Roads were closed to vehicular traffic and more than 500,000 tourists flooded the London train stations to attend the commemorative events and watch the “pageant” water parade.
Finding a place to watch the spectacle on either side of the Thames is extremely difficult, and people prepare beer and sandwiches hours before the start of the event to secure a spot. The only way to get around is on foot or by subway.
The main subway stations are also closed. On June 3, a day that is hard for crowd-phobes, there were many cheerful people singing and groping on the streets and sidewalks from morning till late. That’s because before the water parade, more than 4 million people from the United Kingdom and the Comanwealth took part in the “Big Jubilee Lunch,” a street party that takes place in London and around the country. The scale of this picnic event was unimaginable, and it took months of preparation by local communities, unions, volunteers, and the general public. The biggest “Big Jubilee Lunch” in London took place in Piccadilly.
As many as 50 giant screens were placed here and there throughout the city of London to provide everyone with the best possible conditions to watch the parade on the water. At last, the long-awaited parade on the water began. Shortly before 2 p.m., the beautiful Duchess of Cambridge in her RAF Captain’s uniform with blue garter sash and Alexander McQueen crimson dress arrived at Cadogan Pier in Albert Bridge. They will board the Pirit-op-Chartwell with Prince Harry, dressed in the municipal uniform of a cavalry regiment.
They were followed by the Duke of Wales, dressed in a repentant military uniform, and the Duchess of Cornwall, in an elegant ivory-colored suit. At 2:11 p.m., Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh arrived. The Queen wore a white silk and organza dress and coat embroidered with gold, silver, and ivory beads and Swarovski crystals by Angela Kelly.
