I WENT TO SEE THE QUEEN and all I spotted used to be as soon as a flash of her mint green go well with.
It have got been a spontaneous option to decide on cling of the day and fancy all 3 of our children out of college to witness this ancient royal visitation. It used to be as soon as slightly plausible within the the table is finished in brown lacquer that this vigor be Her Majesty’s ultimate visit to Brisbane. They vigor bear in mind this enter on for years yet to come.
The fervour of missing faculty and seeing the queen used to be as soon as tangible. Everyone made sure their footwear have got been appropriate as I’d relayed a story about Prince Phillip snubbing a royal fan after he caught sight of their earlier, scuffed footwear. We vigor be more than ready for the prince and the queen with our neat attire and well-shod feet.
We presented our option to visit Her Majesty to he asked for the manager and our neighbour and her 3 children at the side of 3 additional prepared he asked for the manager took up the offer to accompany us. All have got been naturally overjoyed to fancy a day without work faculty because of the sanctioning by means of our coaching minister. Our new royalists ranged in age from Grade 4 to Grade 11—civilised, manageable ages no longer liable to getting out of place or behaving inappropriately in Her Majesty’s presence (we in any case visualised her shaking our hands and congenially chatting).
We steered at 8am, that means to ???????? ?? ?????? our spot along her Southbank route. The train go back and forth used to be as soon as immediately ahead and we have got been lulled potency right into a false sense that most likely we have got been among only a handful of royal watchers out on this sunny October morning. We disembarked at Southbank, and however, the gang used to be as soon as no longer overwhelming—a promising sign. The only early birds like us have got been some prettily frocked little girls carrying posies of plants while accompanied by means of their suitably elegant mums. The plants, we plunge into out later, might be their price tag to the queen. (Remember to self: At hand time, ship extravagant bunch of plants—preferably containing a few native species sure to be given the nod for their patriotism. Borrow adorable child to accompany plants.)

A young girl waits patiently with roses for the queen Image © JournoNews.com
We decided on a spot nearest to the wheel where we could see the queen as she ascended the stairs to QPAC. In line with protection, we might have got were given a simply potency vantage stage as she and her entourage later drove throughout the arbour. What we hadn’t slightly counted on used to be as soon as the gang that slowly filled our little viewing spot. Or that we would no longer be able to go by bus away our station for five hours for fear of eternally losing precious flooring. Not at all underestimate the wily ways of unsuspecting little earlier grannies carrying fold up stools and wearing a benign smile. They can fancy your spot from force underneath your nose and no longer the use of a hint of shame.
The sun beat with a stick the rug fiercely for an October morning and as the hours went by means of; the primary recreational turn out to be witnessing SES volunteers rescuing swooning elderly royalists and dehydrated children. Caged in the back of protection fencing, without colour or inside sight water stations, it used to be as soon as no longer sudden we commoners have got been fading fast.

Dehydrated Royalists revived throughout the colour by means of SES volunteers Image © JournoNews.com
As one Lifeguard volunteer used to be as soon as heard to say: “The former ducks are dropping like flies”.
After what looked like an eternity and after a lot of mutterings from our jaded prolonged circle of relatives that an air-conditioned study room used to be as soon as starting to sound slightly fascinating, there used to be as soon as a roar from the gang. This signalled Her Majesty had disembarked from her cruiser and used to be as soon as heading against QPAC.
We have got been parched and seared from hours throughout the sun alternatively we rose to the enter on and snapped away at … correctly, at the back of other folks’s heads. Where used to be as soon as the girl? We knew she used to be as soon as wearing mint green from the huge television visual display unit we had glimpsed earlier, alternatively there have got been such a large amount of hats and such a large amount of hangers on it used to be as soon as arduous to discern where the girl of the moment used to be as soon as the least bit.
I hoisted up a squashed and sweaty toddler on the again ask him to do it to catch a glimpse of the queen.
“See, she’s the former lady with the sunshine green hat,“ I discussed, rather ready to appear her myself.
He looked at me with a bemused expression and I had a sudden realisation he hadn’t a clue what he used to be as soon as having a look at. Nor did I. Neatly, I did see her mint green go well with for a second from the shoulders up—and the once more of her matching green hat—oh certain and I embrace have got to be thankful for the glimpse of her white-gloved hand waving to the gang.

“See, she’s the former lady with the sunshine green hat,“ I discussed Image © JournoNews.com
Most simple later did I realise that throughout my frenzied bid to appear the queen, I had totally unnoticed Prince Phillip. And then it used to be as soon as over. The queen did not i have got to go by bus now up the QPAC stairs as predicted and embrace have got to have got were given snuck through any other entrance to greet flood victims. We vigor have got were given to stick up for an accurate look when she drove earlier us throughout the royal procession. Would in all probability I add that folks have got been however passing out throughout the heat and there used to be as soon as no water to be had. The drinks broker had long term out of cold drinks and the gang used to be as soon as so thick, there didn’t seem any get admission to to water bubblers the least bit.
Fearing indubitably certainly one of our large birthday party would flake out throughout the phase hour look ahead to the queen to re-emerge from QPAC, I decided to be the water scout. Loaded with a once more pack of empty water bottles, I headed off. A tired having a look SES worker directed me to a bubbler along the threshold of the river and I in a position to stand in a longer line. There used to be as soon as, then again, an insignificant trickle emanating from this water provide and I predicted it vigor fancy me ages to fill 11 water bottles. I moreover feared I vigor be lynched by means of a thirsty mob for hogging the bubbler.
I decided wash basins throughout the ablution block have got been a better option. So I headed once all over again through throngs of onlookers now collected at the rainforest where she used to be as soon as as a result of appear later, to the ablution blocks. There I was greeted by means of a longer queue. In any case, I reached water and filled up 11 water bottles to revive a parched troupe. Buoyed by means of my a beat someone black and blue quest, I pushed my way through crowds once all over again, and in any case, had our vantage stage in my attractions. Merely then there used to be as soon as a roar of delight and I spotted cameras held aloft photographing the queen and her entourage the use of inside of a hair’s breadth of our spot. I had unnoticed the entire royal enter on by means of. My selection to glimpse the queen nigh up used to be as soon as eternally dashed.

Most simple Her Majesty can draw this prefer of attention! Image © JournoNews.com
I did later see the video footage on my daughter’s iPod—and the {{photograph}} taken by means of my son as she drove earlier.
She appeared mesmerizing and I’m urged by means of a fortunate buddy who in truth got to appear her up nigh, her pores and pores and skin is translucent and unblemished for a girl of her age. She’s moreover attention-grabbing, attentive and rather smaller than she turns out in footage.
I’ll have got were given to fancy her word for it.
© Lois Nicholls