The Diamond Jubilee concert in
honor of the British monarch Queen Elizabeth completing her sixty years of reign,
lived up to the expectations of tens of thousands of music buffs who had
congregated at the Buckingham palace grounds on Monday, June 04, 2012.
 |
|
Mind-boggling fireworks display at the Diamond Jubilee Concert.
Image: Getty
|
Not only was the palace ground
jam-packed but even the streets and parks nearby for the royalists and music
fans to get a listen in. The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge were seen seated with Prince Harry
and Princess Beatrice to take in the show. They were seated just behind Prince
Charles and his wife Camilla.
The royals’ seat was located in a
box high above the crowd of 20,000 invited guests to enjoy the gala music. Many
of the attendees were seen waving Union Jack flags. But, guess who was waving
most enthusiastically? Well, it was none
other than a visibly thrilled Duchess Catherine herself, who was attired in a
pretty blue and purple Whistles dress, with an Alexander McQueen jacket thrown
on it.
As the concert unfolded it not
only rocked, it even made even the royals rock and how, as they listened
wondrously to the tunes belted out by the likes of Sir Paul McCartney, Tom
Jones, Elton John and Stevie Wonder. Other artistes performing in honor of the
Queen were Robbie Williams, Kylie Minogue, Tom Jones, Elton John, Cheryl Cole,
Grace Jones and Annie Lenox.
 |
|
Prince William, Duchess Catherine & Harry
enjoying the Jubilee concert. Image: PA
|
Despite the bonhomie, the concert
was overshadowed by the news of the hospitalization of the Duke of Edinburgh -
Prince Philip, 91, early Monday as a precautionary measure because of a bladder
infection. However, as the saying goes the show must go on, and it did.
Robbie Williams attired in a military-style
jacket in navy blue, kicked off the concert proceedings at the Queen's Diamond
Jubilee concert with a rousing rendition of his hit number ‘Let Me Entertain You.’
Thousands of fans and the royals
seemed to be enjoying the song immensely waving their flags enthusiastically in
response. Next was ‘Will.i.am’ and ‘Jessie J’
followed by ‘I Gotta Feeling.’ After
his performance, Robbie saluted the box where the royals sat beaming.
Earlier at around 9 p.m.,
comedian Lenny Henry invited the crowd to welcome Queen Elizabeth to the royal
box. Her Majesty looked resplendent in a gold cocktail dress studded with
Swarovski crystals. Prince Charles and Camilla did the honors of escorting her to her seat.
The highlight of the Diamond
Jubilee concert was undoubtedly a moving speech given by Prince Charles who led
the nation in thanking the participants and organizers who made the concert
happen. Most importantly he thanked “Her Majesty Mummy” and his father.
"As a nation this is our opportunity to thank you and my father for always
being there for us, for inspiring us with selfless duty and service and making
us proud to be British," declared Charles heartwarmingly.
Expressing his regret that his
father couldn’t be there that night due to ill-health, Prince Charles said “Ladies
and gentlemen, if we all shout loud enough he might just be able to hear us in
hospital,” which prompted a loud roar from the crowd and chants of
“Philip, Philip.” It was a visibly moving moment even for an otherwise
stoical Queen, who did her best to keep a control over herself.
Charles also expressed his
happiness that the rain gods were merciful on the Queen's big day. "Thank
god the weather turned out. The reason, of course, was because I didn't do the
forecast," he wise-cracked in a reference to his recent attempt at playing
weatherman for the BBC. Charles’ speech was followed by the national anthem and
a mind-blowing display of fireworks in front of the opulent Buckingham palace
adorned with a massive Union Jack flag.
Meanwhile, veteran pop star Paul
McCartney paying a touching tribute to the guest of honor said, "The main
thing is for me ... is the human aspect. You never realize because we always
see them on stamps and money … I have always found her to be very warm and very
nice."
The Diamond Jubilee concert concluded
with Queen Elizabeth lighting the diamond beacon, joining 4,000 others all over
United Kingdom
to mark her jubilee. It was one of the most stunning displays of fireworks
over central London,
which anyone would have ever seen in a long time. According to the Daily Mail, television
viewers peaked at a whopping 16.9 million at the show's culmination, as the
Queen lit the national beacon, sparking the fireworks.
Source: People.com
No comments:
Post a Comment