File:London parade 9 July 1974 - Princess Margaret.jpg

English: Father mother older sister and I in London, flying in via JFK airport in New York.

In a tube station we saw a notice on the wall announcing that in a few days the Queen would be greeting the Yang of Malaysia at Victoria Train Station, and there would be a parade afterwards. We immediately decided to see it if possible. On the appointed day, as the appointed hour approached, we rode the tube to Victoria Tube Station. As we were exiting the tube we heard a marching band up on the street. As the music got louder fewer people around walked at normal speed, and soon most were jogging up the steps.

Up on the street, there was a marching band in Buckingham Palace guard attire, but nothing else. A Bobby told us that this street would not be part of the main parade, only a staging ground for the bands, and directed us to a block or so away. We found a good location near the curb not far from Victoria Train Station. Some generals in dress uniform walked by, and a group of soldiers snapped to rigid attention holding rifles out pointing up. Soon, with no warning, the Queen rode up in a Rolls Royce in a pretty shade of light purple, waving to the crowds through the window. Her appearance was so sudden that failed to get any photos, but determined us to have cameras ready when she came back by with the Yang et al. As we got our cameras ready, we heard a marching band playing the familiar strains of Scott Joplin’s “The Entertainer”, recently on the hit parade from the film “The Sting”. Eventually the parade came by - the Queen in an open horse-drawn carriage with the Yang. My mother and I both got photos. In the next carriage were the Raja of Malaysia with Prince Philip, followed by other carriages with Princesses Ann and Margaret et al. These were followed by several limosines with other dignitaries of the two nations.

After all the carriages and autos passed, a few regiments of horse guards passed, then some marching troops, a marching group in pith-helmets whom we were informed were the Royal Marines, and finally a yellow street-cleaning truck.