Buckingham Palace has announced that Queen Elizabeth II, accompanied by the Duke of Edinburgh, will be visiting Margate on November 11; the day the nation remembers the servicemen and women who have fought and died for our country.
Further details on the itinerary for the day are yet to be confirmed. All we know is that the seaside town of Margate, having seen much transformation over the past few months, is to be honoured by the visit, which gives everyone in Thanet a wonderful opportunity to welcome the Royal Highnesses and show their support.
The Queen and Duke of Edinburgh certainly keep to a busy schedule. They have just returned from their tour in Australia, and after visiting Margate, other future events include visits to Surrey, Liverpool and welcoming the President of Turkey, to name just a few.
Recent visits by the Queen to Kent have included a tour of Invicta Park Barracks in Maidstone in March this year, and an inspection of soldiers at Brompton Barracks in Medway in 2007. Her visit to Margate will come as a huge boost to local commerce, particularly as the summer season is behind us and the winter months are setting in.
Despite this, the news has been met with both excitement and skepticism, in particular, why the Queen would choose to visit Margate? Well, the town has seen huge improvements in recent months, most significantly with the opening of The Turner Contemporary in April, and many shops and businesses in the old town.
As with many towns along this stretch of coast, Margate played it’s part in both world wars and is home, not only to a war memorial, situated at Trinity Hill, commemorating 696 servicemen who lost their lives, but also the Margate Museum displaying memorabilia from this era and others. So are any of these locations to be added to the Queens itinerary? Or will she surprise us all and head to the amusement arcades with a bag full of 2p coin’s?! Exact details are being kept under wraps until nearer the time for security reasons, but she is expected to be given a tour of the town and include time to meet the locals.
So, if you’re lucky enough to meet the Queen, you might wonder how you should behave? Fear not – there are no obligatory codes of behaviour contrary to popular believe, just courtesy. What’s more, the Queen meets thousands of people each year and she’s been doing so for over 60 years! If you do want to stick to the formalities though, then it’s a neck bow for men and a small curtsy for women and use “Your Majesty” to greet her and then subsequently “Ma’am”. Got all that? Don’t worry if the nerves kick in though. Whilst shouting “Hiya Liz” from across the street is going too far, a simple hand shake will suffice!
So, will you be heading down to Margate on 11 November? Let’s us know your thoughts!
