Marmalade Sandwiches

 

It's probably pretty obvious where the name of this blog comes from. I mean, it's one of the moments of the 21st century.

I missed this happening live. I had been working flat out covering the Jubilee and I took a little break. My editor said he'd handle the start of the Platinum Party so I could get away from the screen. We'd been working for almost three days solid covering news at that point and that was after months of build up. I expected to be covering the party on social media and on the website for hours so a quick breather at the start was more than welcome. After all, how many times can you watch Brian May on top of Buckingham Palace?

BBC still/ fair use

I was strolling in the cool (very cool, it always rains at Jubilees) air of an early June evening when the message came through on my phone. It was my editor. ''Sorry. You have missed the best thing ever''. I got back, caught up and had to agree. I'd missed Paddington and The Queen.

Of course, like everyone else, I've watched it plenty since. That first view was, though, magic. Elizabeth II and the little bear from Peru taking tea is perfection. Times ten. It was everything. The Platinum Jubilee had been a celebration until that point but a different one. We'd all realised we wouldn't get another. We all knew that our Queen was dealing with health issues described as mobility problems. We hadn't been surprised when she'd stepped back from several big events that long weekend. And yet, when we needed it, there she was. Smiling and sparkling. Yes, we got great music that night. Yes, there were illuminated corgis in the sky. But Paddington and The Queen had already stolen the show and our hearts.

Elizabeth II always had the knack of knowing what her people needed. And Paddington was it. The whole scene was charm personified, something that everyone around the world watching could identify with. And just when we thought she couldn't surprise us any more, she answered the question asked throughout her 70 year reign. What was in that famous handbag? Well, marmalade sandwiches, of course. In her own words ''for later.''

Just months later, packets of sandwiches appeared amongst the flowers that were left when Elizabeth II died. Amidst the floral tributes were piles of marmalade sandwiches, many with a note that read, simply, ''for later''. It was the sweetest of tributes. Since then, it's seemed that these few moments with Paddington have become an integral part of a truly historic reign while those sandwiches are an emblem of royalty in the 21st century. As Charles III is crowned, no doubt street parties across the country will include marmalade sandwiches. And so this blog, about the royals at one of the most exciting and important moments in their recent history takes its nod from its two modern symbols. This is The Crown and Marmalade Sandwiches.