As the beginning of the celebrations of her ninetieth birthday, the Queen accompanied by Duke of Edinburgh had a couple of engagements in Windsor this morning. After earlier helping to celebrate the 500th anniversary of the Postal Service, she came to a very sunny Alexandra Gardens on the banks of the Thames at Windsor.
Embed from Getty ImagesThe Royal party walked through the gardens flanked by some of the 500 school children who would shortly sing for her and chatting to some of them. She then briefly looked at an exhibition detailing the work which had been completed with some of the schools in the Royal Borough to design 6 commemorative plaques to go around the new bandstand.
The individual designs were created from the children’s ideas by artist Rebecca Elliott and represent The Coronation, Commonwealth, Northern Ireland, The Falklands, Gulf War and Afghanistan. The Queen was then entertained by a choir of 500 primary children accompanied by The Band of the Irish Guards. They sang a selection of songs including Red, Red Robin, Country Gardens, Siyahamba, and When I’m sixty-four.
This choir was a magnificent culmination of outreach work by the College of St George, the choristers from Windsor Castle, who have been working with primary schools across the borough. I am sure there were a lot of very happy parents after the marvellous singing I heard this morning.
This was followed by 2 excerpts from Shakespeare’s “Romeo & Juliet” performed by pupils from Cox Green School, Maidenhead and Langley Grammar School, Slough. This was brilliantly portrayed and the young actors showed no signs of nerves performing in front of her Majesty. This production was part of the Shakespeare Schools Festival, two days before the 400th anniversary of Shakespeare’s death.
As the Queen walked up to the bandstand to officially unveil a plaque to celebrate the opening, the thousands watching in the gardens led by the guard’s band serenaded her with “Happy Birthday”. Whilst in the bandstand she was introduced to a number of people including the actors from the Shakespeare piece, Jess Wood and Tim Hashimi and the Director of Music of the Band of the Irish Guards, Major Bruce Miller.
Featured Homescreen Picture: Royal Borough of Windsor & Maidenhead
