Yesterday’s Times marked the final commemorative issue of the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee celebrations. It dutifully described Tuesday’s events, as well as the fashion hits and misses of the female members of the Royal Family. However, as befitted the Souvenir Edition, The Times covered the general tone of the four days of festivities, emphasising the Queen’s personal humility and gratitude at the celebrations, as well as her national and international popularity.
I enjoyed Valentine Low’s article, which commented on the dynastic symbolism behind the Jubilee, as the once crowded Buckingham Palace balcony was replaced by the smaller “core royal team” (with the notable absence of the Duke of Edinburgh), a photograph which rightly made the newspaper’s front cover.
Despite the invariable dominance of the Jubilee, I was pleased to see that the World pages featured reports and commentary on the death of Abu Yahya al-Libi , al-Qaeda’s second-in-command, by an American drone attack in northern Pakistan.
James Hider’s article on Russian diplomatic manoeuvres in Syria and pieces on Spain’s teetering economic situation reminded readers of the temporary relief offered by the national Bank Holiday celebrations.