Harmondsworth, England – One of British Airways’ fleet of 747s is now featuring a very special emblem to mark the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee. The celebratory aircraft will be flying its message of congratulations around the world.

Designed by 11-year-old Blue Peter winner, Katherine Dewar from Chester, the official logo has been emblazoned on the side of the British Airways aircraft alongside the words, “Congratulations, Celebrating Queen Elizabeth II’s Diamond Jubilee”.

Katherine Dewar said: “Since winning the competition, it’s been like a dream come true to see my design in so many different places around the UK but I never expected to see it on a huge jumbo plane.

“I love going on holiday to Florida and hope the next time I do I’ll be lucky enough to fly on this plane so I can look out the window at my design.”

British Airways’ Captain Mark Mannering-Smith said: “As the national flag carrier I can’t think of anything more fitting than British Airways carrying a message of congratulations to Her Majesty around the world.”

Customers travelling on flights arriving into London over the Jubilee weekend (June 2-5, 2012) will hear British Airways captains making congratulatory announcements to mark the occasion.

In British Airways’ Heathrow lounges, customers will be offered a regal afternoon tea, including a selection of traditional British sandwiches, sweet treats and a special Jubilee blend of tea from Twinings.

Premium customers in the Business and Concorde lounges will be invited to raise a glass to toast Her Majesty with a champagne cocktail, ‘Pimms Royale’, or the award-winning English sparkling wine, Balfour Brut.

For those looking for some pre-flight pampering, there’s also a selection of Jubilee treatments at the Terminal 5 Elemis Spa exclusively for British Airways’ First, Club World and Gold Executive Club members. These customers will be able to choose from four ‘Royal Therapies’ and massage treatments, including Royal Rose facials, hand treatments and musclease foot and body workouts.

British Airways offer holidays in London with a range of hotels to choose from including great value budget hotels to luxurious five star hotels and apartments in central London.

Image Courtesy of  Christopher Parypa / Shutterstock.com

The article British Airways Features Emblem to Mark Queen’s Jubilee appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.

Over 1,000 boats took to the Thames for a grand pageant to mark the second day of Queen Elizabeth II’s Diamond Jubilee celebrations.

An estimated 1.2 million people thronged the banks to get a glimpse of the 86-year-old monarch and her family as they progressed down the river.

The event began when the Queen and her husband, the Duke of Edinburgh, arrived at Chelsea Pier, where they were met by the Prince of Wales in his capacity as Patron of the Thames Diamond Jubilee Pageant, along with his wife, the Duchess of Cornwall. After reviewing a Guard of Honor of Chelsea Pensioners, the royal party boarded a tender from HMY Britannia, which took them to the royal barge.

The craft that would carry the royal family was the MV Spirit of Chartwell, a 210-foot hotel barge usually used for luxury cruises along the Thames. The Spirit of Chartwell was heavily modified for the occasion so that she might resemble historic royal barges from the 16th and 17th centuries. The barge’s sides were adorned with red drapes, and the bow was decorated with a crown and the royal cypher. Also on board were extensive horticultural arrangements featuring flowers from the Queen’s gardens. Designed by Rachel de Thame, star of BBC Two’s Gardeners World, they followed a red, gold, and purple color scheme.

The Queen and her husband took in the day’s events from two lavish thrones placed under a canopy on the barge’s top deck. She was accompanied by other senior members of the royal family, including the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, and Prince Harry.

Pageant participants were grouped by type, and the groups were separated by ‘herald barges’ carrying bands that played a diverse assortment of music. The bands ranged from the Academy of Ancient Music and the London Philharmonic Orchestra to the Shree Muktajeevan Pipe Band and Dhol Ensemble and Rhythm on the River. Among the pieces played was a new composition based on the original titles of Handel’s “Water Music.”

The boats taking part in the procession were equally diverse, and included rowboats, sailboats, steamboats, as well as an array of historic ships, including Dunkirk little ships and a Maori war canoe. One of the highlights was the Gloriana, an 94-foot vessel built specially for the occasion in the style of 18th century royal barges. Powered by 18 oarsmen, the Gloriana was the brainchild of Lord Sterling, who organized the Queen’s Golden Jubilee celebrations in 2002.

“I became enamoured with the idea of building something timeless and got inspiration from Canaletto’s paintings that showed the great barges of the 18th Century and decided to build one,” he told the BBC.

The Gloriana was financed entirely through donations and will be given to the Queen as a present to mark the occasion.

Image Courtesy of dutourdumonde / Shutterstock.com

The article Queen’s Diamond Jubilee: River Pageant on the Thames appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.

Queen Elizabeth II kicked off her Diamond Jubilee celebrations by attending Epsom Derby with other members of the royal family.

The Queen received a rapturous welcome as the royal motorcade made its way onto the course, and she was greeted by Katherine Jenkins’ rendition of the National Anthem as she emerged from her car. In addition to her husband, she was also joined by several of her relatives, including the Duke of York, the Earl and Countess of Wessex, and Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie.

The Queen is a keen horsewoman, and the Epsom Derby is one of the highlights of her year. In past years, she has had a horse in the race, and it is said that winning the Derby is one of her fondest ambitions. She has already won the 1,000 Guineas, the 2,000 Guineas, the Oaks, and the St. Leger. Last year, her horse Carleton House came in third.

“She’s incredibly knowledgeable. Her knowledge of thoroughbreds and breeding goes way back,” said Anthony Cane, chairman of Epsom Downs Racecourse.

Epsom had a carnival atmosphere this year, with a dramatic parachute fall by the British Army’s Red Devils taking place shortly before she arrived. Spectators were treated to a performance by Ashleigh Butler and her dog, the winners of Britain’s Got Talent. There were also stiltwalkers dressed as guardsmen, complete with trademark red tunics and bearskin hats.

Today’s race is traditionally called the Coronation Cup, but it has been renamed the Diamond Jubilee Coronation Cup. After the race, the Queen presented the trophy to trainer Aiden O’Brien. His horse, St. Nicholas Abbey, also won last year.

Elsewhere in Britain, the start of the Jubilee was marked by a 41-gun salute in London, and 21-gun salutes in Cardiff, Edinburgh and Belfast. On Sunday, the Queen will take part in a pageant on the Thames that will see over 1,000 boats sailing down river. On Monday, there will be a picnic for 10,000 members of the public at Buckingham Palace, followed by a pop concert featuring such luminous names as Sir Paul McCartney, Sir Tom Jones, Sir Elton John, Robbie Williams, and Stevie Wonder. Come nightfall, 2,012 beacons will be lit across the country. The Jubilee celebrations will conclude on Tuesday with a Service of Thanksgiving at St. Paul’s Cathedral, after which the Queen will attend a reception in her honor hosted by the Lord Mayor of London at Mansion House. Meanwhile, millions of her subjects will take part in street parties and other local events.

The article Queen Elizabeth II Starts Jubilee Festivities at Epsom Derby appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.

London, UK – A British Muslim community has set out plans to mark the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee with street parties, lighting up of mosques throughout the UK, feeding the homeless and a launch of 200 special Diamond Jubilee buses across London – a unique contribution to this historic event.

Ahmadiyya Muslims will play the national anthem in street parties across 30 towns and cities from London to Glasgow. In Birmingham for example the celebrations will feature the Royal Navy band playing the national anthem at the mosque and congratulatory messages being read out in 60 languages by local community representatives.

There will also be special prayers for The Queen at 100 mosques and prayer halls belonging to the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community – one of the oldest Islamic groups in Britain.

The community has also launched a special edition of the book ‘A Gift for the Queen’ written by their founder, Hadhrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad, on the occasion of Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee in 1897.

The National President of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community UK, Mr Rafiq Hayat said:

“In the history of the British monarch there have only been two diamond Jubilees, and the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community have been involved with both.

“We share in our country’s pride and joy at Her Majesty The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee. It is our heartfelt prayer that may God continue to protect the Queen and we look forward to the festivities of the Jubilee weekend and to make them as inclusive as possible.

“As Muslims, we are duty bound to serve Queen and country and we regard this as an important part of our religion as we were taught by Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) that loyalty to one’s country is a part of faith.”

In addition, Ahmadi Muslims will:

- Take part in the Big Lunch on 3rd June

- Light up all its mosques across the UK

- Say special prayers for the Queen on 1st June

- Feed the Homeless – 10,000 will benefit from this endeavour

- Hold charity walks to raise GBP400,000 for the Queen’s charities

- Fundraise through the community’s women’s network

- Organise blood donation sessions

- Hold interfaith symposia throughout the UK

A charity walk by thousands of community members around the Tower of London has already raised tens of thousands of pounds for the Queen’s Jubilee charities.

London buses with the special Diamond Jubilee poster also feature the peace campaign website for the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community.

Image Courtsey of  Pacificnw.co.uk

The article British Muslim Community Celebrates Queen’s Jubilee appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.

The tower that houses Big Ben at the Palace of Westminster is likely to be renamed in honor of Queen Elizabeth II after a majority of the Members of Parliament (MPs) gave their backing to the change.

The proposal was first made by Tobias Ellwood, a Parliamentary Private Secretary in the Foreign Office. He tabled an Early Day Motion requesting that the clock tower be renamed the Elizabeth Tower in honor of the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee.

“Commemorating an iconic landmark as famous as Parliament is indeed a truly exceptional tribute and I am grateful that the majority of MPs believe the Queen deserves such an outstanding accolade,” he said.

“It therefore seems entirely appropriate for Parliament to pay tribute to Her Majesty with a similar honor, and in symmetry, to that bestowed upon Queen Victoria, by dedicating part of the iconic Parliamentary estate in her name,” he continued.

Forty MPs signed their names to the motion, and 331 MPs signed a formal letter of support, including the leaders of the three major parties. Prime Minister David Cameron said that “it is great news that so many MPs from across the House are backing what would be a fitting tribute to the Queen. I hope it will now move ahead.”

Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg said that “the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee is an occasion that the whole country is keen to celebrate, and Members of Parliament are no exception. I hope the House applies [to Buckingham Palace] to name this historic tower after Her Majesty.”

Echoing the Prime Minister and Deputy Prime Minister, Labour Party leader Ed Miliband said that “Queen Elizabeth has dedicated herself tirelessly and constantly to the people of Britain and the entire Commonwealth. Parliament has agreed that this is a fitting tribute to her life of service and I hope it can be confirmed as soon as possible.”

In addition to the party leaders, the proposal has received the backing of Theresa May, the Home Secretary; William Hague, the Foreign Secretary; Iain Duncan Smith, the Work and Pensions Secretary; and Danny Alexander, the Chief Secretary to the Treasury. They are joined by other prominent MPs, including former Foreign Secretary Jack Straw, former Home Secretary David Blunkett, and Shadow Chancellor Ed Balls.

The honor mirrors that given to Queen Victoria when she celebrated her Diamond Jubilee in 1897. The King’s Tower which stood at the southwest end of the Palace of Westminster was renamed the Victoria Tower.

The House of Commons Commission, which is responsible for Parliament’s administrative affairs, will meet in a few weeks’ time, at which point it is likely to approve the proposal in light of the strength of cross-party support. Once the commission has given its stamp of approval, the proposal will be formally presented to Buckingham Palace. If the Queen agrees, a renaming ceremony would be held, which she would likely attend.

The article British MPs Want to Rename Big Ben in Honor of the Queen appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.

Wickford, England – New figures from online fancy dress retailer All Fancy Dress indicate residents in South East England are the most patriotic ahead of the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee celebrations.

Residents across the South East of England are expected to be the most fervent supporters of the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee celebrations this weekend, according to a recent study by allfancydress.com.

Following a review of the top 20 counties, ordered by the average spend per capita on Jubilee merchandise purchased at AFD, eight (40%) of these were located in the South East region.

Brits have been planning their weekend festivities for a number of weeks now and the Home Counties and the surrounding London area are expected to be a sea of blue, white and red, according to figures.

The data reveals that residents in Kent are the most patriotic throughout the UK with over twice the amount of interest in Jubilee merchandise than the national average per head. The town of Tunbridge Wells also recorded strong interest two-and-a-half times the national average. Indeed the strong data has secured Tunbridge Wells the title of Britain’s most patriotic town.

Celebrations are expected to go long into the bank holiday weekend in Essex and Surrey as the second and third most patriotic counties in the UK.

Despite this significant interest in the Diamond Jubilee across the South East, strangely Londoners themselves have not bought into the celebrations quite so enthusiastically, with sales in the capital 70% less than the average region on a per-head basis.

The survey included data from smaller UK counties, with surprisingly high levels of patriotism in Powys, Mid Wales and Midlothian, Scotland.

The patriotism of cities and towns up and down the country was also measured as part of the survey. Tunbridge Wells is regarded as the UK’s most patriotic major town but the likes of Stockton-on-Tees and Solihull – with just under two-and-a-half times the national average – certainly run it close.

While there is likely to be a considerable variety of Diamond Jubilee celebrations in the South East, these results have also highlighted a north/south divide in interest in Jubilee merchandise.

The West Midlands on the whole displayed high levels of interest in the Diamond Jubilee with both Solihull and Cannock named in the top five most patriotic UK cities. However, Northern areas have shown a lower level of interest in Jubilee merchandise.

Mark Heaton, of All Fancy Dress, said: “Our survey has been a real eye opener. It is great to see such a wide variety of regions getting into the spirit of one of the most historic days in living memory.

“Kent looks very likely to be the place to visit if you are looking for large scale Diamond Jubilee celebrations.”

Image Courtesy of  Rosli Othman / Shutterstock.com

The article South East Citizens Are the Most Loyalist to Their Queen appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.

“This will be the year Britain sees the world and the world sees Britain,” UK Prime Minister David Cameron said in his New Year’s speech to the British nation.

Many believe that 2012 will be a year of economic uncertainty for the United Kingdom. Indeed, with the rising unemployment rate and the European financial crisis, nothing is certain. “There are fears about jobs and paying the bills,” the prime minister said in the New Year video message. “I know how difficult it will be to get through this — but I also know that we will.” This year seems to be a critical year for the global economy as the euro enters its most vital year to date.

Recently, Mr.Cameron vetoed a proposal to issue an EU financial transactions tax, saying that “Unless the rest of the world all agreed at the same time that we are all going to have some sort of tax then we are not going to go ahead with it.” However, according to the Wall Street Journal, the Prime Minister said that the government’s plan to lessen the country’s budget deficit will result in some protection from the current euro-zone debt crisis, stressing that changes need to be made in order to seize growth opportunities outside of Europe.

The Guardian reported that the economy is expected to expand by merely 0.7% this year. Tony Dolphin, the chief economist of the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) said,

“If the economy does find itself back in recession, it is likely to have to find its own way out of it. There are ultimately only three solutions: the government decides to increase public spending or overseas demand for UK output increases substantially, or UK households and companies are given some reason to spend more.

The first is not going to happen, the second is extremely unlikely, and so we are left with the third. But with no prospect of tax cuts or lower interest rates, it is not clear what in the short term the catalyst for more spending by the private sector will be.”

Despite the current economic situation, there are still several reasons to be hopeful. London will be hosting the Olympic games from July 27 to August 12. The Britons will also be celebrating the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee this June, marking Queen Elizabeth II’s reign of 60 years.

The Prime Minister believes that regardless of the struggles the country is facing, 2012 will be a turning point for the UK. He said, “It must be the year we go for it—the year the coalition government I lead does everything it takes to get our country up to strength.”

Rosli Othman / Shutterstock.com

The article Will 2012 be a Move Forward or a Step Back for the UK? appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.