Royal thoughts

Her Majesty the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh have, this week, been on a state visit to Germany.  The television news here in Britain has just about covered it, as have the newspapers.  Well, the quality press at any rate.  What I and others have found astounding is the reception they have received with the sort of crowds we might expect to see in Commonwealth countries or, in London, on special occasions.  This is the picture, printed in The Times, of the crowd greeting the Queen's appearance on a balcony in Frankfurt.

They are on the balcony just above the Union flag in the centre of the picture.

Meanwhile, this was happening in Windsor:-


Then there's this:-