Queen Elizabeth, Prince Philip and Prince Charles visit Burnley

As part of her Diamond Jubilee tour the Queen, accompanied by the Duke of Edinburgh and the Prince of Wales, visited Burnley and Accrington on May 16. Thousands of people lined the streets to greet their Monarch, many of them waiting till early morning to get the best view of the royals.

The visit was quite informal and light-hearted, with people delighted not only to have the chance of congratulating Queen Elizabeth on her Jubilee, but also to see Prince Charles – well known for his Burnley links and as a fan of Burnley FC – again. Indeed, as the royal party was walking, members of the crowd enthusiastically shouted, “Charlie, Charlie, give us a wave!”

Her Majesty used the chance to highlight her son’s work in the county. The royal party were shown a film about the work of Prince Charles’ charities in Burnley; afterwards, the Queen made a short speech, praising the work done by the Prince, noting that “it helped to make a considerable difference to the town and its people.”

Dressed in a mint green coat, Het Majesty was welcomed to the country by Lord Shuttleworth, the Lord Lieutenant of Lancashire. One of the highlights of the visit was a barge trip from Finsley Gate Wharf to Slaters Terrace – a nice rehearsal of the upcoming Diamond Jubilee River Pageant.

The main Jubilee celebrations are now just days away, with the Diamond Jubilee luncheon and banquet for foreign Monarchs due to take place tomorrow, on May 18. Many of the foreign royals, from Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko of Japan, to King Abdullah and Queen Rania of Jordan, have already departed for London. Unfortunately, there will also be one notable absence: Queen Sofia of Spain opted not to attend the luncheon. Although Queen Sofia is one of Queen Elizabeth’s and Prince Philip’s closest relatives among foreign royals, the Spanish Government felt it inappropriate for her to attend in light of the tensions surrounding Gibraltar.

Meanwhile, Prince William and Prince Harry have given rare interviews to Katie Couric about Her Majesty. The princes spoke candidly about Queen Elizabeth, with Prince Harry noting that “behind closed doors, she’s our grandmother; it’s as simple as that”. The ABC special, titled “The Real Queen By Her Own Royal Family” will air on May 29.

Filed under The United Kingdom
Tagged Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom, Elizabeth II's Diamond Jubilee, Interview, Prince Harry of Wales, The Duke of Cambridge, The Duke of Edinburgh, The Prince of Wales.