STATE OPENING OF PARLIAMENT 2012

There will be more posts to come, but I must say, what a ceremony! None know how to deploy such pomp quite like the British do, and it was an amazing spectacle. It all started when the Imperial State Crown was bought in like a god in a carriage by itself. Carried by two men, it was placed before a congregation, and looked pretty impressive. Then, of course, it was all about HM. Arriving in the Australian State Coach accompanied with "God Save the Queen," she stepped off in her customary fur outfit with the George IV State Diadem on. Now due to my blurry coverage, I didn't really get a good look of her outfit, and have to rely on some pretty bad pictures (for now.) What I didn't like was how BBC cut off almost the entire carriage processions to debate over stupid topics!

Oh that fur! Love it!

I must admit, while watching her speech, all my eyes could see was that crown! The main star of the show was the Cullian II (or the Lesser Star of Africa) which out sparkled everything else.

A present from her father, George Vi, HM wore a triple-rowed diamond necklace. Although many were hoping for her to pull out the big guns for her Diamond Jubilee year, I thought it was a touching and sentimental gesture for her to wear it. As for the gown, I was less impressed! Liz, what happened to all those glorious gowns you've worn in the past years? Full of embroidery and what not, those were amazing! But I must say, this one was actually quite plain, and that vertical pattern reminds me of the purple outfit she wore recently and her Royal Wedding outfit. Oh well, I guess we would all have been extremely glad just to bask in the glory of that beauty of a crown!

For more info on the Cullian Diamond, be sure to visit- 

http://orderofsplendor.blogspot.com.au/