But, its four am no really its noon in London

 I can remember as far back that noon on the first of June fell at four in the morning.

Actually, I think the first year I was really in London at Noon.

But most years, we were dragged out of bed at four am.

And woe to the television if it was not smart enough to be on London time.

I can recall in 1972, my father ran around my mother and propped both of his girls up in front of the television.

That year, the Queen was having a sliver anniversary of marriage and twenty years on the throne. She was focused on her youngest son Edward and enjoying explaining to him about her parade the Trooping of the colors.

Of course, we two little girls were the same age or just about and there he was our prince whom we were to marry.

My sister and I were not always together, in fact most of the time separate households were required due to my mother's inability to do addition. 

We had just been in London and Paris, so we had met this little chap, whom today was quite tall and still handsome despite being almost bald.

My sister would have cried if she had lived. She was always going to marry the Prince and  I had to marry the Pirate.

I did actually marry a man who was not going to become prince but instead managed to acquire a dream life.

I am not with him nor am I likely to see him any time soon.

My dear little sister died that same year by Christmas time she was gone.

Anyways, I also remember being hurried back from a trip to Paris with our stop over in London being canceled only to find myself on the floor with a pillow in my face and watching the television.

I was moaning from jet lag and wanted a coffee but my mother did not believe in caffeine.

There she was, not my sister but Diana, getting married proper British style.

All the pomp and what not and that fairytale dress. Better her than me I thought as I dug my toes into the carpet.

Why am I here and not there? Why did we hurry back, just to get up the next day at the crack  of dawn to watch this?

I would have preferred to lounge around the airport an extra day and then run to town where we could have gotten a last minute glimpse or something.

Instead there she stood next to the charming Charles, lisping and making an incredibly big mistake.

Not that I dislike Diana, i had meet her before she got married and then she was so caught up in the role she was playing. It was sad really when she did get divorced that there was nothing left for her to do except her charity work.

I always thought Charles handsome in a rugged way not to pretty like harry who came across all feminine at times and is now playing a macho role for his family.

My sister would have adored the dress all those frills and what not, she was pretty in pink lace. I was perfect in blue velvet. 

I notice in today's splendor that young Charlotte was wearing one of those odd things that appeared to be a dress my grandmother might have made for us. She was gifted and did wonders with a needle.

She wore exquisite couture clothes and would render mini versions for us two identical with opposite personalities.

And today, I almost missed my four am call, as my neighbor is being a bore about me getting up in the middle of the night.

And there she was, in silver blue grey, as beautiful as ever, the Queen.

Her seventy years of reigning as the monarch of England.

The first time without her husband. and all those grandchildren.

Well, this time it was just her and her cousin and then her and her closest family.

Of course, crazy Kate spoiled it all as usual.

Already having way too much cover time, she could not let the Queen have her day alone standing with her son and grandson.

She had to interfere, first she blocked the rst of the party, Edward had to squeeze by with his wife and children. While the daughter Anne and husband and a few of the other cousins crept behind her ever so carefully, Kate took center stage.

It was very distracting. The Queen was to have her day, no other monarch has done it and she is very old now you see, in fact one wonders what she can see but anyways, poor Kate just could not move out of the way.

There was Prince William flung way over and out of cameras range. While Kate practically stood on top of the Queen and fidgeted.

Yes, fidgeted. While Charles was attempting not to push his mother out of the way, as he did when he was just four and she had just been made Queen and he stood firmly in front of her, he dotingly stood to her side.

Kate had barely a space and with three children between her and William, he was not even on camera most of the time. She would not stop playing with the two youngest ones, and then she said "Hi" to the Queen at one point. She is standing on the balcony right next to her and then goes and does that and no t at the beginning. 

Really, talk about upstaging someone. The Queen of course turned towards Charles as expected, and she had to turn her head with her hat strategically placed painfully away from her. It was so sad, and melodramatic, and obvious done on purpose to embarrass the Queen.

There she is in the lap of luxury who could have married anyone, waits till she is thirty to marry the balding handsome hunk and then blows it on being in everyone's face.

Now she has gone and made a big splash in front of cameras. Meanwhile, little Louis is never going to know why mum is so attentive today nor is Charlotte going to wonder why she is not the one standing next to dad instead of the shy boy George.

Well, everyone got through it eventually, with scrimping Kate and the little ones jumping over the banister. William standing tall and rigid with his son, while Edward coolly to the far side with his tall and miserable daughter Louisa waiting for that moment when it would be over. 

The Queen herself, showed enough was enough and made a beeline for the door as soon as it was polite.

She has had enough of all the fuss and just after Philips passing and in the middle of a pandemic. 

The brass band marched up the avenue and this after the royals arrived by car. One could see the others inside in the common room. Not allowed to come out but still visible. 

There used to be her on horseback and getting saluted, they did not do that this year but gave her a fly over spelling out one big 7 seven and one big 0 zero.

It was enough for her to remember in her final days while the kids were a little to tired of al the fuss. 

Prince Philip was missed even though not stated. The Handsome and tall geeky Greek Dane who could have lead any military into victory instead stood with his chosen wife.

He shall be missed as she will be too once that has occured.

My mother would have been furoius for not getting an inviation one more year, they never are sent to her, but she looks for them anyways.

And No Peter Jennings nor his father Charles Jennings before him to explain to Americans the does and donts of the British Royals to the both the commoners and Americans alike.

I still say, the British did not go to war for the young girl who was not expected to become Queen but for their grandchildren to stand there instead as some have managed or to sit in offices across the Thames with more authority real or imagined as the real people of the land, when in fact most of them are imports as well as the Corgi, and food fare.

Well, best to all and may we have peace once more across all of Europe.