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Jubilee Offers Brittons A Break From Economic News

RENEE MONTAGNE, HOST:

And our last word in business this morning is: Jubilation.

Hundreds of thousands of Britons gathered outside Buckingham Palace last night for the Diamond Jubilee concert, celebrating the queen's 60-year reign. The evening offered a break from Britain's bad economic news and another opportunity to rebrand positively the Royal Family.

DAVID GREENE, HOST:

And to that end, it could be called a triumph. Performers, including Paul McCartney and Elton John sang songs from each decade of the Queen's reign and a spectacular light show turned the palace into a vision of the country itself.

MONTAGNE: Laser projectors beamed images onto the palace of red brick row houses with a bus passing by.

GREENE: Prince Charles gave a tribute to Mummy and noted that is father, Prince Philip, could not attend because he was ill.

CHARLES WINDSOR: Ladies and gentlemen, if we shout loud enough he might just hear us in hospital...

(APPLAUSE)

MONTAGNE: And the prince was drowned out by this response. Then he kissed Her Majesty's hand and proposed three cheers.

WINDSOR: Hip, hip...

CROWD: Hooray.

WINDSOR: Hip, hip...

CROWD: Hooray.

GREENE: And the band Madness, playing their famous '80s hit "Our House," from the roof of the palace.

(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "OUR HOUSE")

MADNESS: (Singing) Our house, in the middle of our street. Our house, in the middle of our street.

GREENE: The Royal Family concludes four days of celebrations today - no fireworks expected.

That's the business news on MORNING EDITION from NPR News. I'm David Greene.

MONTAGNE: And I'm Renee Montagne.

(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "OUR HOUSE")

MADNESS: (Singing) And sister's sighing in her sleep. Oh, oh, oh. Brother's got a date to keep. He can't hang around. Where? Where? Our house, in the middle of our street. Our house, in the... Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.