A Green Park picnic became a full day out for Trooping the Colour 2016. I began at Borough Market with a pork pie on my shopping list, crossed London by hire bike and collected a Scotch egg from Fortnum & Mason. Then came coffee in Shepherd Market, lunch beneath the trees and the gun salute for Queen Elizabeth II’s official 90th birthday.
From the Roberts London archive: this film was published on 19 June 2016 and follows the official birthday celebrations on 11 June. Shops, prices and park guidance discussed in the film reflect that visit.
Picnic shopping at Borough Market
The day started near London Bridge, beneath an overcast sky. It was warm enough for a picnic, even if the weather did not look especially summery. My plan was to gather a few British classics and take them to Green Park, where I hoped to see the birthday gun salute.
First came Mrs King’s at Borough Market. I picked up a Melton Mowbray pork pie, passing Scotch eggs, sausage rolls and other tempting picnic food at the stall. I could have assembled the whole lunch there, but I had a couple more stops in mind.
I had already filmed the Trooping the Colour rehearsals on earlier weekends. This time, I wanted to see another part of the celebrations. A picnic also gave me something to enjoy if the crowds made the guns difficult to see.
Across London to Berry Bros. & Rudd
With the pork pie packed, I hired a bike and pedalled towards St James’s. The journey took me across Blackfriars Bridge and along the riverside cycle route. Near The Mall, the road closures, police presence and gathering crowds made it clear that this was no ordinary Saturday.
After docking in St James’s Square, I walked to Berry Bros. & Rudd. The vintage dessert wine I wanted was not in stock, so I ordered a bottle to collect another weekend. I also bought claret, including a half-bottle of Good Ordinary Claret, leaving myself options for later.
In the end, the wine stayed in my bag. A bottle of cider would accompany lunch, and I finished the day with the claret still waiting to be enjoyed.
Fortnum & Mason’s Scotch egg and hampers
The next stop was Fortnum & Mason on Piccadilly. Downstairs, I found both traditional and black-pudding Scotch eggs and chose the traditional version. I also bought a bottle of Dunkertons Organic Black Fox cider.
The hamper department was full of picnic inspiration. There were baskets and ready-made selections to browse, but my lunch was already taking shape: one pork pie, one Scotch egg and a drink. Green Park was only a short walk away.
Green Park and a coffee detour
Before lunch, I explored the park and the area around Buckingham Palace. Crowds were gathering at the gates, while a sign confirmed the location of the royal salute by The King’s Troop Royal Horse Artillery. Finding the right spot early left time for a short detour.
I passed the Memorial Gates, looked towards Wellington Arch and visited the Bomber Command Memorial. Then I crossed Piccadilly and slipped into Shepherd Market via White Horse Street. The small streets, pubs and restaurants felt like a little village tucked away from the main road.
At Cafe 10 Shepherd Street, I found vintage furniture, small tables and a quieter place to stop. I ordered a black Americano and returned towards Green Park with enough time to settle down before the main event.
A Green Park picnic and the rules discussed in the film
I had brought a printed copy of the Royal Parks picnic guidance and read through it on camera. The discussion covered group sizes, litter, barbecues, music and organised activities. My insistence on British picnic classics was, of course, a personal preference rather than a park rule.
That section belongs to the 2016 archive. For a picnic today, consult the Royal Parks’ current picnic guidance and local signs rather than relying on the old figures and conditions mentioned in the film.
I found a spot beneath a tree and opened the food. The Scotch egg had a soft yolk inside its sausage-meat coating. The pork pie had survived the journey well too, with its pastry case intact. Even a passing dog took an interest in lunch, although its owner explained that it should stick to dog food.
Despite the crowds nearby, this patch of the park felt surprisingly calm. After eating, I gathered up my rubbish and headed back towards the ceremonial activity.
Horses, the palace balcony and Trooping the Colour 2016
Along Constitution Hill, I watched the horses and guns, with a military band playing beneath the trees. There were long, quiet pauses as the troops waited, followed by movement along the road as the celebrations continued.
I had not expected much of a view of the royal family. Yet a position near the palace gates gave me a glimpse of the Buckingham Palace balcony. The small handheld camera could only capture a distant, slightly shaky view, but it was an unexpected addition to the day.
Watching the Green Park gun salute
The guns then moved into position on the grass. From beneath the trees, I watched the crews prepare and wait before the firing began. Smoke spread across the clearing as the salute continued, turning the peaceful picnic setting into a very different scene.
This was the part of the celebrations I had come to see, and the view worked out well. Afterwards, aircraft passed overhead, but the tree cover made the flypast much harder to follow. It was a good position for the guns, less so for seeing the sky.
By the time I returned towards the Ritz, a little rain was beginning to fall. I had managed the picnic, coffee, gun salute and a glimpse of the royal family, with the wine still in my bag for later. It had become a much longer outing, and a much longer film, than I first imagined.
Watch the full Summer in London film
The full 91-minute film follows the shopping route, the Green Park picnic, the discussion of the 2016 park guidance and the birthday celebrations. For another outing from the same month, see my summer day at Portobello Road Market.
