I distinctly seem to remember the Silver Jubilee. I have the Jubilee coins somewhere to prove it.

Marvellous to contemplate, that HM the Queen's first PM was Winston Churchill, and that the Beatles paid her a tribute on the album Abbey Road. That is staying power.

Indeed, I gather that in the UK Steam engines were kept on in service during the fifties and that the switch to diesel electric was made later than in most other countries. Certainly the Ollie Cromwell is a magnificent sight to behold.

McG,

She has seen off 11 PMs, including Harold Wilson twice and I'm sure she will see off David Cameron eventually.

Folks,

Hmmmm. If the very sight of the locomotive melted your ice cream then the throbbing of such a magnificent engine surely must have made your heart skip a beat my friend. Clearly the age of steam still lives on in the hearts of Britons.

As for the Jubilee no other race in the world can surpass the British for regal displays of pomp and ceremony. Perhaps my English history is a bit fragmented and my grasp of the subject somewhat less than it should be? For some reason anything to do with Cromwell seems a bit out of place during such a splendid celebration of the monarchy.

It occurs to me that it was citizen Cromwell and a few very close friends who were instrumental in helping King Charles I of England, Scotland and Ireland become a full head shorter back in 1649. I've forgotten, was the deed accomplished with a sword (as would be the right of royalty) or was the king's bewigged noggin struck off smartly with an axe?

As our eldest and most highly respected and historically knowledgeable member, you were probably there Dux; can you remember?

JRT,

Indeed, old friend! It could well be I was. I certainly remember the day the authorities dug Cromwell up, 'that brave bad man' and hung him for his sins. The coin of his 'reign' was not the crudely bashed out impressions of that royal head but rather the blood on the swords of his army. The stench was almost unbearable and only alleviated by the malodorous body aroma which permeated the gay scene from the platoons of whores who plied their trade on this festive occasion.

Of Charles demise: I remember joining the grim ceremony which demanded the dipping of one's personal handkerchief into the blood of the very recently beheaded Monarch. It should fetch a princely sum if I can acquire the appropriate matching DNA evidence prior to flogging it on Ebay.

Folks,

Dux:

In spite of the 5 hour difference in time, at least one of the 24-hour TV news channels I receive has devoted hours of coverage to the Jubilee goin's on. Since that bloody disagreement with King Georgie 3, the closest to royalty we have here are Hollywood Stars or spotlight seeking politicians so such things catch the interest and fire the imagination of millions in the US and also across the globe.

Seeing that huge flotilla of craft of almost every conceivable type and dimension sailing down the Thames reminds me a bit of the Dunkirk evacuation, commonly known as the 'Miracle of Dunkirk', code-named Operation Dynamo by the British, which, as we all know, was the evacuation of Allied soldiers from France. It is instead perhaps "The Miracle of Elizabeth II".

There seem to be plenty of republicans in the UK and yet the streets were flooded today not only with rain but also thousands and thousands of Britons and others from all over the world braving the weather and gathered there to see the Queen and be part of the spectacle of her Jubilee. The monarchy is aging and so are we Dux. Elizabeth may live on for many years. The next King will be Charles and he is long in the tooth already. None of us is likely to see the likes of this celebration again in our lifetime, eh?

No lesser light than Peers Morgan has suggested that Elizabeth 2 may well go down in history as England's greatest monarch. I dunno. There was Henry VIII and Elizabeth I. Not to mention Queen Victoria whose rein I believe is longest so far. Victoria reined during a great age of expansion, change and discovery fraught with much war and turmoil. Victoria warmed the British throne right into the twentieth century. I believe she died in 1903 when my own grandmother was but 3 years of age. Both my maternal grand parents were born in the age that bears Victoria's name. When the Great War broke out the leaders of both Germany and Britain were members of Victoria's family.

We give them credit for their greatness yet all those king's and queen's were really made great by the age in which they lived. By meeting the challenges of their age Henry, his daughter Elizabeth and Victoria have all made a secure place for themselves in the pantheon of British history. I am simply not qualified to say which of these is greatest among them or to say how to place Elizabeth II.

Please permit me this subjective observation from across the pond. Elizabeth II did not have the powers to wield or the overwhelming threats from abroad of the monarchs of old. British monarchs of today rule by virtue of the immortal majesty of their title and their own ability as a mortal human to inspire their subjects. There is certainly something very special and inspiring about today's queen. She dedicated herself to the service of her people on the radio decades ago and in doing what she pledged she has bridged the gap between the first and second parts of the 20th century and beyond.

HM the Queen has not dealt with the threat or Armada as did the first Elizabeth but she has managed to personally inspire her subjects for 60 years and maintain her dignity through much adversity keeping the personal crown she wears spotless despite the muck and mess thrown all about her.

That is really the "Miracle of Elizabeth II" I suppose. She has managed, perhaps by the unassailable brightness of her own virtue, to bring the British monarchy with at least some of its dignity intact into the 21st century.

Gents,

JRT,

Our street party was rained off and the weather spoiled much of everyone's day. Today is bright and sunny

As you intimated: The 'republicans' will always take advantage of a Royal event should it be marked by a national holiday.

Republicanism in the UK seems mainly to be an adjustable state of mind rather than an unswerving commitment to principle.

Blatantly padding my post count. No other excuse.

Folks,

Dux:
I will happily trade you 100 of our Republicans for every one of your republicans.

MG:
Extra cool. Keep on padding. Speaking of which I notice that Dux must be posting quite a lot somewhere other than here he has not only passed me in total posts but gone far ahead. Congratulations Dux on reaching 4,000 plus. You are my idol. When i grow up I want to be a champion poster just like you. Well done.

JRT.

You wouldn't like our Republicans. It is generally a title adopted by the career unemployed who would rather be pavement dwellers than be associated with the status quo. Y'know, the Red Star on the beret brigade.

You were once well ahead of me and probably still are if you add those posts which were lost in the crash of...was it 2002?

We are small beer when compared to some of the mega-stackers in Community Hall.

McG,

An excellent presentation from the masters of lampooning.

Gents,

Holland 0

Denmark 1

Jens may allow himself a brief moment of rejoicing...