It was the smile that said it all.
The beam of joy on the Queen ’s face as she stood on the balcony of Buckingham Palace was a magical moment to remember.
Above her head flew the Red Arrows.
By her side stood her immediate family.
Beneath her were tens of thousands of applauding people.
The happiness the occasion brought to Her Majesty was plain to see.
The first day of the Platinum Jubilee was a marvel of pomp and pageantry not even Prince Louis was able to upstage – though he tried.
This was not just an opportunity to mark the Queen’s 70 years on the throne, it was also a celebration of the deep bond of affection between the Queen and her subjects.
Perhaps the reason for Her Majesty’s joy was seeing the country come together and, with Harry and Meghan back in the fold, her own family united. In the days ahead there will be plenty more reasons for the Queen to smile.
Stay strong
Vladimir Putin ordered Russian troops into Ukraine expecting a rapid victory.
Yet despite being outnumbered and outgunned, Ukranian fighters have not just resisted the assault but, in some parts of the country, have driven back the enemy forces.
President Putin overestimated the capability of his military and underestimated the resolve of the Ukrainian people.
The conflict has now lasted more than 100 days but it is far from over.
In the weeks and months to come many more lives will be lost due to Putin’s aggression.
If Putin is to fail then we cannot allow this to become the forgotten war. The Ukrainian people continue to show outstanding bravery.
The West must continue to support them.
Crown ’n out
Boris Johnson has tried to gatecrash the Jubilee celebrations by bringing back the Crown symbol on pint glasses.
It’s another gimmick from a Prime Minister who doesn’t measure up.
