REUTERSDocklands HQ Tuesday 11:00 GMT Went to Canary Wharf yesterday morning STOP Was only going to buy a birthday card STOP Noticed police mysteriously setting out traffic cones STOP Spotted mini-crowd of City types gathering behind barriers STOP Discovered Queen to arrive shortly STOP HM coming to open Reuters' new Docklands HQ STOP Took up position behind semi-populated crash barrier STOP Policewoman raised finger to signal one minute to go STOP Motorcycle outrider swept round corner STOP Cavalcade of three royal vehicles followed STOP Big car with droopy flag pulled up outside Reuters STOP Well-dressed man popped out of front of car to open rear door STOP Her Majesty alighted resplendent in red hat and dark red coat STOP Liz guided rapidly up steps at front of building STOP Probably smiled but was too far away to see STOP Queen led inside to officially open building and do corporate things STOP Crowd dispersed STOP FILEREPORT
It's not every day you unexpectedly bump into a member of the Royal Family. When I was ten I happened to be on one of the Channel Islands at the same time as the Queen Mother, and discovered one morning that her royal tour was due to pass the guest house where my family was staying. I was very excited, at least until her official car swept straight past offering no view whatsoever, at which point I became really quite distraught. Later that day whilst waiting at the airport I think I caught sight of her royal legs stood behind the royal helicopter, a minor glimpse which almost made up for my previous disappointment. But not quite. Yesterday's royal encounter was, at long last, rather more tangible.
I'd like to apologise for not being able to describe the Queen's outfit in more detail. As a man, "red hat and dark red coat" is the best description that I can manage. I know that the sole purpose of royal journalism is to describe the monarch's wardrobe in glowing language ("a frothy veil of Torchon lace", "radiant in yellow taffeta and silk", "a dazzling chic tangerine ensemble") but sorry, I can't do it. Maybe her hat was a bit furry (or was it feathery), and that coat was definitely thick and warm but I couldn't tell you whether it was tweed, woollen or velvet. Nobody ever got a job working for the Daily Mail or Evening Standard with an underdeveloped haute couture gene like mine, that's for sure.
It was, however, instructional to watch what happened when the Queen finally appeared. For some of the office workers stood shivering by the kerbside this was clearly a very special event, a unique chance to glimpse the woman whose genes have been ruling this country for centuries. These people stood eagerly, expectantly, craning their necks to make the most of every last second of this rare experience. Many of the police officers present also turned from facing the crowd at the crucial moment to catch their own glimpse of Her Majesty. Presumably this was rather more fun than being stuck in an office with their usual paperwork even if, stood facing in the wrong direction, their chance of foiling any potential terrorist outrage was slight.
But a large proportion of the crowd appeared to be present simply because this was an event, not because this was a royal event. They just happened to be in the area, and they just happened to have their multi-function mobile in their pocket, and this was too good an opportunity to miss. As Her Majesty made the short walk up the steps from her car these amateur photographers stood with cameras aloft and snapped blindly, more interested in their tiny viewscreen than in looking at the real Queen stood before them. They weren't there to see Her Majesty for themselves, they were just there to capture a digital image of the day's events which would prove to friends and acquaintances their close proximity to a genuine celebrity. "Look, here's a grainy digital image of the Queen. I know it's tiny but please be impressed." It's a shame, but sometimes I think we spend so long attempting to record important events that we never actually experience them. You'd never catch me doing that <cough>
Went to Canary Wharf yesterday morning STOP Was only going to buy a birthday card STOP Noticed police mysteriously setting out traffic cones STOP Spotted mini-crowd of City types gathering behind barriers STOP Discovered Queen to arrive shortly STOP HM coming to open Reuters' new Docklands HQ STOP Took up position behind semi-populated crash barrier STOP Policewoman raised finger to signal one minute to go STOP Motorcycle outrider swept round corner STOP Cavalcade of three royal vehicles followed STOP Big car with droopy flag pulled up outside Reuters STOP Well-dressed man popped out of front of car to open rear door STOP Her Majesty alighted resplendent in red hat and dark red coat STOP Liz guided rapidly up steps at front of building STOP Probably smiled but was too far away to see STOP Queen led inside to officially open building and do corporate things STOP Crowd dispersed STOP FILE REPORT
Went to Canary Wharf yesterday morning STOP Was only going to buy a birthday card STOP Noticed police mysteriously setting out traffic cones STOP Spotted mini-crowd of City types gathering behind barriers STOP Discovered Queen to arrive shortly STOP HM coming to open Reuters' new Docklands HQ STOP Took up position behind semi-populated crash barrier STOP Policewoman raised finger to signal one minute to go STOP Motorcycle outrider swept round corner STOP Cavalcade of three royal vehicles followed STOP Big car with droopy flag pulled up outside Reuters STOP Well-dressed man popped out of front of car to open rear door STOP Her Majesty alighted resplendent in red hat and dark red coat STOP Liz guided rapidly up steps at front of building STOP Probably smiled but was too far away to see STOP Queen led inside to officially open building and do corporate things STOP Crowd dispersed STOP 