Many of my acquaintances have been going on about how much they despise the existence of a monarchy, that they're citizens not subjects, and how the fireworks display is our taxes going up in smoke.

Personally, I appreciate the symbol of national (and international) unity and being above politics that the Queen is, and I'm Canadian! Having lived in England for 15 years however, I can't imagine how much the British would lose of what makes them British were the monarchy to be abolished, as some claim to desire.

Some highlights of the celebrations here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-18234053

The queen had a jubilee!? i had no idea.

It was great and madness on the roof was fantastic.

Seriously though, i'm gettin sick of it now, everywhere i go, everything i watch everything i hear is about the diamond jubilee.

Royalty isn't something I've ever been excited about, and I'm nonplussed as to why anyone else gets as excited as they do about it. The Queen is just another human being as far as I'm concerned. But meh, whatever. If people enjoy it, fine. I'm not bothered either way.

As far as any notion of "oppression" or civil rights goes with relation to monarchy, they need to get a grip and deal with real problems, not a perceived yet non-existent threat from a now purely symbolic head of state. Government wastes far more money than the Windsor household does.