Travel Update

Karyn writes:

Sorry I have been a bit tardy at completing the news of an extraordinary time in London - yesterday was my first full day back in the office and it was time to deal with an overflowing inbox!

Thank you to everyone who has emailed me to say you were waiting for this update - here we go!!

The undoubted highlight of my seven days in London (aside from spending time with daughter Lydia) was attending the Queen's 90th Birthday Celebrations at Windsor Castle. It was an experience that I will always treasure and never forget.  To see the tributes paid to a remarkable woman - a mother, wife, grandmother, great grandmother and monarch - was a once in a lifetime opportunity.  After all Elizabeth II is our longest serving monarch so it was a milestone event in many ways!

Lydia and I began the journey in our formal attire late afternoon to Windsor Castle - sorry about the selfie but we actually have no other pics of us together on the evening - funnily enough in hindsight, we didn't even contemplate taking any, it just didn't seem a priority nor was it probably appropriate, come to that.

The evening began with a formal dinner and once that was complete it was outside to the Royal Enclosure, wrapped up warm against the cold evening.  Special rugs, labelled for the occasion, were on each seat and they were very necessary - they think of everything!

Over the next two hours the spectacle unfolded as the story of one inspirational woman's life over 90 years was told in just 120 minutes - how is that possible?  It as done with taste, with humour, with insight, with style, with skill - and the pageantry involved - wow!  You have to say no-one, but no-one in the world presents tradition and history the way the British do - it was spectacular in every aspect and I just wish I could share the whole event with you.

With the Queen's love of horses well known, much of the evening was focussed on the equine element of her life - from the very beginning as two young girls entered the arena on miniature ponies - representing the Queen and her late sister Princess Margaret taking riding lessons - through dramatic audio visual production we were transported through the decades - from Her Majesty's birth, the Second World War, her marriage, her children and their children, her Households, her charities, her peoples of the Commonwealth (loved seeing the NZ Army Band - it was a huge hit).

With over 900 horses, the Armed Forces, the Queen's various household brigades, actors and artists and representatives from the Commonwealth - it was a thank you to one of the most respected Heads of State in the world who has made a major contribution to her country, its culture, its business and to the entire Commonwealth.  It was also wonderful to see the support extended by New Zealand Bloodstock and Sir Peter and Lady Vela and their family to the event.

The performances featured riders from Chile, a full contingent of Royal Canadian Mounted Police over with their horses from Canada, a dramatic horse whisperer from France - MG sports cars, British singing stars, a massive birthday cake - just a mind boggling production that I feel very humbled to have seen. Perhaps there will never be another monarch who celebrates their 90th birthday as well as 60 years on the throne!

The actual programme covered the following themes:

Toddler to Teenager including the Shetland Pony Grand National

The King's Troop Royal Horse Artillery

World War II - with vehicles from the time and The Historical Display Team

Wedding to Coronation - with The Tri-Service Guard of Honour, State Coaches and the Household Cavalry

Royal Cavalries - including the Royal Cavalry of Oman and The Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment

An International Salute including performers from Chile, Switzerland, Karakbakh Horses and Jean-Francois Pignon, the horse whisperer from France

The Commonwealth including bands from Fiji, Australia, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and the NZ Army Band

All the Queen's Animals including Royal Ascot, racehorses and the Royal Mews; Buckingham Palace represented by the Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment, the Band of the Household Cavalry, Band of the Irish Guards, King's Troop Royal Horse Artillery, Regimental Mascots, The Chelsea Pensioners and the Diamond Jubilee State Coach; Balmoral and Braemar represented by The Pipes and Drums of: The Royal Scots Dragoon Guards, The Irish Guards, The Royal Irish Regiment, the Royal Air Force, performers from South Australia and South Africa, Highland Athletes, Tug of War teams and the Balmoral Estate Workers and Braemar Stewards; Sandringham, Windsor and Hampton Court represented by: polo ponies and officials, The Duke of Edinburgh's Driving Fells, The Queen's Show Horses and Ponies, Royal Mews Show Horses and Ponies, Windsor Great Park Gamekeepers and even The Royal Farms' Jersey cattle, Sussex cattle and the Queen's Swan Marker and Swan Uppers!

The Grand Finale - including every performer and the giant cake

As Prince Charles, the Prince of Wales said - "I am delighted that we have succeeded in bringing together hundreds of members of the Armed Forces of the United Kingdom, the Commonwealth and other long-standing overseas friends to mark this special birthday.

"It could not be more fitting that a quite different group which also enjoys the Queen's unfailing interest and support - horses of myriad breeds and colours - will join the 600 sailors, soldiers, airmen and women who make up this evening's celebration.  As we marvel at the incomparable skill of rider and horse alike, we might allow our minds to drift to Xenaphon's observation that 'a horse is a thing of beauty - none will tire of looking at him as long as he displays himself in his splendour'.  We can know with some certainty that a rather memorable spectacle awaits us."

A lifelong memory made.