The British Queen loves a royal cock-up
Queen Elizabeth II dutifully sits through endless hours of displays of military pomp rehearsed to the second — and secretly loves it when everything goes wrong, Bri-tain’s pageant master said Saturday.
Major Michael Parker, who has spent 46 years producing grand events, told the Daily Telegraph newspaper that the sovereign is most amused when showpiece spectacles descend into calamity.
Sir Michael, 71, has produced more than 320 events including the 80th, 90th and 100th birthday celebrations for the monarch’s late mother, Queen Elizabeth, plus Victory in Europe and Victory over Japan annive-rsary celebrations. Sir Mic-hael recalled the 1977 Silver Jubilee beacon-lighting in Windsor Great Park, west of London, which was his first national spectacular.
He stuffed the beacon full of fireworks as he worried that it might not catch light. The Royal Signals major positioned to press the detonator did so prematurely, with the fuse lit by the monarch still fizzing some 60 yards away.
“Can’t think why you bot-hered to ask me!”, she laughed. The sound system was failing and a deafening firework mortar went off. “The best decision I made in my life was to be honest,” said Sir Michael. “‘Your Majesty’, I said, ‘I’m afraid it’s all going terribly wrong.’ Her face lit up. ‘Oh good,’ she said. ‘What fun!’
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