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| HMS Belfast and the City of London. |
Saturday September 24, 2022.
To honour the passing of HM Queen Elizabeth II and the accession of King Charles III a flotilla of ships sailed along the River Thames as part of a tribute by the river community.
The flotilla of 150+ illuminated boats, of all shapes and sizes, with the rowbarge 'Gloriana' as its centrepiece, began its journey along the River Thames from Albert Bridge.
Deciding where along the River Thames to view this spectacle was a tough choice;
Did I stand on one of the bridges and look down on the flotilla?
Did I pick a spot near the Palace of Westminster, where the river is narrower, allowing for better shots?
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| The perfect backdrop. |
No. I would stand opposite HM Royal Palace and Fortress of the Tower of London. This would give me an excellent viewpoint of the HMS Belfast and Tower Bridge, with the Tower of London as my backdrop. Besides, the flotilla had to pass through Tower Bridge, which would be raised, and that is always a joy to watch.
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| The flotilla begins to arrive. |
As dusk turned to night the armada of vessels began arriving to the west of Tower Bridge. A tannoy sounded on Tower Bridge and the crowds, who thought that they had picked the perfect spot, had to leave the bridge so that the bascules could be raised.
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| Tower Bridge with her bascules raised. |
