sightings of the queen!

We got word that the Queen would be in town yesterday to celebrate the 800th Anniversary of Cambridge University, and I really wanted to see her! I searched online and asked around and there was nearly no information to be had about what would be happening or when (I think by design). I just knew she was to have lunch at Kings College.

After knitting group and lunch I quickly made my way into town to see what was going on. There were fences set up along Kings Parade and I saw her car parked in front of Kings College - with a crowd in front of it. I hurried over and asked a Policeman what would be happening. He said she would be coming out in about an hour, walking to her car, and driving the block down to The Senate House where she would get out and give a speech to a private party. The crowd was already 5-7 people deep right in front of her car but I had a spot to the side RIGHT against the fence, so I decided it would be worth it to just wait it out. I called Brandon and Jill to let everyone know what was going on, and then I waited...and waited.

I was so glad I did because the crowd filled in quickly behind me, and a few people were pressing in and trying to steal my spot. Jill met up with me and we met a nice American girl from California and a woman from Spain, and also saw a few of our friends go by while we waited.

Then at about 2:45 out she came! I was kind of embarrassed about how excited I was. It was so cool to see the Queen of England in real life! She was so little and cute wearing her bright peach coat and hat with feathers! I snapped tons of pictures but also made sure to take in the action with my own eyes. She drove one block, stopped and got out again.

As we (Brandon and I, Peter and Jill) were standing there chattering with excitement about how we had just seen the Queen, Jill noticed that someone in a wheel chair was coming out of the door to Kings College and wondered if it was Stephen Hawking. The crowd had mostly dispersed and no one else was looking over at him so we thought it must not be. We mentioned that it didnt really look like him and not everyone in a wheel chair was Stephen Hawking. But then they crossed the street and went RIGHT past us on the sidewalk, and we saw that it definitely WAS him! We noticed one of the women we know from the Visiting Scholars group CHASING him down the street! That was our final confirmation.

As the guys headed to a used book shop, Jill and I decided to walk down and see if we could peek into the tents the Queen was now in. I remembered passing a gate in an alley that morning where I could see in from the back, so we went over. There was a policeman standing guard who was very nice and we talked to him for a bit. He said he didn't know if she would be passing that way again. A University Constable who was inside the gate wearing a top hat and black cape with gold clasps came over and talked to us. He talked a ton and told us about being a Constable, how the University works, and many other things. As we were chatting away Jills suddenly yelled "ANDREA ANDREA!!!" I looked over and there walking right by were the Queen and the Duke with his robes being carried behind him! They performed a ceremony where with some University Mail Service bikers, and then went into the tent. We continued to chat and try to see glimpses of the ceremony inside the tent for quite a while. Then the policeman told us she would be getting back into her car and leaving so we decided we might as well run around the front and see her off!

The crowd was enormous and we could barely see her, so after she got into her car we RAN down the sidewalk CHASING her slow-moving car and got in close again for some final photos and farewells. It was a very exciting day!