'Disgraceful' Ex Queen guard rages at 'off-their-head' Republicans over Jubilee protests
REPUBLICANS calling for protests against the British Monarchy over the Queen's Jubilee weekend have been slapped down by a former Coldstream Guard.
Jubilee: Former Queen's guard member slams Republican uproar
Jeremy Vine has heard from a former member of the Coldstream Guards, who spent years guarding the Queen, and as little time for republican opposition to the Platinum Jubilee celebrations. Graham from Devon called the uproar from anti-monarchists an "absolutely disgraceful" as slapped down the idea of replacing the Queen with an elected president.
Graham told Jeremy Vine: " I think it's absolutely disgraceful.
"I spent nine years in the Coldstream Guards, I have guarded the Queen and it's actually 50 years this year that I was on Trooping of the Colour with her."
He continued: "Just imagine President Trump or President Johnson, oh my God it beggars belief.
"They have to be off their heads!"
Polls show the Queen remains very popular and well-respected, although they suggest growing indifference to the monarchy among younger people.
A YouGov survey for the Republic campaign group last Thursday also found that more than half of those surveyed were not interested in the jubilee.
"Rather than being a national celebration, the jubilee is a minority interest," said Graham Smith from Republic.
"The lack of interest across the country and all age groups under 65 shows the monarchy's future is in serious doubt."
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Elizabeth, 96, marked seven decades on the throne in February, and two public holidays have been set aside to create a four-day weekend for nationwide events commemorating her reign from June 2-5.
It is not clear how many of these the monarch herself will attend, having been forced to miss a number of official engagements in recent months because of what Buckingham Palace calls "episodic mobility issues". Royal officials say her attendance will be decided on the day.
Paying tribute to "Elizabeth the Great" in parliament last week, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said her service and dedication to duty was without parallel.
"I hope that in the coming days we can ... show with every bonfire, with every concert and street party and aerobatic display, a love and a devotion to reciprocate the love and devotion and leadership she has shown to the whole country over seven decades," he said.
The four days of events begin on Thursday with the traditional "Trooping the Colour" military parade in central London, which will be followed by a flypast of modern and historic aircraft.
on Saturday the Queen is due to attend the Derby horse race with other family members. Later there will be a concert outside Buckingham Palace, featuring the likes of the rock group Queen, pop band Duran Duran and US singer Diana Ross.
Celebrations will conclude on Sunday, with street parties and a pageant through the British capital.
Elizabeth became the queen of Britain and more than a dozen other realms including Canada, Australia, and New Zealand on the death of her father King George VI on February 6, 1952, while she was in Kenya on an international tour.