posie blogs: Afghanistan Exhibition

28 October 2011

i'm grateful for . . . 'breathing the same air as the Queen'

Greetings all,

Ok i'm dragging out my brush with Her Majesty The Queen . . . she's still on our shores Australia, soak it up 'subjects'. After such a fantastic response to my 'Going to Canberra to visit the Queen' photo post earlier in the week . . . here are the details. I'm so very humbled & grateful for the experience of breathing the same air as the Queen!!
If i knew it would be SO easy to be THAT close to the Queen, i would have run to the florist, dragged my children out of school & twins off camp . . . to hand Her Majesty flowers!! I was in tears & speechless just being there . . . imagine if my children conversed with her?? I was completely incoherent when i rang my father to tell him. He has met & dined with our wonderful Queen several times, as lucky naval commanders do. I know my Mummy doesn't know who the Queen is anymore (Alzheimer's) i still wished she was with me. The Federal Police were excellent & very entertaining while gathering the children with flowers to meet the Queen. Just like that - no nominations, ballots, screening or invitation-only-guest lists . . . you've got flowers, hop over the fence.
Here i am with flat wet hair & scarf, The Duke of Edinburgh an arms length away, just moments after the Queen passed me, thanks UK Daily Mail!!

I lined up an hour before she was due to arrive at the War Memorial & pow, straight in the second row, front & centre to the stairs, behind one little 5' tall elderly lady. Whether you are a monarchist or a republican, you have to respect this particular monarch, she's simply awesome. I was surrounded by British tourists who said they'd NEVER get this close to her at home. The atmosphere was electric.

You know she's coming when this flag is flying . . .

I'm a fan of General Peter Cosgrove retired, the director of the War Memorial. He came over to tell us that the Queen would be arriving shortly & going straight inside, but . . . would then be coming out & walking along side us. FYI that is not his pretty-ruffled-cream-umbrella, it's the lady in front of me. Gorgeous, non??

I was directly on the other side of the car . . . i saw this on the news when i got home.

Apparently she had a little trip up this step but brushed it off & powered on.

I took my proper camera - the Nikon D70 SLR & didn't use/ need the enormous phallic lens, all pictures were taken with the regular one. I didn't want to stuff up the camera (my lens changing skills are limited + it was raining) when i knew she'd be coming so close.

Here she is inside the War Memorial, looking at pictures of herself from over 50 years ago. She is still so beautiful, aged 85. How 'bout the Duke at 90??!!

Check out my amazing vantage point. The only thing i could have done better was bring a milk crate to stand on, or my tall husband & get me that fabulous man (in the grey suit) who followed the Queen around with a see-through umbrella!! Sweet Julie from Mama of 2 Boys blog said my photos were better than The Woman's Weekly!! Yay, thanks Jules. I'm 'the people's photographer'.

The engaging lady in jade is her Lady In Waiting. The Queen passes all the flowers & gifts to her . . .

who relays them to this guy, who fills up the convoy of cars with the flowers, which are normally shared around local hospitals & nursing homes.

I had time to dash down to view the motorcade leaving too. Prince Phillip waved to me. Such a shame it rained, Canberra is Australia's sunniest city with little rainfall. It did suit the mood of this particular engagement as she was laying a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, viewing the Afghanistan exhibition & the names of the 29 soldiers who have been killed there. I was thinking of my husband, in Afghanistan right now, the whole day. I quickly emailed him the best photos & then he called me, super jealous but SO happy for me. I love you handsome soldier, i'm so proud of you!!