PRINCE Charles offered his deeply personal tribute to the Queen last night when he hailed her as “Mummy”.
But he also spoke for the nation with his heartfelt “thank you” to the Queen. She is the mother of the United Kingdom.
The moving images of highlights from her 70-year reign projected on to Buckingham Palace provided an extraordinary insight into a period of unparalleled transformation.
Anyone magically teleported from 1952 to modern Britain would be bewildered by the brave new world they found themselves in.
But one thing you can be sure they could recognise would be the Queen herself — the world’s best-known and longest-enduring sovereign figurehead.
Amid all the turbulence she has remained a steadfast beacon of selfless service and constancy.
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Her own coronation was watched by a few million people gathered around a relatively small number of flickering, black and white television sets.
The next will be seen by billions glued to mobile phones and social media.
Her meetings with the likes of Nelson Mandela and Martin McGuinness showed her role in helping to resolve seemingly intractable conflicts.
Her evocation of Vera Lynn’s We’ll Meet Again during the darkest days of the pandemic showed her unique ability to lift our spirits.
And because she has seen so much, she allows us to put such highs and lows into the perspective of history.
Her inability to attend all of her Platinum Jubilee events adds a sense of poignancy.
Even as we celebrate, we know the day will come when we realise how much she is missed.
So the nation must today unite to celebrate her reign by enjoying the street parties, processions and bunting.
There is no better way to express our gratitude — and there will never be another knees-up like it.
Give ’em a rocket
THE half-term holiday chaos at Britain’s airports is a disgrace.
Millions of families have faced unacceptable delays, even if they were lucky enough not to see their flights cancelled.
Ministers blame airlines for failing to recruit enough workers.
But today we reveal civil servants take too long carrying out vital security checks on new airport staff.
Before the Government points the finger it must get its own house in order.
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There is no excuse for work-from-home public servants on their sofas stopping travellers taking to the skies.
It’s time they got their own rocket launch.
