Dame Julie's Investiture - For Queen and Country (2000)

Описание: READ THE FAN ACCOUNT BELOW
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When it was first announced that Julie Andrews, Elizabeth Taylor and Shirley Bassey was to be honored by Queen Elizabeth II and their home country, on the New Year Honours 2000 (announced on the 31st of December 1999), we really felt so proud for Julie. This, I’m sure, is the highest honour Julie will ever receive by her own country and Queen. Still living in Sweden in the 1980s, I had written to the Queen at Buckingham Palace, asking her to offer Julie a Damehood. I received a reply from the Queen’s office at Buckingham Palace that they had forwarded my letter to the Primeminister’s Office, who dealt with these matters.
It looks like my letter got misplaced for 10 years or so…but better late than never.

On the 16th of May, 2000, Julie left the Dorchester Hotel for her journey to Buckingham Palace and the Investiture. Stuart was there to take photos. Fans from all over Europe had come to be a part of this momentous event. We were all at the left gates that led into the Palace grounds, waiting for Julie to arrive. We were all so very excited!

First car to arrive had Elizabeth Taylor in it, another mega screen icon. Not long after Julie’s car came through the gates and we cheered and waved our flags. I was wearing my homemade The Sound of Music poster, put together out of sing-a-long-a-Sound of Music posters, which is a craze you must experience even if you are a super fan of the movie. Thanks to that Royal Correspondent Jenny Bond and American NBC came over for a chat. Julie’s constant companion at the time, Tony Adams, also came up to have a closer look at my poster.

At the time we didn’t know what was happening inside the palace walls, though we later got to see some footage from the Investiture. Julie had asked that her ceremony with the Queen would be a private one, with no cameras allowed to film it.

Afterwards Julie said: “This is the greatest honour of my life. I didn’t think I was eligible as I have lived in America for such a long time, but I’ve always felt that I’ve taken my Britishness with me.”
Julie had daughter Emma Walton Hamilton and other members of the family with her to share in her proudest moment.

We were still waiting outside the gates for Julie to leave the palace, and when she did, she gave us one of her beautiful smiles and waved to us, while leaving the palace and media behind.

Now, wasn’t this a day to cherish and remember!?


Anders
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Sources:
Julie Andrews DBE, is honoured for services to acting and entertainment, and Elizabeth Taylor DBE, for services to acting and charity.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2000_Ne...)
Rule Britannia, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, conductor Carl Davis (supposedly)
Palace footage - BBC, AP.