6th July
Today was the day when we were due to go to the Palace. To be truthful, it was the day when Marcus was going to the Palace to take part in the Cadet 150 parade, but we were all going to watch. Spencer drove the Bentley up to Richmond from where we alighted on a very nice train to Victoria, changing at Clapham Junction. We arrived outside Buckingham Palace in time to watch Changing of the Guard. It was a really hot day, so we retired to St James’ Park to eat the picnic from the hamper that Spencer had been lugging around all morning. We then staked our claim for a good position on the Mall, not far away from where Prince Charles would be taking the salute. Although I was appropriately dressed for such an event, I did notice that some of the other spectators were beautifully turned out and I commented to the lady next to me on the Mall that I liked her hat. Imagine my horror when she told me that all the parents of the Cadets who were marching in the parade had been issued with tickets to the Buckingham Palace Garden party later on in the afternoon. How typical of Marcus not to bother telling us that we could apply for tickets. I was furious, especially as we had already trailed half way round the country with the boots last week. I could have hit him round the head with them to be honest.
The parade started and we were in a good position to see Marcus as he marched very smartly down the Mall towards Buckingham Palace. The Red Arrows did a fly past and then we followed the parade as it went first to Wellington Barracks and then through the main gates of Buckingham Palace. I could see all the other parents queuing up to go in with their tickets as we sat on the Queen Victoria Memorial sipping a can of Fanta. Ten minutes before the start of the Garden Party, we went to the railings by the gate and waited for the Royal Family to arrive. The Duke and Duchess of Gloucester arrived first followed by Prince Charles and Camilla. Just as their car pulled up opposite she looked straight at me and waved, and I of course waved back. She looked at me quite kindly as though she knew of my distress at not receiving an invite, and her sympathetic smile almost made up for my disappointment (but not quite).