Diamond Jubilee River Thames spectacular: What Queen’s flotilla will look like when 1,000 boats

It will be, we are confidently promised, the greatest show the Thames has ever seen and perhaps even outshine the Olympics. The Diamond Jubilee river pageant will feature 1,000 boats, 20,000 eager participants and millions of cheering spectators. Details of the spectacular event on June 3 were released yesterday, prompting London Mayor Boris Johnson to predict a ‘glorious’ spectacle which would ‘perhaps be more exciting than the Olympics themselves’. Pageant Master Adrian Evans spoke of ‘a once-in-a-lifetime event, one that will reclaim the Thames as a royal route’. He added: ‘I’m hoping it will be majestic, joyous, uplifting and patriotic – a fitting celebration for the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee.’ The procession from Wandsworth to Tower Bridge will be divided into ten sections interspersed with ‘music herald’ barges. Each vessel will travel at approximately four knots – a fast walking speed – meaning the fleet will complete the seven-mile route in 90 minutes… (Excerpt) Read more at dailymail.co.uk …