Crowning Glory

Photo © Rob Jones

Doing a little bit of idle shopping today … it was raining outside and I didn’t want to walk home from swimming and get wet … and yes, I know that’s not logical.

Anyway … eyes snagged on a display of Coronation party ‘material.’ I was so tempted to buy some decorative straws and some paper napkins, but I know they would simply sit in the cupboard and still be there 20 years later.

That was always the case at home … drawers and drawers full of items kept for posterity. Some of which I appear to still have. Waiting for a posterity nirvana.

Newspapers marking the Queen’s Coronation, The Investiture in Caernarfon in 1969, The weddings of Princess Margaret, Princess Anne and the then Prince Charles. The arrival of various royal babies. And I must confess that I am always tempted when I see souvenir editions of magazines for special occasions.

But what a peculiar impulse we all have … to gather memorabilia for historic events over which we have no control, nor do we have a close connection with those involved.

Soon, I am sure I will receive an invitation to a ‘jolly’ event to mark the coronation in May. I shall decline.

I’m not good with jolly events. I’d rather place myself on the sofa with a selection of snacks and a bottle of fizz to watch events in comfort.

Or better still … head out for a long walk and return later for the edited highlights.

In the meantime, I really need to resist the drive to buy tat.

I may fail.

R