I remember the Silver Jubilee, I was 12. It was a really big event at the time possibly because the 1970s were devoid of much else to celebrate. We didn't have a street party because we lived on a main road and we'd have been run over, so sadly I never got the full-on Jubilee experience with bunting, sandwiches and fizzy pop. I do remember watching a lot of events on television, including a royal walkabout, big crowds outside Buckingham Palace and a special episode of The Goodies on BBC2. The night before I remember being very upset when the wind blew the wrong way and ruined the fireworks in Windsor Great Park, because everyone's hard work creating a crown effect had been for nothing. I also remember eating a heck of a lot of Lyons Maid Jubilee ice lollies because inside the wrapper was a card depicting a member of the royal family who'd reigned for 25 years and there were 15 to collect. I still have them but I never got them all. Simpler days.
Golden Jubilee, June 2002
I remember the Golden Jubilee, I was 37. I started Bank Holiday Monday by spending four hours on a dancefloor in Islington, because during the intervening 25 years I'd grown up beyond fizzy pop and ice lollies. I stayed out so late I got the tube home, then slept through the rest of the morning and went back into town in the evening to try and spot the jubilee fireworks above the treetops in Green Park. On the second day I caught up on the Party at the Palace on videotape, then went back into town to enjoy walking round all the pedestrianised streets. It was especially crowded near the palace so I didn't last long there. Obviously I walked across the new Golden Jubilee Bridges to the South Bank and back, then I accidentally bumped into my best mate from school outside a pub which proved a bit awkward. At half past six I was in Trafalgar Square watching the flypast which was incredible, especially when Concorde and the Red Arrows flew over, and then I went to the cinema to watch Dog Soldiers.
Diamond Jubilee, June 2012
I remember the Diamond Jubilee, I was 47. You might remember too because I blogged about it at the time. Mainly I remember how difficult it was to get a view of the Thames Diamond Jubilee Pageant and how when I did find a good spot it rained, and it rained so much I ended up sodden and shivering and went home early because an hour and a half watching small boats passing in a downpour wasn't worth hypothermia. [25 photos]
Platinum Jubilee, June 2022
I am experiencing the Platinum Jubilee, I am 57.
The best thing I did yesterday was go to the Olympic Park and watch the jubilee flypast and it was amazing. The footbridge by the Velodrome aligns perfectly with the Mall so everything flew directly overhead, from the cavalcade of helicopters up front to the low-thrumming Lancaster and the two scarily-close transporters and the Typhoons spelling out 70 (which we got to see two minutes before you did) and finally the Red Arrows swooping in formation just before they turned on their smoke somewhere over Victoria Park. The aerial procession just went on and on and it was brilliant and did I mention it was directly overhead? But the beacons I decided to watch on TV instead, and I see nobody risked fireworks this time, and if the Queen's going to give the Service of Thanksgiving a miss then I probably will too.
