St. Louis’ Mayor Slay to Declare June 5 as “Queen Elizabeth II Day”

For immediate release

ST. LOUIS – 2012 marks 60 years on the throne for Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II, and St. Louis will be celebrating this landmark occasion for the worldwide British community with The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Lunch at the London Tea Room.

As part of this celebration, St. Louis Mayor Francis Slay will issue a proclamation declaring June 5, 2012, “Queen Elizabeth II Day.”

“There is a strong and vibrant connection between St. Louis and the UK,” the Proclamation will say. “The British community is a strong component of the St. Louis community in the areas of culture, business, and education, and actively works to increase the connections and partnerships between St. Louis and the UK.”

In a letter to Mayor Slay, British Ambassador Sir Peter Westmacott sent his thanks on behalf of Her Majesty “for this very gracious recognition of the importance of the Jubilee. It is a reminder of the deep and strong links which exist between the people of Great Britain and the people of the City of St. Louis.”

The St. Louis celebration will take place on June 5 from 11am-1pm in downtown St. Louis’ London Tea Room with food, music, proclamations, coverage of HM The Queen’s processional from London, giveaways, a raffle to raise funds to fight Mucolipidosis III, demonstration sword fighting and more.

Admission is free. Food is available for purchase. The London Tea Room is located at 1520 Washington Avenue, St. Louis, MO 63103.

“We are incredibly excited to be asked to host the Diamond Jubilee Lunch,” Jackie James, owner of the London Tea Room, said. “People can come for the entire lunch event, or come for just some. We will have good British food available for purchase from the Tea Room and from Queen’s Cuisine, along with a raffle, music, coverage from London, giveaways and sword fighting.”

“How many people can get back to the office after lunch and tell everyone they just witnessed a sword fight in downtown St. Louis, over a cup of tea,” Mark Sutherland, president of Dunrobin Publishing, said. “It will be a grand time for all. And a great break from the office, and a chance for people to bring their kids down to see a wee bit of British culture.”

For interviews or more information contact Mark Sutherland at [email protected] or 314-913-0674 or Jackie James at [email protected] or 314-241-6556.

The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Lunch is supported by the efforts of the UK in St. Louis, the London Tea Room, Mark I. Sutherland, the Black Knights Fight Group, Queen’s Cuisine, folk singers Sid and Maggi Ritchie and bagpiper Lauree Palmer.

Connect with everything British in St. Louis on Facebook, at www.facebook.com/UKinSTL.

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