Diamond Jubilee
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Spectators along the mall prior to the Queen's Jubilee Concert in front of Buckingham Palace, London, Monday, June 4, 2012. The concert is a part of four days of celebrations to mark the 60 year reign of Britain's Queen Elizabeth II.
It was good to see young Bermudian Sea Cadets representing the Island at the Diamond Jubilee pageant on the River Thames in London.
That they were one of the few groups from outside the British Isles to take part adds to the distinction.
They will have had an experience of a lifetime, and it is very unlikely that they, or anyone else now living, will be able to say that they took part in a Diamond Jubilee, given their rarity.
Certainly, they will have more to say than most people who remained in Bermuda, where the Jubilee celebrations have been quite low key.
It may be that this was partly deliberate. There was not much build-up to the day, and the events were fairly subdued.
It would be wrong, however, to read into this that Bermudians are less royalist than they have been in the past, and it would be completely wrong to assume that this makes them more prone to Independence.
The Royal Visit in 2009 saw large crowds turn out to greet the Queen and great enthusiasm for her, more so, it seemed than in her previous visit.
And there is great respect for the Queen and the jobs she has done over 60 years, both in Britain and throughout the Commonwealth, a unique grouping which she has personally nurtured.
But that warm welcome did not mean then that Bermuda was more in favour of retaining its Overseas Territory status.
Most Bermudians understand very well that the British Government is not led by the Queen, even if she appoints it, and that she has almost nothing to do with decisions made about Bermuda in Whitehall or Westminster.
The relatively quiet celebrations of the Jubilee instead have a great deal to do with distance, both physical and psychological.
Bermuda remains an Overseas Territory for largely pragmatic reasons and we are Bermudians first and British Overseas Territory citizens second.
For now, the guarantee of defence and the possibilities offered by British citizenship outweigh the disadvantages. Unless there is a change in that balance, Bermuda will remain an Overseas Territory and loyal subjects of the Queen, if not very demonstrative ones.
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Published Jun 5, 2012 at 8:23 am (Updated Jun 5, 2012 at 8:22 am)