Description
Hello and welcome to another fine issue of Royal Britain, the magazine that celebrates Britain’s rich Royal heritage.
What an amazing year 2012 has been, both for our monarchy and for Great Britain as a whole. We all needed a boost in these austere times, and the timing was perfect to remind us all, and the rest of the world, of what makes Britain Great.
First came the unforgettable pomp and pageantry of the Diamond Jubilee, and then the sporting spectacle of the London Olympics, an event that saw British athletes carrying away a record 29 gold medals, reflecting the glory of the best performance by a British team in 104 years. And what about Danny Boyle’s awesome £27 million opening ceremony? The Slumdog Millionaire director even managed to persuade Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II to give her first – and we can safely assume, only – acting appearance!
Was staging the Olympic Games money well spent? The way it has turned out, it certainly seems so. Britain is currently riding high on a surge of national patriotism, and the impressive way that the Games were staged has certainly been a boost to GB PLC’s world standing. It remains to be seen what will happen to some of the Olympic venues in the future, but we do know the 2.5 square kilometer Olympic Village site will be reopening in summer 2013 as the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park. The £3bn scheme is at the centre of the east London regeneration effort and will include 8,000 homes, a university, a commercial hub, a children’s playground and sporting facilities.
That’s all to look forward to, but in the meantime we hope you enjoy our Olympic coverage in this issue and the many other fascinating picture-packed articles with a Royal and historical theme.
Included in this issue:
- A Royal Success
- The Queen at Royal Ascot 2012
- By Invitation Only
- Prince William at 30
- Duchess of Style
- Jewels in the Crown
- A Very Royal Perspective
- Royal Homes: Sandringham
- British Empire Honours
