10.7.09

THE QUEEN'S SILVER IS STOLEN DURING ANNUAL GARDEN PARTY


ONCE UPON A TIME AN INVITATION TO THE QUEENS GARDEN PARTY AT BUCKINGHAM PALACE WAS THE IMPRIMATUR OF RESPECTABILITY. BUT NOT ANYMORE. PROOF OF THIS? THE QUEEN'S SADNESS AND DISMAY AT THE DISAPPEARANCE OF SEVERAL IRREPLACEABLE PIECES OF HER PERSONAL CROCKERY AND CUTLERY FROM HER PRIVATE TENT WHICH FOLLOWED THE TORRENTIAL DELUGE THAT WASHED OUT TUESDAY'S ANNUAL TEA PARTY. AT THE HEIGHT OF THE STORM, ABOUT 60 GARDEN PARTY GUESTS HUDDLED UNDER THE AWNING AFTER THE QUEEN BECKONED THEM IN TO GIVE THEM SHELTER. ONLY WHEN PALACE STAFF WERE CLEARING UP AFTER THE PARTY IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT GUESTS HAD RESPONDED TO THE UNPRECEDENTED ACT OF ROYAL KINDNESS AND HOSPITALITY BY STEALING THE QUEEN'S PRIZED POSSESSIONS. "IT WAS AN UNBELIEVABLE ABUSE OF WHAT WAS A GESTURE OF KINDNESS", SAYS A PALACE AIDE. STAFF BELIEVE AT LEAST EIGHT PIECES OF SILVER CUTLERY FROM KING GEORGE III's REIGN, EIGHT SIDE PLATES AND CUPS MARKED 'EIIR', AND PIECES FROM QUEEN VICTORIA'S TIME WERE TAKEN.
MORE THAN 5,000 PEOPLE WERE STROLLING THROUGH THE QUEEN'S GARDENS WHEN THE FLASH THUNDERSTORMS STRUCK BUCKINGHAM PALACE, WITH HAILSTONES THE SIZE OF 20p PIECES RAINING DOWN ON THEM, FORCING THE GUESTS TO SEEK SHELTER UNDER TREES AND IN THE PUBLIC TENTS. MANY MORE COWERED UNDER UMBRELLAS CLOSE TO THE QUEEN'S PRIVATE TENT, WHERE SHE WAS HAVING TEA WITH PRINCE PHILIP, PRINCE ANDREW AND THE DUKE OF GLOUCESTER -- THE QUEEN'S TENT IS STRICTLY INVITATION ONLY TO FRIENDS, SENIOR MEMBERS OF THE ROYAL HOUSEHOLD AND HEADS OF CHARITIES. "THE RAIN WAS HAMMERING DOWN. THE QUEEN COULD SEE ALL THESE PEOPLE GETTING SOAKED, SO SHE SIGNALED TO THEM TO COME INSIDE. THERE WERE 50 TO 60", SAYS AN AIDE, "IT SEEMS PEOPLE SLIPPED ITEMS INTO COATS OR BAGS, BECAUSE WHEN STAFF CAME TO CLEAR UP THEY DISCOVERED NOT EVERYTHING COULD BE ACCOUNTED FOR. IT'S VERY SAD THAT AN ACT OF KINDNESS COULD BE TREATED WITH WHAT REALLY WAS TWO FINGERS. WE CAN'T BELIEVE IT. IT'S THE TALK OF THE PALACE."
A BUCKINGHAM PALACE SPOKESMAN DECLINED ANY FORMAL COMMENT ABOUT THE INCIDENT.

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