Two years ago today, at ten past three in the afternoon, the longest reign in the history of the British Crown came to an end. After a couple of hours to notify Downing Street, the Queen's overseas prime ministers and the Commonwealth Secretary-General, the news was announced to the world at 6.30pm. Twenty-four months on, the decline in the monarchy has been more precipitous than even I had expected, with the statistically improbable simultaneous cancers of both the King and the most popular member of the Royal Family dramatically reducing the Crown's visibility in the wider world: Two years into her own reign Elizabeth II was halfway through a six-month Commonwealth tour; her successor has yet to set foot in any of his far-flung dominions, and nobody seems very much to be missing him. His heir, whose views are as risibly modish as those of his younger brother, has indicated that he is not entirely comfortable with the idea of becoming Head of the Commonwealth, and the logic of that should surely indicate an implied discomfort with the rest of the job, too. Her late Majesty kept the show on the road against the odds - see her cousins and in-laws across the map, from Russia to Greece. Her son and grandson seem disinclined to make the effort.
Nevertheless, in memory of what was, on this second anniversary of the Queen's death we are reprising this special edition of Steyn's Song of the Week.
First broadcast to mark her Platinum Jubilee, this programme celebrates a beloved song of the young Princess Elizabeth and her dashing naval lieutenant. We'll also hear the Queen Mother's favourite song, and another whose advice Princess Margaret failed to heed.
To listen to the show, simply click above. This was a popular show on Jubilee weekend in June 2022. John Barrett, my fellow Granite Stater, wrote:
Another gem! We so enjoyed it.
Fran Lavery, a First Weekend Founding Member from New Mexico, said:
This was one I would like to play until the cellular starts cracking. You can't get in a dumpy mood with that music.
Gareth Wigmore, a Steyn Clubber from the English East Midlands, added:
Thanks for the King and I song - truly spellbinding.
...and a final word from Bennie Shaviv, who caught the original airing on the first day of Jubilee observances:
Thanks Mark for your wonderful Platinum Jubilee show on Serenade Radio. I particularly loved that bossa-nova take on 'People will say we're in love' by Stacey Kent with Getz-like sax! The show was a real treat.
Thank you, Bennie. The "Getz-like sax" was Miss Kent's talented husband, Jim Tomlinson.
We do enjoy your comments on the show. You're welcome to leave them below - or over at Serenade Radio, where they love hearing from listeners.
