'All the terrible things in the world - this lightens it': the street that's been celebrating Royal events for decades

They’ve used the same red, white and blue bunting to decorate Sheredan Road in Highams Park in east London for every royal occasion since the Queen’s Silver Jubilee.  And it is fluttering overhead as the residents gather round picnic tables, barbeques and gazebos in the middle of this quiet side street of 1930s semis to raise a toast to Harry and Meghan.

“I love the Queen,” enthuses Ria Grand, a 66-year-old grandmother of seven, resplendent in regal red dress and tiara. “But what I really love is getting together.”

“I love Harry,’ says Carole Pugh, 77, her friend and neighbour from the other side of the street these past four decades.  “He’s had a hard time in life, losing his mother.”

Earlier her three grandchildren and a posse of friends were watching the the service in Carole’s front room to watch the service.  “All the terrible things in the world,” she says, “this lightens it”.

“I loved the dress” Ria chips in, refilling the glasses with Prosecco. “Very Grace Kelly. I bet they’ve got copies in the shops already.”  

But she wasn’t so keen on the sermon by Bishop Michael Curry: “He went on a bit, didn’t he?”

They do, however, approve of the latest royal bride? “It’s important,” says Ria’s husband Reuben, “that Harry’s marrying someone who is mixed race.  That’s the society we live in now.”

Carole, though, is looking worried,“But I wish Meghan’s mum hadn’t looked so alone in the chapel.”

Ria and Carole got together to arrange the first street party here 41 years ago in 1977, Silver Jubilee year.  Back then, they had to pay the local authority £50 to close Sheredan Road off for the day. Now Waltham Forest does it for nothing and even sends a truck to clean the street first thing.  It is one of 10 happening across this outer London borough.

“There’s always been a strong sense of community here,” explains Ria. “I grew up in the East End of London.  It’s that thing of getting the piano out in the street and having a party. That’s all we wanted to do.”

And it’s worked so well that they’ve been doing it ever since  - for Charles and Diana in 1981, Andrew and Fergie in 1986, William and Kate in 2011, as well as the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee and her 90th birthday.  

Just as the coming generation of royals was centre stage at the wedding in Windsor, here in Sheredan Road there is also a baton being handed on.  Carole’s 42-year-old daughter, Michelle Lawfull, has done all the organising this time round.

There’s more use of WhatsApp to get neighbours to pull their weight, not to mention the shop-bought wedding cake, but otherwise it is the same as it has always been.  And that, for her, is the point.

“I’ve got such happy memories of me playing in the street all day at those parties’, Michelle says. “I wanted my children to have the same as I had.”