'She is our Platinum Queen, we will never see her like again' says Southwater royal superfan

But last week’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations were something extra special.

Here she describes how she followed the royals over the four days of Jubilee events.

“For the Trooping the Colour procession we stood where I have done for years, and in spite of the greatly restricted view due to extra press stands for the other events, plus the last minute arrival of approximately 60 people directly in front of us, I somehow managed to get a set of photos of the procession from my step stool.”

She moved on to The Mall to join crowds moving towards Buckingham Palace and photographed unfolding events including the celebratory flypast.

The following day, she said, the sound of the bells before the thanksgiving service was ‘deafening.’

“It had already been announced that The Queen would not be attending the service, which was disappointing, as it was for her, but it was a fabulous chance to see and photograph the rest of the royal family, who were there in such numbers that many of them arrived by bus!”

Julia said she was disappointed the following day that the Queen was unable to attend The Derby. “I have attended the Derby alongside The Queen for many years, and the atmosphere there without her is not the same and I doubt whether either she or I will return now.”

The final big event of the weekend – a pageant featuring the gold state coach – left Julia with “a fabulous view of the entire procession.

"Initially it was very bizarre, the crowd around us was totally unresponsive, and rather than being surrounded by deafening cheering there was just silence as the military section of the parade passed.

"Eventually people started to react to what they were watching, but it was a slow start indeed.”

She added: “For me the highlight was the gold state coach right at the beginning - using modern technology, the fact that the coach was empty did not matter, as we appeared to be passed by Her Majesty herself in her Coronation robes - very clever and highly effective.

"Another highlight was watching, on one of the screens, as young Prince Louis scrambled onto the lap of Prince Charles in the royal box and was bounced on his knee ...

"He was quite the star of the weekend in many ways and it was fun to see the interactions of the Queen's great grandchildren who attended various events throughout the weekend.”

She said the finale – when the Queen appeared unexpectedly again on the balcony – was what the crowd had wanted but not been promised.

"Suddenly the doors onto the famous palace balcony opened and there she was, clad in green and accompanied by her immediate successors and family.

"It was one of those moments that brings tears to your eyes.

"The roar from the crowd was deafening, and there is nothing more rousing than singing the national anthem, along with a huge crowd of people,” adding: “The Queen on the balcony was the perfect end to the celebrations – after all it was all about her!

"She is our Platinum Queen and we will never see her like again.”

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41 pictures of how people in Horsham, Southwater, Rudgwick, Storrington, Colgate, West Chiltington, Mannings Heath and Wisborough Green clebrated the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee