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

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On March 20, Britain’s Parliament presented Queen Elizabeth II with ‘humble addresses’ to mark the 60th anniversary of her accession to the throne.

Humble addresses are the traditional means by which Parliament communicates with the Sovereign. In most cases, these are mundane affairs that take place without much ceremony. But since this was a special occasion, both Houses assembled in their entirety to hear their respective Speakers present their addresses.

Upon arriving at the Palace of Westminster, the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh were met by a host of dignitaries, including the Lord Great Chamberlain, the Lord Speaker, and the Speaker of the House of Commons. Both Speakers wore elaborate black silk robes adorned with gold lace and decorations.

But while the Lord Speaker, Baroness D’Souza, opted to wear traditional court dress (including knee breeches and tights) underneath it all, the Speaker of the House of Commons, John Bercow chose to wear morning dress with a green House of Commons tie.

In addition to her husband, the Queen was accompanied by a number of courtiers, including the Countess of Airlie (one of her Ladies-in-Waiting), Colonel Dan Rex (her Equerry-in-Waiting), and Sir Christopher Geidt (her Private Secretary). Led by the Lord Great Chamberlain and his white wand of office, the royal party made its way into Westminster Hall, which is the oldest portion of the Palace of Westminster.

Because the House of Lords is technically the senior house, the Lord Speaker addressed the Queen first. “You have personified continuity and stability while ensuring that Your role has evolved imperceptibly, with the result that the Monarchy is as integral a part of our national life today as it was 60 years ago,” she said.

“We rejoice in this Jubilee and we give thanks for all that it represents,” she continued.

The Speaker of the House of Commons spoke next. “If, as Gandhi asserted, ‘the best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others,’ then Your Majesty must have found Yourself countless times over the past six decades.”

“You have dedicated Your life to others.  The daily example that You set, mirrored by our courageous armed forces of which You are Commander-in-Chief, is extraordinary,” he said.

Bercow, who has long been an avid supporter of gay rights, spoke of how Britain was “a land where men and women today are equal under the law and where Your people are respected, regardless of how they live, how they look or how they love.”

He went on to call Her Majesty “a kaleidoscope Queen of a kaleidoscope country in a kaleidoscope Commonwealth,” much to the apparent annoyance of Prime Minister David Cameron, who scowled at the Speaker.

When Bercow had finished speaking, the Queen thanked her Parliament for their addresses. In doing so, she paid tribute to her husband’s tireless support, saying “Prince Philip is, I believe, well-known for declining compliments of any kind. But throughout he has been a constant strength and guide.”

Referring to the elaborate stained-glass window that had been commissioned to mark her Diamond Jubilee, she mentioned that “the happy relationship I have enjoyed with Parliament has extended well beyond the more than three and a half thousand Bills I have signed into law. I am therefore very touched by the magnificent gift before me, generously subscribed by many of you. Should this beautiful window cause just a little extra color to shine down upon this ancient place, I should gladly settle for that.”

“We are reminded here of our past, of the continuity of our national story and the virtues of resilience, ingenuity and tolerance which created it. I have been privileged to witness some of that history and, with the support of my family, rededicate myself to the service of our great country and its people now and in the years to come,” she concluded.

Image Courtesy of  Zoran Karapancev / Shutterstock.com

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