Village Squire, 1979-05, Page 30style involved royalty. Strolling over the
vast 200 acres of estate, we admired the
rose gardens, exotic trees and shrubs from
the commonwealth countries and particul-
arly noted the high security fence, where it
showed once in awhile beyond the trees. It
is a high thickly bricked wall with three
strands of barbed wire and one foot of
sharp circled irons.
The tea was wonderful. Imagine having
a tea party for over 4000 people. In the long
open -fronted marques, we helped oursel-
ves to open-faced sandwiches, fruit cakes,
iced cake, fancy decorated cookies and
squares. Tea and coffee were served from
fine white china, edged in gold with silver
teaspoons. This area would be several
hundred feet long. Floral arrangements
added much to the tables and girls wearing
black and white uniforms made sure the
plates and serving trays were never empty.
Tables and chairs and colourful umbrellas
provided a beautiful Garden Party
atmosphere. We shared our table with a
couple from Yorkshire. They were both in
formal dress. He gave us his card --was
very interested in Canada and extended us
an invitation to visit them on their country
estate if we were in his area.
From a distance, it was a beautiful and
magnificent sight --the colourful hats and
gowns, the black and gray top hats and
walking canes, all mingling and strolling
graciously together. Two bands, some
distance apart, dressed in colourful
uniforms, played softly and gave the whole
party the royal atmosphere we all felt.
At 5:15 p.m. the Queen's yeomen house
guards came out in complete red and gold
uniforms to stand at either side of the royal
entrance to the Royal Marquee. Shortly
after, to the guarded entrance for the Royal
Tea Party area, Her Majesty Queen
Elizabeth II walked. accompanied by her
personal guards. There was no fanfare to
announce her entrance --she could have
been any royal visitor. We saw her from a
distance and watched her drink tea. She
wore a wide -brimmed white hat and a
printed afternoon dress. The bands still
played as she drank her tea gestured with
her white gloved hands, and later had food
as she talked with her guests in this special
area. There were no other immediate
members of the royal family present that
we could see.
At six o'clock the band played The Road
to the Isles and then God Save the Queen.
In a few minutes, the crowd of over 4000
began making their way back through
Buckingham Palace and the court yard. We
lingered for a last look as we slowly strolled
back. Tourists were everywhere, outside
watching us leave. How wonderful to be
on the inside looking out instead of on the
outside looking in. We decided to walk
back to the Royal Trafalgar Hotel. so we
strolled down the mall. listening to the
calls for special chauffeurs still coming
over the microphones from Buckingham
Palace. We even had a bobby stop traffic to
let us cross over into St. James' Park. Back
OT
GENG2620 1927
MOTH FRS DAY 'i 3Y
... a very
special day.
Popular Mother's Day
flowers will he limited ... so please place your
order soon just to be sure.
Other special gifts for special people:
*wide selection of potted plants *common house plants
•dried and silk flower arrangements *ceramic pots
3v,ta,1 42I ,je t/y
LISTOWEL
291-3032 Residence 356-2780
28 Village Squire, May 1979
at our room, we were tired, but thrilled and
so grateful for having had the good fortune
to have been a guest at this royal function
and having walked where generations of
royal families have trod.
SUMMER
FURNITURE
REMEMBER
ITS
PAY
1L1'\',i;
stin
ups
BLACKSTONE FURNITURE