Fascinators and floral dresses were in preponderance along with all manner of Union Jack apparel as several hundred people gathered Sunday afternoon to celebrate Queen Elizabeth’s Platinum Jubilee at the Fairmont Miramar Hotel & Bungalows in Santa Monica – one of the favorite places of British people to settle in L.A.
What time? Tea time, of course.
Festivities to honor the Queen’s 70 years on the throne started off with bagpipes and a performance of the national anthem, God Save the Queen, performed by Lauren Samuels, followed by a video of highlights of Elizabeth’s decades-long reign. Celebrated in the U.K. officially early last month, her time on the throne is a record for a British monarch.
Glasses of champagne were distributed and the crowd was instructed in the proper way to make the Loyal Toast – no clinking of glasses, no toasting with water and certainly no chugging of the bubbly.
British consul general Emily Cloke led the raising of the glasses after introductory remarks from Nigel Daly O.B.E., chairman of BritWeek and James Langridge, representing the British American Business Council Los Angeles, sponsors of the event.
The rest of the afternoon was filled with music. Beatles tribute band Plastic Soul got the dancing started with a half-hour set of some of the Fab Four’s greatest hits.
As the song says, “Oh, yeah, I’ll tell you somethin’ I think you’ll understand.” They were pretty fab, performing iconic tunes like “I Want to Hold Your Hand,” “She Loves You” and “Please Please Me.”
As the festivities continued on the hotel’s lawn with its centerpiece 80-foot tall Moreton Bay Fig tree, guests indulged in U.K. specialties like chocolate trifle and strawberry scones along with plentiful pâté and cheeses.
And oh, the libations. Plentiful shots of Macallan 19 Scotch Whisky, tastings of various vintages from Adobe Road Winery, pints on tap and a full top-shelf bar lubricated the proceedings on the sun-dappled afternoon.
Of course there was tea, served by Charles and Company.
Nigel Lythgoe, co-creator of Fox’s “So You Think You Can Dance,” introduced the Dear Amy (Winehouse) tribute band. The 9-piece group is fronted by Frankie Jordan, who in addition to her blistering lead vocals bears an uncanny resemblance to the late, great performer.
One lucky guest won the raffle, a pair of first class tickets to London on Virgin Atlantic. Buckingham Palace awaits.
As the sun faded over the Pacific, renowned English music producer and DJ Paul Oakenfold, known as the maestro of EDM, spun beats that again brought the crowd to its feet—and dancing on the lawn.
The Queen would have approved.
