
British people are getting a four-day bank holiday weekend in the summer of 2022 to mark the Queen's Platinum jubilee.
Crowned in 1953, the Queen is already the UK's longest reigning monarch: 2022 will mark her 70th year on the throne.
But while a holiday is always welcome (even if it's a little far off), not everyone is happy about the timing of the announcement.
Britain's deadline for negotiating a Brexit deal is looming and Westminster is reportedly in pandemonium. Is organising a holiday two years in the future really our top priority?
@OliverDowden Don't waste our money on this. It is not necessary or essential. I think in this time of economic d… https://t.co/pSppJhZtsQ— Pumpkin #3.5% #FBPE #FBPPR 🇬🇧🇪🇺 (@Pumpkin #3.5% #FBPE #FBPPR 🇬🇧🇪🇺) 1605172508
People thought that we should be focussing on things like the coronavirus death toll, rather than a bank holiday two years from now.
Tragically, more than 50,000 people have now died from Covid-19 in the UK, more than any other country in Europe.
Read. The. Room. https://t.co/0WVI8GkbPh— Maggie May (@Maggie May) 1605173697
And others simply don't want to celebrate the monarchy in this way.
It's not for everyone.
Absurd that in the 21st century a country would celebrate the reign of an unelected, hereditary head of state https://t.co/G9HV65eldd— oldak (@oldak) 1605177777
“Thank you ma’am”????? For what exactly?! Bank holidays are nice but we should still abolish the monarchy: https://t.co/iCmvTg8U3i— moscato mami 🥂 (@moscato mami 🥂) 1605171181
Culture secretary Oliver Dowden's announcement that the extended bank holiday weekend will include a "spectacular, once-in-a-generation show" has also raised eyebrows as artists struggle to keep afloat throughout the pandemic.
The government's financial support for theatres, music venues and other creative spaces has been repeatedly criticised as too little, too late, while their suggestion that those failing to find work in the industry retrain has sparked significant backlash.
People wondered how putting on a show will even be possible if the entertainment industry has been strangled.
If this "once in a lifetime show" is going to include the arts I have some bad news for you... You killed us off ma… https://t.co/J0dMQAQTJz— Andrew Martin Lee (@Andrew Martin Lee) 1605170844
The long weekend in scheduled for 2–5 June 2022.
We can only hope that the UK is in a fit state to truly enjoy it by then.