Pomp & Circumstance - to Say the Least

Oh what timing we had today. We go to the tube and it starts pouring. As we're walking through Green Park to Buckingham Palace it slows then pours again. As we walk across the Mall Strand to the Palace - the skies clear, it becomes warm and....the start of the Changing of the Guards! Such beautiful pomp and circumstance. I did get 98% of it on the camcorder, so when we're home, I'll post it on youtube and stream it from this site. The precision, the timing, the marching, the old traditions are still just so magnificent. If you ever get the chance to see it do! It starts down the mall and you can hear the drums. Then you hear the pipes. Then you can see them marching up and the excitement in the crowd starts to fill. Everyone straining to try and see what they can. Police on mounted horse are carefully making sure people are to the side and out of the way so that the Guards are undisturbed. I have to say, this was one of the best events of the entire trip.

For more info on the Changing of the Guard until I can get the video posted - go here: ChangingofGuards.

We then purchased tickets into the palace itself. I have no words to how amazing this place is. The history, the wealth, the oppulence - but NEVER in an over-the-top-gaudy way. It has an even more warming meaning to me as being British and Irish and that the Royal family is such a huge part of the history of the countries of my ancestors.

We were fortunate to be able to see the grand ballroom set for a state dinner, which has never been shown before this summer. As Mom and I walked up the grandstair case and into the halls you have almost a regal feeling yourself and all of the people who have walked those stairs before. Old Queen Mary, Queen Victoria, Queen Elizabeth, King George V, and all the dignataries; The Royals from Europe, Asia and the Middle East. The Presidents of the United States, the celebraties, including rock stars like Paul McCartney - its just such an overwhelming feeling that the lucky get to feel on a regular basis . Tim and David both felt the same thing. The amazing collection of Art; Rembrandts, Van Dyks, Renoirs, lots of Italian marble, a table once owned by Napolean. The Throne Room is much smaller than I had expected. It's the same room where Queen Elizabeth, then Princess Elizabeth and Price Phillip had their wedding photos taken and published across the world, as did Prince Charles & Diana, Prince Edward & Sarah Ferguson. Oh yes, the Old Standard WAS flying, so the Queen was in residence. They do tell you about some of the secret doors in which the Queen will arrive to greet guests from her apartment and then show up in the room through what appears to be a full floor to ceiling mirror and marble pedestal - but is really a secret door. The room in which Prince Charles, Princess Anne, Prince Andrew and Princes William & Harry were baptised, called the Blue Room - is almost much smaller than I had expected. The most impressive was the Grand Dining Ballroom - all decked with full dinner service, flowers etc. It seats more than 250 for dinner at two tables.

After meandering through, you end in the 30 acres of garden. It's meticulously manicured - yet you have to feel just a bit of sadness for the Royal Family that they've had to open their family home to A) help raise money to care for the house and B) Also want the public to be able to share in it. I'm not sure I'd want strangers traipsing through my house.

I HIGHLY recommend taking the tour through Buckingham Palace. There is a longer tour where you can also go through the Royal Mews (stables) and the Queen's private Gallery - and is really not much more, but does take about 4 hours to do the whole thing and our feet have given out - so we settled for just the State Rooms.