Who would have guessed in the 1960s that Michael Parker a typical young Army officer would turn into one of the most remarkable showmen of his generation? Michael Parker's creativity & originality
- all too often achieved in the face of stifling bureaucracy
- along with an ability to organise down to the last detail
- meant he was in continuous demand to mastermind all kinds of events such as most of the British royal jubilees & birthday celebrations for The Queen the Queen Mother. Other events included London's G7 conference royal weddings in countries such as Jordan victory commemorations charity events & some of the world's largest military tattoos
- Berlin Edinburgh & the London Tournament. He records his triumphs & disasters & the inside story of some spectacular c**k-ups
- although to the spectators & television audiences all might have seemed fine. The pundits thought The Queen's Golden Jubilee in 2002 would be a non-event
- Who would come?" they said. But Michael Parker had no doubt that he could lay on a show that was worthy of the Queen
- & of Great Britain. He was right & proved the critics wrong
- 2 million people flocked down the Mall to Buckingham Palace to enjoy the celebrations he had helped organise. Some 25 years earlier his complex plans for the Queen's 1977 Silver Jubilee bonfires definitely did not go to plan
- much to the Queen's amusement
- & as for those fireworks in Hyde Park to celebrate Prince Charles & Diana's wedding
- that's another story.. .as is the escaping python at the Berlin Tattoo."