble sales and I usually buy something - but I've never felt inclined to be one of the sellers.

I'm not sure why garage sales are so rare in the UK. When I first moved to England, I was told it wasn't allowed because it was against the law to sell anything from your home or property without a special licence. I've never bothered finding out more about the law because whether it has changed or not, it seems to me that it's just not the done thing - at least in my area. That's why I was so shocked to see a garage sale in my neighbourhood today. I will be very interested to see if more British people start holding garage sales or yard sales. I don't think it will ever be as common as it is in the USA because most British garages are very small (most people use them for storage rather than for their cars). So, I think it might be easier for Brits to sell from their front or back garden (what Americans call the 'yard' is called the 'garden' in the UK).

It's worth noting that sometimes car boot sales are combined with other fun activities so it can be a fun day out. For example, the Country House Car Boot Sale is being held tomorrow in the Cotswolds. The sale also offers fairground rides, food stalls, licensed bars and a variety of arts and crafts stall, plus the National Trust property Lodge Park, part of the Sherborne Estate, will be open for visitors and the picnic areas and sculpture trail available for public access. All proceeds from the sale will go towards the South West Child's Voice Appeal - NSPCC (National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children). I think these kind of organized events are much more fun to go to and a very British way of raising funds for a worthwhile charity.

What are your thoughts about car boot sales and jumble sales? Do you sell or buy from them? What are your thoughts about holding (American style) garage sales and rummage sales in the UK? What is it like where you live - do your neighbours hold garage sales?

Interesting trivia about car boot sales (via carbootsales.org)

2010 State Opening of Parliament

I'm not a royalist but I do enjoy watching all the pomp and circumstance of official events such as the Queens Speech from the Lords today for the State Opening of Parliament for the 2010-11 session.

A carriage procession takes the Queen to Parliament and back to the Palace. I wonder how comfortable it is to ride in that (magnificent) carriage.

Via BBC News: In pictures: State Opening of Parliament

Did you know a whip was held hostage? Top Ten Queen's Speech facts

The Queen's Speech consisted of reading the new government's 23 bills and one draft bill put forward by the coalition government today. The bills include tax, political reform, schools, civil liberties and immigration.

The full list of Bills announced

I'm particularly pleased with the Freedom (Great Repeal) Bill which will roll back the power of the state, restoring freedoms and civil liberties.

With parliament now officially open, there was a break until this afternoon when David Cameron made his first big appearance as Prime Minister.

I watched some of the Queen's Speech Debate. I thought David Cameron was on fire! I loved his retort concerning the House of Lords, saying former Labour PM Tony Blair had "appointed more peers than any prime minister in British history". And he added that Labour had 13 years to reform the House of Lords. Well said!

I didn't think it was particularly clever of Harriet Harman to mock the Cameron-Clegg coalition by saying:

"While the happy couple are enjoying the thrill of the rose garden, the in-laws are saying they're just not right for each other. We keep telling them that you can't pay couples to stay together. It's clear it will take more than a three-quid-a-week tax break to keep this marriage together."

One of Cameron's valid points was made early in the debate:

"Not one word of apology for the appalling mess that has been left in this country. Nothing to say about leaving Britain with a deficit that is bigger than Greece's. Not a single idea for getting to grips with it. Until they learn what they got so badly wrong I'm not sure people are going to listen to them again."

So, it's back to business now that the general election is over and Parliament is officially open with the new coalition Government in charge.

I think both parties (Conservatives and Liberal Democrats) are making a tremendous effort to form a coalition goverment and should be commended. Personally, I'm quite excited about what the future holds!

What do you think about the new coalition government? Are you optimistic or do you think they will have difficulty making it work?

And what are your thoughts about all the pomp and ceremony of the State Opening of Parliament? Do you enjoy the whole tradition or do you disapprove?

How Emma Bridgewater tableware is made - videos

A detailed look at how Emma Bridgewater tableware is hand made and decorated in Stoke on Trent and Emma's inspirations. Short films that shows the complete process from clay slip preparation to the finishing of the end products: Visit www.emmabridgewater.co.uk for beautiful tableware. Edited to add: I have no connection with the Emma Bridgewater business - I just think it's very interesting to see how the tableware is made and thought I'd share these videos on my blog.

Top London Afternoon Tea 2009 and the Tea Guild's Top UK Tea Place 2009

Best tea in London and Britain named The best place in London to enjoy a delicious cup of afternoon tea has been named as The English Tea Room, Brown’s Hotel, which has won The Tea Guild’s prestigious award for the capital. The Tea Guild has also announced that The Top Tea Place Award 2009 has been won by The Bridge Tea Rooms in Bradford-On- Avon, Wiltshire. (link via VisitBritain.com) Brown's Hotel London - The English Tea Room The Bridge Tea Rooms - Bradford on Avon, England Congratulations to both for your awards! Well done! I'm always keen to get recommendations for traditional tea rooms. Where is your favourite tea room? Related links from the web: Afternoon Tea - This site will help you to find the perfect Afternoon Tea location in the UK London's Best Tea Rooms (link via Time Out London) Afternoon Tea in London (link via Visit London) Tea and cake places (link via teaandcake.co.uk)

It's time for Panto!

Thanks to Flighty for the reminder that it's That time of year. Yes, indeed it's Christmas time and in Britain, that means it's panto time! Pantomimes are a tradition in British theatres. They are nearly always based on well-known children's stories or fairy tales. Some of the most popular pantomimes are "Cinderella", "Snow White", "Jack and the Beanstalk", "Aladdin", and "Peter Pan" and a variety of these stories are acted out up and down the country in professional and amateur productions. A very odd (but hilarious!) feature of panto is that the lead male role is played by a woman and the lead female roles are played by men. The costumes are usually very elaborate and colourful and the whole production can be quite impressive. Panto is fantastic family entertainment and a great way to introduce the joy of theatre to children. I still remember one production of "Cinderella" we took our sons to see and how thrilled we were to see real Shetland ponies being used to pull the carriage on stage. Sadly, it looks like that particular bit of panto tradition is ending because it breaches rules on health and safety and animal welfare. The professional productions almost always star some well-known TV celebrities. Sometimes they are actors from British soap-operas or from Australian soap operas. A few years ago, a couple American actors (Patrick Duffy and Henry Winkler) came over to take part in pantomimes. Henry Winkler is returning this year (his third year) to star in a panto as Captain Hook in a panto in Milton Keynes and another American actor, Steve Guttenberg, is doing his first panto this year as Baron Hard-up in the production of Cinderella in Bromley, Kent. As much as I enjoy the professional pantos and seeing famous actors, I think the amateur pantos are often the best ones. The Big Panto Guide :find a Pantomime in the UK 2008-2009 Milton Keynes Theatre: Henry Winkler, Andy Ford and Louisa Lytton (Eastenders, Strictly Come Dancing, and The Bill) star in Peter Pan The Churchill Theatre: Steve Guttenberg (Police Academy, Three Men And A Baby, Cocoon), Helen Lederer (Absolutely Fabulous), Laura Hamilton (Nickelodeon), Mark Evans (Troy from High School Musical at Hammersmith Apollo), Tucker and David Langham & John Barr (As the Ugly Sisters) star in Cinderella

British Afternoon Tea Guide - special offers

If you want to partake in the traditional British Afternoon Tea, you will appreciate these special offers from the free British Afternoon Tea guide, Afternoon Tea:

2 for 1 September Offer at Jumeirah Carlton Tower London Waist-friendly chic at The Metropolitan Group Booking Offer at The Waldorf London Seasonal favourites at Swissotel Howard London Yorkshire Afternoon Tea Afternoon Tea at Four Seasons London

Swan Upping: Time for the traditional count of swans on the River Thames

There are fears that the high water levels on the River Thames are stopping swans from breeding successfully. The concerns were raised by David Barber, the Queen's Swan Marker, as the ancient ritual of swan counting on the river was set to start on Monday. (link via BBC News) Swan Upping, the annual census of the swan population on certain stretches of the River Thames, takes place during the third week of July each year. The historic ceremony dates from the 12th century.