You should try everything once but these, which is the attitude I adopted for Trooping the Colour.
I have started entering competitions recently. So far I have won free Barbican membership and tickets to the Trooping the Colour. The former from the Barbican, the latter from work. Me winning Trooping the Colour tickets was greeted with mirth by those that know me as a class warrior, a socialist. "And a Republican," I reminded them. Jimmy encountered accusations of betrayal of Ireland. My attitude is along the lines of "Know Your Enemy".
The first shock was the early start - be in place by 10 am, toilets close at 10.30 (I suppose it's tantamount to treachery to relieve oneself - or worse - in the Presence). The second shock was a Dress Code. It said: Morning Suit, Lounge Suit or jacket and trousers, so I obeyed the dress code and wore a pinstripe trouser suit.
It was an interesting experience, perhaps the most interesting being observing the British Class System in play. Many people were togged up in posh frocks, WAGs mainly. Even before a mouth was opened, it was so easy to tell Officers' wives and sprogs from those of Other Ranks. We were standing in the "Inner Sentry South" - in front of the stand that was erected in front of the Downing Street Garden, opposite the Old Admiralty Buildings. I won't bore you with the details of what happened when in what order, because it's pretty much the same every year, it's shown on TV, and that would be a tedious blogpost.
I had been worried about standing, fearing that I would have some tall person in front of me, but we were only one deep at the rope, so the view was unobstructed...well, once the massed bands had moved away! We saw the Queen, for Jimmy that was the first time ever, for me the first time in thirty years.
I feel a bit uncomfortable at the thought that I might have been unconsciously, unwittingly and unwillingly be thought to be giving my support to the illegal war in Iraq by going, but I don't think I did. It's an old ceremony, and the army even older. I am not a Pacifist, but I do think we should refrain from entering into Illegal War, in Iraq or anywhere else. But some wars, and, especially "Peacekeeping Missions" are necessary - although wars are usually evidence of the breakdown of diplomacy, not diplomacy by other means (Clausewitz) - example, the Falklands. At the time I was, of course, virulently opposed to it, but on reflection, and after reading "Things Can Only Get Better" by what's his name, that funny chappie from Clapham Common ward, I have to agree that there was an irony in opposing war against an evil right wing dictator (and indeed not many Argentinians did...boom boom). Incidentally, I had a decent view this evening of loads of helicopters doing a flypast of the A23. I was sitting on the top deck of a bus at Crown Point, not a bad vantage point to see ceremonial flies-past.
It was quite an experience being so very close to the soldiers and horses, such that one could almost touch them. I vaguely recalled something about facing them down until you see the whites of their eyes, but that bloke's trombone was way too scary and was coming straight at me. And the horses were kicking up the gravel as they galloped past, I withdrew a bit for that. I was also really impressed by the BBC cameraman who walked parallel to the soldiers marching, but sideways with his knees and back bent ever so awkwardly, just to get the footage.
I would recommend Trooping the Colour once, as an experience, but I wouldn't be in a hurry to return. It comes across as a rather silly little ritual, although considerably less silly live than on the TV. And I suppose all that colour and pomp and ceremony is what keeps the Tourists coming. And the officer classes get indoctrinated throughout their public school carers of the importance of loyalty to Regiment, Queen and Country, which makes them averse to contemplating change, even when on civvie street. So the Ancien Regime stays in place, no boats are rocked, and we remain a semi-democracy with an absence of accountability and where people owe their position not so much to their own endeavours as to accident of birth.
