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I loved the Silver Jubilee, and am honoured to be at the Abbey

THE last time Britain celebrated a coronation, Winston Churchill was prime minister, the structure of DNA had only recently been discovered, and Blackpool were celebrating winning the FA Cup following the legendary Stanley Matthews Final.

Whether you regard yourself as a royalist, republican or somewhere in between, there is no disputing the significance of this weekend. The Coronation will be a moment of celebration for millions in London and across Britain.

It also serves as a rare opportunity for Londoners of every age and background to gather together in a way that only Royal occasions afford.

One of my earliest and fondest memories as a child was joining crowds to line the street as the Silver Jubilee procession of Queen Elizabeth wound its way past our council estate in Earlsfield.

I was there as a six-year old in Tooting with family, friends and neighbours, waiting eagerly by the roadside, beaming from ear to ear, Union Jack flags in hand, and paper crowns on our heads.