London – The River Thames became a royal highway Sunday, as Queen Elizabeth II led a motley but majestic flotilla of more than 1,000 vessels in a waterborne pageant to mark her Diamond Jubilee.
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In a colorful salute to the island nation’s maritime past, an armada of skiffs and sailboats, rowboats and paddle steamers joined a flower-festooned royal barge down a 7-mile (11-kilometer) stretch of London’s river.
With a crowd of rain-soaked spectators estimated by organizers at 1.25 million cheering from the riverbanks, the pageant was the largest public event in four days of celebrations of the monarch’s 60 years on the throne.
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Against my better judgment (I hate standing around in crowds) I took my children to this event. We were very lucky in that we obtained an excellent viewing position.
It also gave us a very rare opportunity to say ברכת ברוך שחלק מכבודו למלך בשר ודם
To #1 , did u say the brocha with shem and malchus?
did u ask a poisek about it?
she has no real power in the country, and is a figurehead. so it’s questionable if u can make a brocha on her.
The royal family is nothing more than hollywood theatrics.
What a pathetic joke.
It was absolutely a fantastic event. London did us proud. Well planned. This was three years in the makings. Yes they did prepare for the chance of rain too. 60 years ago at the coronation. It rained.
Regarding the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth, I would like to state that I always had a lot of respect for the Royal Family; however, when I ascertained that their late daughter-in-law, Princess Diana, was treated like a dog by the Royal Family, I lost all respect for them. When Princess Diana was tragically killed in 1997, Queen Elizabeth refused to initially issue a public statement. It wasn’t until public pressure mounted that she stated that “Princess Diana was an extraordinary human being”. However, the Queen merely went through the motions, and her statement was devoid of any sincerely or compassion. The Queen’s son, Prince Charles is also a loser, whom I can’t stand!
Made me so proud to be British today. Didn’t bother going down in this weather instead watched it on BBC.
Yidden in the UK were especially visible at the event being that it occurred on Sunday, and it had a much larger attendance (on a relative basis) that that silly “asifa” you ehrliche yidden had in New York 2 weeks ago where some stone age rabbonim ranted and screamed in yiddish for 2 hours about the dangers of the internet (which most of the attendees use anyway since so many attendees subsequently posted their experience on this site). HRM, the Queen, is one of the few ruling monarchs who truly warrants the respect and love of her subjects.
A king according to halacha is one who has the power of life and death (i.e. He may order someone to be killed without a trial). An example of such a king (in my opinion) was the Czar of Russia.
The queen acts in a very modest manner as does her grand-daughter-in-law Kate. Compare and contrast that to the first lady of the USA who’s motto seems to be: “Why conceal when you can reveal” with her scant outfits.
For her dignity and modesty alone, the Queen and her entourage deserves Kovod.
Only someone with a distinct lack of understanding of the subtleties of the British constitution would suggest she is merely a figurehead. Theoretically, HM the Queen has the same power as, for example, George III (who was King during the American Rebellion of 1776). But her powers today are theoretical. If she tried to utilize them (by, for example, condemning someone to death), she knows that the public outcry would probably result in the collapse of the monarchy.
The British monarchy survives today because they understood the limits of absolute power, and did (and continue to do) an excellent job of changing with the times, moving left and right as required. Not for nothing do they continue to reign, whilst their French, German, and Russian cousins are all a distant memory. They are arguably the world’s most successful monarchy.
One could argue that the Czar was weaker – he ruled indiscriminately and ended up with neither his throne nor his life.
The bottom line is that the community in the UK does say the bracha, and I would tend to think we should defer to their custom on this one.
WOoOOOOOOOOW
Was amazing!
This is something all should see!
I am not looking at any of the disdainful comments. I purely want to use this oppertunity to say ‘Long live the Queen’. She is pure malchus and we are lucky to have her. Together with the Queen Mother she kept the monarchy on the straight and narrow imbuing in her children and einiklich andIYH eir einiklich bkarov. Ahavo and kavod for our Country, the Commonwealth and beyond. I am a chassidischer raoyalist and proud of it. Anybody who makes fun is simply jealous. She stood for 4 hours because she respects everyone. The weather yesterday was gishmei brocha on our Royal Family who give us pride in being British. Meshebarach Avoysaynu Avrohom Yitzchok Veyakov who Yevoreich es Hamalko Yorum Hoida venoimar Omein!
From a personal standpoint, I’m very impressed with the Queen. She’s tirelessly served her people conducting herself flawlessly throughout her life and continues to enchant millions across the globe with her charm.
As a Jew I’m appalled by the fact that she has paid state visits all over the world, but never to Israel.
Rebbitzin Amelie (Lady) Jakobovits, known affectionately as Lady J spoke very highly of her friendship with the Queen and Prince Phillip, the Queen Mother and the rest of the royal family, so I’m assured that they’re not complete anti-Semites. But their cordial ties and frequent banquets with various Arab aristocracy is enough to make me wary and skeptical.
I know many peopl ehave made this bracha on the King of Jordan whe he visited Israel.
I met her mom many years ago in Berlin. She was taking the salute from a British outfit (the Irish Guards? I cannot remember). Miserable winter Berlin day, but this old lady was out in it doing her bit. I think her daughter is a lot like that.
no one need worry about their olam haba ,on account of the birchas hamalchus,during the coronation tour 60 years ago ,great rabbonim made the brocho in public.the gemoro in brochos is well known re. the mitzvah to run to see malchei houmos, sh im yizkeh etc.
I will never respect a family that ignored Churchill and instead supported Hitler.
To Bigwheel-#16- Your scholarly remark “the circumstances upon which she was killed (Princess Diana), weren’t exactly a Rebbitzen saying Tehilim”, was astounding. How dare you belittle Princess Diana, who was a humanitarian, and looked to help less fortunate people all over the world!
She andhe her motherto got a bracha from the shotzah rebba for a long life. The queens mother let in alot of refugees @the ww2. Their was a shcita problem in holland and the queen took gracious care of it.
LONG REIGN OVER US GOD SAVE THE QUEEN. Remember the 102best de