Diamond Jubilee: Long to rain over them – but it can’t dampen party

AS RAIN lashed much of the UK, revellers refused to let the miserable weather spoil their celebrations of the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee.

More than a million spectators braved cold and wet conditions to watch the spectacle of the flotilla, whilst others took their parties inside to shelter from the rain.

Margaret Hill, a retired 65-year-old from Glasgow, booked her holiday to London for the jubilee weekend straight after the Royal Wedding. She said: “I just love the atmosphere. It’s like one big party.”

Margaret Palmer, 61, a social worker from Kent, said: “I am here to support the Queen – she puts the great into Great Britain.”

Hundreds of spectators arrived early along the banks of the Thames to secure their spots – and they were ready for the weather.

Alma Suela, 48, from the Philippines, said: “We booked our holiday specially to see the boats today and the Queen. She is very popular and we came prepared for British weather with our raincoats.”

Those forced indoors included Prime Minister David Cameron, who ended up entertaining guests inside Number 10.

The original plan was for Mr Cameron to host a Downing Street party in the garden, with guests sitting at trestle tables tucking in to Jubilee fare.

A big screen had been set up to show the royal flotilla, and bunting adorned the front of Number 10 and Number 11.

But with just hours to go until the start of the party, officials decided it was best to invite the 120 guests indoors to enjoy the specially decorated jubilee cup cakes and sandwiches in the warmth of the Terracotta room.

Mr Cameron said: “We had a great street party, but inside Downing Street rather than outside.

“We had elderly people, we had Scouts, we had Girl Guides, Brownies, people who had been organising the Big Lunch. The oldest was 96, the youngest was four or five, so it was a great Big Society occasion and a real pleasure to be able to host this.”One of the UK’s longest street parties was shared between the counties of Berkshire and Oxfordshire, with more than 3,700 seats and stretching for a kilometre. The villages of Goring and Streatley, separated by the Thames and in two different counties, joined together in spectacular style to celebrate the jubilee, with 465 trestle tables spanning the two high streets and the bridge over the river.

Not all were celebrating, though. Dozens of supporters of campaign group Republic gathered on the banks of the Thames, near Tower Bridge, ahead of the arrival of the flotilla.

They waved placards and banners saying “citizen not subject”, “power to the people” and “democracy not monarchy”, as they called for the abolition of the monarchy.

Graham Smith, chief executive of Republic, said the protest had been held at the same time as the river pageant to “raise the profile” of the movement.

He said: “The whole country isn’t in love with the monarchy. It’s a minority interest. We’ll keep going until the monarchy is abolished.”

But they faced boos and jeers from sections of the crowd who had waited for hours in the rain to watch the river pageant, while some royal supporters began singing God Save The Queen.