King, Queen, Country, Commonwealth, UK Carriage and Concert

We could not be in Pall Mall, parked in tents overnight, waiting to see the golden carriage. Nor could we attend the concert in Windsor great park. Wow, it is a great park, as you could see from the stage and crowds.

However, we watched it all on YouTube.

I had seen Kate Perry looking for her seat at the coronation in Westminster Abbey and looked her up. I love the Disney version of her song Roar, which she co-wrote and produced. Clever lady, not just a clear voice and pretty face. A very positive message. American Kate Perry saw her song Roar was the top in several countries, including Israel.

You can watch the BBC showings of the concert in different length extracts. My favourite parts were the illuminations from around the country. Especially the Botanic Gardens in Cambridge, illuminated trees and people riding illuminated bicycles.

I took some pictures to remind which parts to recommend to friends and family who might not want to watch the whole thing. You can spin through, using the slider underneath the video.

Prince William's speech was short and sweet and struck just the right note, praising the King and Queen, also thanking everybody, the performers, and audience worldwide, including the medics and teachers and volunteers who help run the country every day of the year. Choirs included a deaf signing choir. videos on an overhead projection showed people performing in countries around the Commonwealth.

Where To See Princess Diana statue unveiled July 1, 2021, by sons William and Harry

 

The Princess Diana statue has been unveiled in London, England, by her two sons, William and Harry. The statue shows slim Diana standing with her hands embracing two children, a boy and a girl.

The statue stands in a sunken garden, amid her favourite flowers exuding perfume.

Where: Kensington Palace.

The Palace, where Prince William lives with Kate, contains an orangery and fine state rooms.

Kensington Palace by Steve Cadman in Wikimedia.

Other statues in the gardens include one of Queen Victoria (east facade) and one of William III.

Getting There

Ten minute walk from Queensway underground station.

The physical site has a shop and cafe. Check for the latest opening hours, tickets, admission prices and times and Covid-19 regulations.

Useful Websites

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Statue_of_Diana,_Princess_of_Wales

https://www.royalparks.org.uk/parks/kensington-gardens/things-to-see-and-do/kensington-palace

https://moovitapp.com/index/en-gb/public_transportation-Kensington_Palace-London_and_South_East-site_6831039-2122

About the Author

Angela Lansbury is Vice President Public Relations of Braddell Heights Advanced, and Tampines Changkat Advanced,  speakers training club which are part of Toastmasters International. The USA has several Spanish speaking as well as the English speaking clubs. You can pick up Spanish from buying or reading online their Spanish clubs welcome pages and manuals. 

In The USA, UK, Singapore and worldwide, there are many clubs which are English speaking, as well as Mandarin, Cantonese, Japanese, French, Tamil, Malay.

The inauguration of Tampines Changkat Advanced was Tuesday 29 2021, online on  zoom. Their meetings are on the fourth Tuesday evening of the month. They hope to hold meetings with a few people meeting physically, the others online, as soon as the Covid-19 conditions allow.

You can find the club through their facebook page as well as through Toastmasters International find a club. 

https://www.facebook.com/tampineschangkatadvTMC

The meetings are free for visitors. Visitors can watch, and join in speaking by introducing themselves and volunteering to do a 2 minutes impromptu  speech in table topics.

If you wish to join for a year, it costs about 190 US dollars, to have monthly meetings online, a mentor, a magazine, and one of the 11  Pathways, consisting of 14 projects. Each project starts with 3 speeches of your choice of subject, lasting 4 to 6 minutes, then 5 to 7 minutes. The Pathways include the most popular Presentation Mastery. I chose  humorous speaking as my second Pathway, costing 20 dollars. Then my third was a leadership course. Come and see for free.

The club also has meetings in person in Singapore

You can also contact my other club, smaller Braddell Heights Advanced, which is a cosy little club with more chances to speak.

Login through bha.learncool.sg/meet/bha 

That will link you through to Zoom or googlemeet. 2 pm to 5 pm.

BHA meets the first Wednesday evening each month, starting at 7 pm Singapore time. 

Then an extra meeting on the 3rd Saturday afternoon, starting at 2 pm Singapore time.

To check your time zone,  

https://24timezones.com/difference/singapore/ 

Meetings will be on Wed July 7th and  Saturday July 17th.

Contact either of these or other clubs through Toastmasters International Find a Club.

Euston Station Statue of Australian Explorer Captain Matthew Flinders And his Cat

The cartographer with his cat and compass. Born and bred in Britain, Flinders found out all about Australia and literally put it on the map. You can see the statue, photograph it, sit on it, admire it, meet by it.

Captain Matthew Flinders

Close up of his cat called Trim.

Captain Flinders and his compass.

Close up of the compass.

Map of Australia and the name of explorer Flinders.

Prince William unveiled the statue this summer, July 2014. Captain Flinders not only navigated Australia, he named it. Captain Flinders is well known in Australia but will now become familiar to everybody in Britain who passes through Euston station. 

What a superb statue and a super story. Captain Flinders travelled (like Dick Whittington, Lord Mayor of London) with his cat, the amusingly named Trim. Trim the travelling cat. (The statue of Dick Whittington's cat is also in London.) Congratulations to whoever thought of the statue and to the sculpture designer.

A lovely landmark which brightened up my day as I ran around Euston station playing where's my train.

Photos copyright Angela Lansbury