The ultimate children's party.

[matriarch]

Queen throws party for children


A plethora of classic children's characters are appearing at "the ultimate children's party" at Buckingham Palace for 2,000 youngsters.

The palace garden has been made into a fantasy land including characters from the Famous Five and Harry Potter.

As well as a Mad Hatter's Tea Party, an all-star show about the Queen losing her handbag - broadcast on BBC One - is also part of the day.

The event is the latest to mark the Queen's 80th birthday.

The youngsters, together with 1,000 adults, were selected by ballot to be part of the event.

Handbag found

The show, directed by Sir Trevor Nunn, will see baddies, including Captain Hook and Cruella de Vil, steal the Queen's handbag which contains a speech.

The Famous Five and Harry Potter will come to the monarch's rescue.

The show will culminate with the Queen appearing on stage to read out the recovered speech.

The show, entitled The Queen's Handbag, is an adaptation of Roald Dahl's The BFG.

Model Sophie Dahl, the author's granddaughter and the inspiration for the book, is to play herself.

She will join other celebrity performers including Harry Hill, Ronnie Corbett, Julie Walters and Martin Clunes.

"I've done pantomime really for about thirty years, so I'm not frightened of being in front of children," Corbett told BBC News.

"They're spirited and they're lovely and with you and they're shouting and they're screaming."

Sir Trevor said it had been a challenge to organise "huge numbers of personalities and famous people" for the event.

"The kids will recognise characters from every kind of story and the adults will recognise who is playing them," he said.

Food hampers

The palace fantasy land includes Toad of Toad Hall rowing on the lake and Thomas the Tank Engine in his own railway station.

Other characters at the party include Bob the Builder, Winnie the Pooh and Peter Rabbit.

Guests will enjoy food hampers made by celebrity chef Jamie Oliver who the Queen will meet before strolling around the garden for an hour-and-a-half.

Event producer Robbie Williams said: "The whole theme of this is to encourage the promotion of British children's literature but we hope it will also be the ultimate children's party."

The live show will start at 1800 BST.

I wanna go !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Stella_Omega]

Awww how cute! I wanna go too!

Who's the famous five?

 

[scheherazade_79]

Queen throws party for children

I wanna go !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Me too!!!! I'm gutted I didn't get an invitation! Can you imagine how much fun it would be after a couple of gin and tonics?

 

[matriarch]

Awww how cute! I wanna go too!

Who's the famous five?

*gasp*

The Famous Five.

A group of 4 children and a dog, who underwent many famous and brave exploits, at the pen of Enid Blyton. Part of the literary staple diet for all British children.

When I first came across their books in the library, when I had been allowed to finally choose my own, I devoured them all. Very old-world England, very middle class children, and written in the days when children could go off for the day on their own without parents worrying.

Idyllic.

But such ripping good fun, doncha know.

 

[scheherazade_79]

*gasp*

The Famous Five.

A group of 4 children and a dog, who underwent many famous and brave exploits, at the pen of Enid Blyton. Part of the literary staple diet for all British children.

When I first came across their books in the library, when I had been allowed to finally choose my own, I devoured them all. Very old-world England, very middle class children, and written in the days when children could go off for the day on their own without parents worrying.

Idyllic.

But such ripping good fun, doncha know.

... not to mention the fact they had names like Dick and Fanny

 

[matriarch]

... not to mention the fact they had names like Dick and Fanny

Naughty girl, there was no Fanny.

Julian, Anne, Dick and their tomboy cousin Georgina, known as George. And Timmy the dog.

Enid Blyton's archive

And if I remember rightly, she also wrote about the 'Secret Seven'. They weren't half as good as the spiffing yarns she wrote for the Famous Five.

 

[matriarch]

If you go to here , you'll be able to click on the map they all get for the handbag hunt.

 

[scheherazade_79]

Naughty girl, there was no Fanny.

Julian, Anne, Dick and their tomboy cousin Georgina, known as George. And Timmy the dog.

Enid Blyton's archive

And if I remember rightly, she also wrote about the 'Secret Seven'. They weren't half as good as the spiffing yarns she wrote for the Famous Five.

I'm SURE there was! Wasn't it Uncle Quentin and Aunt Fanny that they stayed with at Kirrin Cottage?

 

[matriarch]

I'm SURE there was! Wasn't it Uncle Quentin and Aunt Fanny that they stayed with at Kirrin Cottage?

I really can't remember......it was a looooooong time ago for me. Go research it woman, and get back to me.

 

[kbate]

From the thread title - I thought this was a Democratic party fundraiser spam....

 

[Stella_Omega]

*gasp*

The Famous Five.

A group of 4 children and a dog, who underwent many famous and brave exploits, at the pen of Enid Blyton. Part of the literary staple diet for all British children.

When I first came across their books in the library, when I had been allowed to finally choose my own, I devoured them all. Very old-world England, very middle class children, and written in the days when children could go off for the day on their own without parents worrying.

Idyllic.

But such ripping good fun, doncha know.

Oh, I adore stories like these! Or, at least- the concept of them.
we had a few similar on this side of the pond- "The Happy Hollanders" was one. My gramma bought them for me. Wish I still had them.

 

[matriarch]

Oh, I adore stories like these! Or, at least- the concept of them.
we had a few similar on this side of the pond- "The Happy Hollanders" was one. My gramma bought them for me. Wish I still had them.

This page gives a synopsis of one of the earlier ones, and shows some of the original drawings that went with the book. Very old fashioned (1947), but wonderful reads for kids of my generation........I didn't realise they were still popular.

And Scheh.....you were right...there IS an Aunt Fanny.

 

[Nirvanadragones]

Queen throws party for children

Handbag found

The show, directed by Sir Trevor Nunn, will see baddies, including Captain Hook and Cruella de Vil, steal the Queen's handbag which contains a speech.

PMSROFLOL!!!!

 

[matriarch]

PMSROFLOL!!!!

I wondered if Abs and Lou had seen this.......they have a thread, an old one, called the Queen's handbag.