Richmond - The Regal Suburb

A bit of Royalty has hit suburbia.

The Royal Barge 'Gloriana' in Richmond Upon Thames

Queen Elizabeth's royal barge, 'Gloriana', has been moored in Richmond Upon Thames for the last few days for some final touches before it takes centre stage for the Diamond Jubilee weekend.

Golden Hinde - replica of the 16th century boat
that circumnavigated the world,
captained by Sir Francis Drake

 On Sunday 3rd June, the Thames Diamond Jubilee River Pageant will begin its seven mile journey in Hammersmith and finish in Greenwich. Flanked by over a thousand other boats, the route will take four hours, and organisers are expecting more than a million people to line the banks of the river.


But why has Liz chosen the Thames for her celebratory parade? The Thames has been a convenient path for trade and transport, and it would seem royalty have a habit of using water to make dramatic entrances (and, in some cases, exits). Richard III was the first monarch to attend his coronation by water in late 15th century, whilst Henry VIII organised an extravagant flotilla of boats for his second wife, Anne Boleyn's coronation. (She was later taken on the same route in quite a different fashion to her execution.)

"And so Havengore sails into history – not even the Golden Hinde has borne

so great a man”

The Thames has also been the setting for more melancholic scenes. Elizabeth I's coffin was transported in a barge draped in black from Richmond to Whitehall in the dead of night, tailed by vessels holding candle-lit vigils in her memory. Admiral Lord Nelson also had his remains carried up the river on a barge draped in black velvet and lavishly decorated with large black plumes, whilst in 1965, Churchill's body was carried on upriver on the Havengore, a vessel that will be part of the procession on 3rd June.

Travelling with Gloriana and the Havengore will be numerous other historical vessels, including the Jubilant, a barge presented to the Queen for her golden jubilee. Considering Her previous river pageant record (She celebrated Her coronation, silver and golden jubilees in a similar manner), it seems particularly fitting to acknowledge her sixty year reign with another.

Jubilant - replica of the 18ths century barge presented to the Queen for her golden jubilee,
made by Mark Edwards in Richmond Upon Thames

Portwey - the only coal-fired steam tug active in the UK

Eilean - a sailing boat famous for her appearance in Duran Duran's 'Rio' video.

Waverley - last sea-going paddle steamer in the world