My Royal Timeline
For many years I have made a point of placing myself in the Gracious Presence of Royalty as often as I could possible manage. From 1997 to 2019, and again in 2022, I was in the Gracious Presence of Her Most Excellent Majesty Queen Elizabeth The Second at least once every single year. The table below shows where, Who and when:
| 1995 | 6th September 1995 | HER ROYAL HIGHNESS THE PRINCESS ROYAL VISIT TO OLDHAM This was the first time in my life I had seen any Royalty, and so very close to home! In fact, the focal point of the Royal Visit was to my School and I was given special dispensation to come back, having left the previous summer, on condition that I wore school uniform again! |
| 1996 | March 1996 | HER ROYAL HIGHNESS THE DUCHESS OF KENT UNIVERSITY OF HULL When I got wind of a Royal Visit to open a new building at my university, I made sure I was on the front row and took along a few of my friends to swell the enthusiastic throng! |
| 1997 | November 1997 | HER MOST EXCELLENT MAJESTY THE QUEEN CENOTAPH, WHITEHALL I worked in London from the autumn of 1997 until the summer of 1998 and I was determined to see Our Noble Queen at the earliest possible opportunity! There had been an early State Opening of Parliament after the general election and so the first available chance was at the Remembrance Sunday service at the Cenotaph. A solemn occasion, as always, but a very proud moment for me as I caught my first glimpse of Our Glorious Sovereign, and many other members of The Royal Family. |
| 1998 | June 1998 | HER MOST EXCELLENT MAJESTY THE QUEEN H.M. THE QUEEN'S BIRTHDAY PARADE, HORSE GUARDS The most famous military parade in the world and easily the best opportunity to see Royalty. I was very lucky as I had tickets to the parade ground so I had a spendid view of the proceedings starting from the carriage procession of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth, The Queen Mother to the Sovereign's departure at the end of the parade. |
| 1999 | June 1999 | HER MOST EXCELLENT MAJESTY THE QUEEN VISIT TO HULL This was during my final year exams at the University and I asked to be excused from one of my exams to attend the full day's proceedings but I was refused and had to rush back from outside the Church to the exam hall with only moments to spare! The Royal Train was due to arrive at Hull Paragon Station at 9.53am and so I arrived at 8am for a front-row view of the arrival of Her Majesty The Queen and His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh. After the Royal Departure I had a good look at the splendour of the Royal Train before zipping off to Church to watch the arrival of the Royal Couple for a service of thanksgiving. I enjoyed this Royal Visit very much and it gave me a real insight into how the regional tours work. Would you believe there is an entire car just for flowers! |
| June 1999 | HER MOST EXCELLENT MAJESTY THE QUEEN H.M. THE QUEEN'S BIRTHDAY PARADE, HORSE GUARDS Two weeks later and I had the honour of being in the Glorious Presence of Our Gracious Sovereign again, for the second year running at Horse Guards' Parade. Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth, The Queen Mother once again received the biggest cheer of all upon arrival at 10.43am on the parade ground. | |
| 2000 | 4th August 2000 | HER MAJESTY QUEEN ELIZABETH THE QUEEN MOTHER CLARENCE HOUSE A new century, new millennium even, but thankfully all continues as normal for the Family Firm. For many years I had promised myself that I would pop along to Clarence House on August 4th to join in the birthday celebrations for Queen Elizabeth, The Queen Mother. In 2000 I finally managed to get there although the traditional Birthday Walkabout gave way to a carriage procession down the Mall and Buckingham Palace balcony appearance with Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth, The Queen Mother taking centre stage surrounded by the entire Royal Family. |
| 2001 | 4th August 2001 | HER MAJESTY QUEEN ELIZABETH THE QUEEN MOTHER CLARENCE HOUSE After the previous year's festivities, I was determined to go back for the more traditional Walkabout but it was a last-minute decision to go as Queen Elizabeth had been in hospital until only a couple of days before. I am glad I did, because after a couple of hours of waiting patiently on the front row, Queen Elizabeth emerged from Clarence House, being driven in Her Golf Buggy as a slight concession to Her great age. As Her Majesty came along, chatting and accepting gifts from the enormous crowds as She went, I bowed before Her Majestic Presence, said, "Happy Birthday, Ma'am," and handed to Her my special birthday letter. Queen Elizabeth said, "Thank-you, that's very kind," before continuing to meet the people. A very proud moment, which I will remember all my life, and you can see pictures of that very memorable day here and here. |
| 2002 | 14th February 2002 | HER MOST EXCELLENT MAJESTY THE QUEEN GREAT ORMOND STREET HOSPITAL I was in London to sign the Book of Condolence for Her Royal Highness The Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon, on the same day as Her Most Excellent Majesty's visit to Great Ormond Street Hospital. It was the day before Princess Margaret's funeral and a period of Royal Mourning but Her Majesty kept the engagement in a display of unfaltering devotion to public duty. |
| April 2002 | HER MAJESTY QUEEN ELIZABETH THE QUEEN MOTHER LYING-IN-STATE AND FUNERAL On 30th March came the day many of us had begun to think might be postponed forever. Eight days later and after a wait of a mere three hours, much less than the fifteen hours bandied around irresponsibly in the press, I entered the eerie silence of Westminster Hall for the first Lying-in-State since 1965, such a breathtaking contrast from the usual bustle I had observed whilst working in Parliament five years before. On 9th April, I arrived at 6.30am to occupy a front row position across from Westminster Abbey. It was the saddest moment of my life as we said goodbye to Britain's Wartime Queen and the last Empress of India. As the motorcar procession left the Abbey, subdued but affectionate applause acknowledged Her Most Noble Majesty The Queen at a time of such great personal tragedy. | |
| 3rd & 4th June 2002 | HER MOST EXCELLENT MAJESTY THE QUEEN GOLDEN JUBILEE WEEKEND I missed the Silver Jubilee by two weeks, so after waiting 25 years I wasn't going to miss this one! A million people in the Mall, the largest display of public love for The Royal Family in history and the biggest crowds in London since VE Day - a totally unforgettable experience! I watched the fireworks display, initiated by Her Most Excellent Majesty The Queen, on the Monday evening from a front-row position along the Mall and returned the following morning for the carriage procession, floats, open-top motorcar drive back to Buckingham Palace by Her Majesty and His Royal Highness and Balcony appearance. After standing still for almost 13 hours on the front row of the Mall, it was quite a struggle moving towards the Palace to see the Balcony appearance after the barriers were opened! | |
| 2003 | 26th November 2003 | HER MOST EXCELLENT MAJESTY THE QUEEN STATE OPENING OF PARLIAMENT I may have left it a bit late in 2003 to fit in my annual attendance upon Her Gracious Majesty Our Noble Queen but the State Opening of Parliament was a very fitting occasion when it came, full of pomp and ceremony and steeped in centuries of political and Royal history. I watched the procession from Buckingham Palace to Parliament, first of the Crown and then of The Queen-in-Parliament Herself, accompanied by His Royal Highness The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. |
| 2004 | 22nd October 2004 | HER MOST EXCELLENT MAJESTY THE QUEEN UNIVERSITY OF MANCHESTER Another opportunity to attend a regional visit arose in October 2004 when I learned of the Gracious Visit of Her Most Excellent Majesty The Queen to Manchester University. I arrived at 8.30am before the barriers even were in place and occupied a front-row position whilst waiting for a twenty-second glimpse of Our Noble Queen. |
| 2005 | July 2005 | HER MOST EXCELLENT MAJESTY THE QUEEN WORLD WAR II COMMEMORATIONS Only a couple of days after the London bombings, but that spiteful act of cowardice wasn't going to stop me being on the front row along the Mall once again for the events to commemorate the sixtieth anniversary of the end of the Second World War, which ended with an open-top motorcar procession down the Mall towards Buckingham Palace by Her Most Gracious Majesty The Queen and His Royal Highness The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh and a Balcony Appearance with a fly-past of World War II aircraft and a poppy drop from the Lancaster Bomber. |
| 2006 | 17th June 2006 | HER MOST EXCELLENT MAJESTY THE QUEEN H.M. THE QUEEN'S EIGHTIETH BIRTHDAY PARADE, HORSE GUARDS I was delighted to be notified of an allocation of tickets to attend Her Majesty The Queen's Birthday Parade, for the first time in seven years. There is a full pictoral report of the glorious event here! |
| 2007 | 5th April 2007 | HER MOST EXCELLENT MAJESTY THE QUEEN MAUNDY THURSDAY CEREMONY, MANCHESTER CATHEDRAL As soon as I learnt about the historic decision to hold the 2007 Maundy Thursday service at Manchester Cathedral, I put in train plans to be there on the front row for my annual attendance upon Her Noble Majesty Our Glorious Queen. Please click here to see the pictures! |
| 19th November 2007 | HER MOST EXCELLENT MAJESTY THE QUEEN AND HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS THE PRINCE PHILIP, DUKE OF EDINBURGH DIAMOND WEDDING ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATIONS, WESTMINSTER Sixty years of marriage was celebrated by a special service at Westminster Abbey following by the unveiling of a new Jubilee Walkway Panoramic Panel. I was on the front row again, outside the Abbey, and captured the events with my camera, which you can see more of here. | |
| 2008 | 28th February 2008 | HER MOST EXCELLENT MAJESTY THE QUEEN AND HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS THE PRINCE PHILIP, DUKE OF EDINBURGH MANCHESTER As soon as I heard about the visit to Manchester in about December 2007, I booked my front row place and I wasn't disappointed. As a special bonus to this very exciting day, I was allowed to take some photographs of the Royal Train at Victoria Station. Sovereign, Consort and conveyance can all be seen here. |
| 14th June 2008 | HER MOST EXCELLENT MAJESTY THE QUEEN H.M. THE QUEEN'S BIRTHDAY PARADE, HORSE GUARDS It was touch and go whether I would get a ticket to the Birthday Parade this year, only finding out for certain a week before! I got some very good pictures, which you can see here. | |
| 2009 | 11th November 2009 | HER MOST EXCELLENT MAJESTY THE QUEEN AND HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS THE PRINCE PHILIP, DUKE OF EDINBURGH SERVICE TO MARK THE PASSING OF THE WORLD WAR ONE GENERATION, WESTMINSTER ABBEY A solemn moment of remembrance for Armistice Day 2009 with a special service held at Westminster Abbey to remember those who fought in the Great War, who are no longer with us. To see more, please click here. |
| 2010 | 26th March 2010 | HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS THE DUKE OF GLOUCESTER VISIT TO ROCHDALE I had a bit of trouble getting information on this Royal Visit, just a couple of miles up the road from home. All the press interest was in the Bury Black Pudding factory, part of the same day of engagements, but I telephoned Buckingham Palace Public Information Office for the details so I could arrive in plenty of time. I was within six inches of a Royal Duke, as you will be able to see here. |
| 12th June 2010 | HER MOST EXCELLENT MAJESTY THE QUEEN H.M. THE QUEEN'S BIRTHDAY PARADE, HORSE GUARDS The first event in what turned out to be a very Royal month! A new angle for the 2010 Birthday Parade, which you can see here. | |
| 14th June 2010 | HER MOST EXCELLENT MAJESTY THE QUEEN GARTER PROCESSION, WINDSOR CASTLE Two days later, and it was back down south for my first attendance at the Garter Day procession, following a surprise ticket allocation - see all about it here. | |
| 28th June 2010 | HER ROYAL HIGHNESS THE PRINCESS ROYAL PORTCURNO TELEGRAPH MUSEUM, CORNWALL Two weeks later and I had the chance to attend a regional Royal Visit whilst on holiday in Cornwall. | |
| 2011 | 29th April 2011 | ROYAL WEDDING A very, very early start paid off at the Wedding of His Royal Highness The Prince William of Wales and Miss Catherine Middleton as I got a front-row position and superb view of the ceremonial processions and then the balcony appearance. With some ultra-size photographs of this most wonderful day here. |
| 2012 | 23rd March 2012 | HER MOST EXCELLENT MAJESTY THE QUEEN AND HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS THE PRINCE PHILIP, DUKE OF EDINBURGH DIAMOND JUBILEE VISIT TO MANCHESTER I am so glad to have been part of the Diamond Jubilee Visit to Manchester, one of the earliest events in the Jubilee calendar. I had a good position at the train station and at the Town Hall, so you can see everything here. |
| June 2012 | HER MOST EXCELLENT MAJESTY THE QUEEN DIAMOND JUBILEE CENTRAL WEEKEND Nothing, but nothing, would have kept me away from the Diamond Jubilee Central Weekend, not even the teeming rain, and sure enough, I was at the River Pageant, Diamond Jubilee Concert and then on the Mall from 5am to take up a front-row position to see the Carriage Procession and Balcony Appearance and Fly-Past. It's all here. | |
| 2013 | 11th March 2013 | HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS THE PRINCE PHILIP, DUKE OF EDINBURGH COMMONWEALTH DAY OBSERVANCE, WESTMINSTER ABBEY My first Royal attendance of 2013 was an abortive attempt to see Her Majesty The Queen, but I did see His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh, as you can see here. |
| 7th May 2013 | HER MOST EXCELLENT MAJESTY THE QUEEN AND HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS THE PRINCE PHILIP, DUKE OF EDINBURGH TEMPLE CHURCH An extra opportunity arose after I had already booked my trip to London for the State Opening of Parliament. I learnt that the evening before, Her Majesty and His Royal Highness would be attending choral evensong at Temple Church, so I turned up, ignored all Police advice, and consequently had a front-row view of our Sovereign and Consort as you can see here. | |
| 8th May 2013 | HER MOST EXCELLENT MAJESTY THE QUEEN AND HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS THE PRINCE PHILIP, DUKE OF EDINBURGH STATE OPENING OF PARLIAMENT I was on the Mall at 8.30am for a front-row view of the coach processions for the 2013 State Opening of Parliament, a truly remarkable occasion, being the sixtieth time Her Majesty has opened Parliament, a record number that no other Monarch has even approached - and you can see the photographs here. | |
| 8th May 2013 | HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS THE PRINCE PHILIP, DUKE OF EDINBURGH HQS WELLINGTON EXHIBITION Just two hours later and The Duke of Edinburgh was on duty again, opening an exhibition about the Battle of the Atlantic at HQS Wellington. I was there, too, as you can see here. | |
| 13th June 2013 | HER ROYAL HIGHNESS THE COUNTESS OF WESSEX ROYAL OLDHAM HOSPITAL A rainy, windswept day - as you might expect - for a Royal Visit very close to home, which you can see here. | |
| 17th June 2013 | HER MOST EXCELLENT MAJESTY THE QUEEN GARTER PROCESSION, WINDSOR CASTLE My second attendance at the annual Garter Day procession at Windsor - which took place at a very troubling time but ended with some very good news - learn about it here. | |
| 14th November 2013 | HER MOST EXCELLENT MAJESTY THE QUEEN AND HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS THE PRINCE PHILIP, DUKE OF EDINBURGH CO-OPERATIVE HEADQUARTERS, MANCHESTER It's not every day I can fit in a Royal Visit on my way to work, and to be honest I did set off about four hours early, and tell them I'd be in a bit late. I could hardly be forgiven if I'd missed this one, being about 10 minutes from where I work and you can see it all here. | |
| 2014 | 17th April 2014 | HER MOST EXCELLENT MAJESTY THE QUEEN AND HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS THE PRINCE PHILIP, DUKE OF EDINBURGH ROYAL MAUNDY SERVICE, BLACKBURN CATHEDRAL A return to the Royal Maundy Service after 7 years, you can see all my pictures of my day-trip to Blackburn here. |
| 14th June 2014 | HER MOST EXCELLENT MAJESTY THE QUEEN HER MAJESTY THE QUEEN'S BIRTHDAY PARADE, HORSE GUARDS A successful ballot application in April and I was there on Horse Guards bright and early - see the images here. | |
| 21st October 2014 | HER MOST EXCELLENT MAJESTY THE QUEEN SINGAPORE STATE VISIT, THE MALL My first State Visit, and a first Royal outing for my new Canon EOS1200D camera. You can see the full set of the events from the Mall here. | |
| 2015 | March 2015 | HER MOST EXCELLENT MAJESTY THE QUEEN MEXICO STATE VISIT, THE MALL A second State Visit appearance for me, this time honouring the President of Mexico, and you can see all the pictures here. | April 2015 | HER MOST EXCELLENT MAJESTY THE QUEEN AND HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS THE PRINCE PHILIP, DUKE OF EDINBURGH ROYAL MAUNDY SERVICE, SHEFFIELD CATHEDRAL |
9th September 2015 | HER MOST EXCELLENT MAJESTY THE QUEEN AND HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS THE PRINCE PHILIP, DUKE OF EDINBURGH THE LONGEST REIGN, EDINBURGH Billed as an opening ceremony for a new bit of railway up in Scotland, the real purpose of 9th September 2015 was for thousands of people to see their Queen on the day Her Majesty became the longest-reigning Monarch in all the history of the British Isles. It was my duty as Her Majesty's subject to be there, on the front row, and you can see everything I saw right here. |
8th November 2015 | HER MOST EXCELLENT MAJESTY THE QUEEN REMEMBRANCE SUNDAY, CENOTAPH For the 70th anniversary of VE Day I wanted to be at the Cenotaph on Remembrance Sunday. You can see it in all its solemn glory here. |
| 2016 | 11th June 2016 | HER MOST EXCELLENT MAJESTY THE QUEEN HER MAJESTY THE QUEEN'S BIRTHDAY PARADE, THE MALL My seventh Birthday Parade, but the first time without a ticket, meaning securing a standing position on the Mall from very early in the morning. All brought to you in 179 technicolour pictures here. | 22nd June 2016 | HER MOST EXCELLENT MAJESTY THE QUEEN AND HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS THE PRINCE PHILIP, DUKE OF EDINBURGH VISIT TO LIVERPOOL Sunshine - and a few showers which didn't stop anybody's enjoyment - in Liverpool to welcome Sovereign and Consort on a day of engagements filled with smiles and happiness, which you can see here. |
14th October 2016 | THEIR ROYAL HIGHNESSES THE DUKE AND DUCHESS OF CAMBRIDGE VISIT TO MANCHESTER Very conveniently arranged to be just next to Victoria Station, I was bright and early for this first stop on a day of engagements in Manchester. All told here. |
| 2017 | 17th June 2017 | HER MOST EXCELLENT MAJESTY THE QUEEN HER MAJESTY THE QUEEN'S BIRTHDAY PARADE, HORSEGUARDS A rare bright sunny day for the 2017 Birthday Parade, which you can see in detail here. | 16th November 2017 | HER MOST EXCELLENT MAJESTY THE QUEEN VISIT TO HULL Damp and drizzly, just like every day in Hull from Jan 1st to December 31st, but mostly under the canopy of the Railway station, here's a close-up look right here. |
| 2018 | 9th June 2018 | HER MOST EXCELLENT MAJESTY THE QUEEN HER MAJESTY THE QUEEN'S BIRTHDAY PARADE, THE MALL A warm, sunny day for the Birthday Parade of 2018, and I was on the Mall to capture it all, as you can see here. | 11th June 2018 | GUN SALUTE IN HONOUR OF HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS THE PRINCE PHILIP, DUKE OF EDINBURGH HYDE PARK Nice weather the following Monday in Hyde Park for the annual Birthday Gun Salute for HRH The Duke of Edinbugh, which you can see, and almost hear, here. |
14th June 2018 | HER MOST EXCELLENT MAJESTY THE QUEEN and HER ROYAL HIGHNESS THE DUCHESS OF SUSSEX VISIT TO CHESTER Straight after the Birthday Parade weekend, a Royal Visit to Chester which you can see in full techni-colour here. |
| 23rd October 2018 | HER MOST EXCELLENT MAJESTY THE QUEEN NETHERLANDS STATE VISIT, THE MALL Only my third State Visit, but the first with visiting foreign Royalty, and you can see my photographs of the day's State ceremonial here. | 11th November 2018 | HER MOST EXCELLENT MAJESTY THE QUEEN ARMISTICE DAY CENTENARY, REMEMBRANCE SUNDAY, CENOTAPH Armistice Day 2018, the centenary of The Armistice, fell on Remembrance Sunday 2018, so it was fitting that I attended the Service of Remembrance at the Cenotaph for the third time. Please click here to see the pictures. On the eve of Armistice Day, I made a night time visit to HM Tower of London, which you can see here. |
| 2019 | 8th June 2019 | HER MOST EXCELLENT MAJESTY THE QUEEN HER MAJESTY THE QUEEN'S BIRTHDAY PARADE, HORSEGUARDS A front row standing position on Horse Guards' Parade for the 2019 Birthday Parade, which became the final full ceremonial Birthday Parade attended by Her Majesty The Queen, and you can see 94 pictures here. | 14th October 2019 | HER MOST EXCELLENT MAJESTY THE QUEEN STATE OPENING OF PARLIAMENT The most recent full ceremonial State Opening of Parliament - and I was there! |
| 2022 | 2nd June 2022 | HER MOST EXCELLENT MAJESTY THE QUEEN HER MAJESTY THE QUEEN'S PLATINUM JUBILEE BIRTHDAY PARADE, HORSEGUARDS After a hiatus of almost 3 years, the Platinum Jubilee Birthday Parade was an unmissable occasion for me - you can see my pictures here, and more of my Platinum Jubilee celebrations here. | 18th and 19th September 2022 | HER MOST EXCELLENT MAJESTY THE QUEEN LYING IN STATE AND FUNERAL And then, as quickly as it had begun seventy years earlier, it all came to an end, and I went to the London to see The Queen for the very, very final time. |
| 2023 | 7th November 2023 | HIS MAJESTY THE KING STATE OPENING OF PARLIAMENT A bright autumn day in November 2023 saw me resuming a front-row position on the Mall for my first State occasion of the New Reign. |