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The dearly loved Diana, Princess of Wales died in a car crash in 1997. Her untimely death brought grief and despair to the nation therefore on this day in 2001 a memorial in Hyde Park was dedicated to her.

The memorial is a water fountain that is located in the southwest corner of Hyde Park. The fountain which was designed by Kathryn Gustafson and cost £3.6 million, was officially opened on the 6 July 2004 by Queen Elizabeth II. It aimed to reflect Diana’s loving personality and to provide a fitting memorial for the beloved princess.

The Red Arrows, officially known as the Royal Air Force Aerobatic Team, are the aerobatics display team of the Royal Air Force.

The team was established in 1964 and its spectacular displays have been impressing the rest of the world ever since. The Red Arrows displays and stunts have captivated hundreds and thousands of people in over 4,000 displays in over 53 countries.

The Red Arrows consist of 9 pilots who form the ‘Diamond Nine’ formation. It is however a huge operation as the pilots are supported by 91 individuals that work on the ground to ensure the safety and smooth runnings of each display.

During their impressive displays, the pilots do not fly directly over the audience, apart from entering the display from behind the crowd. The remainder of the show is performed in front of or parallel to the audience. The pilots may fly as low as 300 feet however, for a ‘Full Looping Display’ to commence the cloud base must be above 4,500 feet. If the cloud base is but more than 2,500 feet the team will perform a ‘Rolling Display’ and if it is less than 2,500 feel the team will display a ‘Flat Display.’

Image Credit:  ralph.stewart

The White Cliffs of Dover are a spectacular part of the British coastline and traditionally the first and last thing that travellers experience on their entry and exit to Britain.

The cliffs spread to the east and west side of the town of Dover in the county of Kent and reach a grand height of 350 feet (110m). The cliffs are composed of soft white chalk, and streaks of black flint create a striking view against the British countryside.

The cliffs have a historical and symbolic value for Britain. When Britain was initially invaded before air travel was developed, the cliffs provided some protection and acted as a symbolic guard to the country as the crossing of Dover was once the primary entry route to Britain.

The song ‘(There’ll be Bluebirds Over) The White Cliffs of Dover’ by Vera Lynn also become a symbol of hope throughout the Second World War. Although the White Cliffs are home to a number of wild birds; including colonies of fulmar and black-legged kittiwake, bluebirds are indigenous to America, and the bluebird in the song represents the ‘bluebird of happiness.’

Also historically important, a significant number of fossils have been discovered in the cliffs’ chalk, including shark teeth, large pectens, ammonites and many more.

Image Credit: Kees Groeneveld

Dame Helen Mirren, DBE (born Helen Lydia Mironoff, 26 July 1945) is a renowned actress who has starred in some of Britain’s most loved films including The Queen and Calendar Girls. She has won numerous awards including the Academy Award for Best Actress, four SAG Awards, four BAFTAs, three Golden Globes, four Emmy Awards and two Cannes Film Festival Best Actress accolades!

Brought up in Southend-on-Sea, Mirren studied at the New College of Speech and Drama in London. At the age of eighteen she successfully auditioned for the National Youth Theatre and made her debut at the Old Vic in a production of Anthony and Cleopatra. Subsequently, Mirren has received acclaim for her performance in many plays, films and television programmes.

As well as receiving many industry awards, Mirren was invested in as a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire (DBE) on 5 December 2003. Interestingly, Mirren initially declined a CBE in 1996, and had to be encouraged to accept her award in 2003.

Image Credit: Kaiser Sousse

 

Fish and chips have long been the nation’s favourite guilty pleasure, with statistics showing that we eat 300 million servings per year!The traditional British dish consists of a piece of battered cod or haddock which is deep-fried and served alongside a large portion of chips.

In the second half of the C19th, fish and chips were a stock meal among the working classes. With the significant rise of trawl fishing in the North Sea and the development of railways and connecting ports that made the transportation of the fish considerably easier, the popularity of the traditional dish increased nationwide.

The first fish and chip shop opened in London in 1860. Since then, fish and chips remains to be a traditional Friday night treat for the British nation. Many eateries even vary their menus on Friday to offer fish and chips to meet the demands of the British public!

What is your favourite British dish? Let us know below!

Image Credit: Dr Fizzwizzle

Captain Sir Richard Francis Burton KCMG FRGS (1821 –1890)

A man considered to be one of the most fascinating Englishmen of the Victorian era.

Writer, explorer, ferocious soldier, spy, diplomat, geographer, linguist (Speaking 29 languages!)…The list goes on.

Best known for his journey to Mecca in 1853, disguised as an Arab, having immersed himself in the Arab way of life (Even to the point of getting himself circumcised!)

Burton went on to explore large parts of Africa, and was the first European to set eyes on lake Tanganyika, eventually discovering the source of the Nile.

Once on his expedition to Somalia, his group was attacked by a group of Somali warriors, and Burton received a spear wound, piercing one cheek, and exiting the other, leaving him with a noticeable scar, easily seen in his subsequent portraits.

Some of Burton’s writings were considered risqué at the time, these include translations of the Karma sutra of Vatsyayana, and The Arabian Knights.

In 1869 he was made consul in Damascus, and four years later became the Consul in Trieste.

Burton died in Trieste 20 October 1890 of a heart attack, and is entombed in Mortlake, in Surrey.

 

Today’s moment has been brought to you by Duerr’s fan Colin Macpherson.

Image Credit: Norman B. Leventhal Map Center at the BPL