Royal reflections in Emmarentia
EMMARENTIA – Self-proclaimed monarchist, Selwyn Klass shares on the upcoming event, Royal Reflections and what the audience can expect.
It will be a day of Royal Reflections at The Ditsong Military Museum come 26 May.
The day will be to honour Queen Elizabeth’s legacy with the screening of rare home movies, many filmed by The Queen on her cine’ camera.
This communal event is being hosted by the Historic Documentary Film Society. To get more information on the essence and importance of the day, Selwyn Klass, a self-proclaimed monarchist, took one the Northcliff Melville Times on a whimsical historical journey talking of his own experiences with the Queen and what he hopes this day represents to those who will gather in honour of her.
As he started to reflect on the royals, memories that he has held onto seemed to evoke a glint in his eyes that seamlessly compelled him to smile as he said, “When you have royal memory it is as fresh and new as if it happened yesterday.”
His connection to the royal family is something he treasures as he noted how he was born exactly a year after their arrival to South Africa when they journeyed to the country on HSM Vanguard on 17 February 1947. “I am quite mindful of the synergy.”
In his opinion, Britain’s influence embraced the world and this was shown through its Commonwealth countries, with the Queen being the anchor of this all. Among the many notable memories he has, one he did not spare to mention was one of his grandmother. “My grandmother was a staunch monarchist.”
He explained how at the Queen’s coronation, he, his mother and grandmother celebrated this moment in history at Hillbrow with the rest of the community. “There was a huge crown emblazoned at the foot of Hillbrow, all of the town just showcased pomp and circumstance with flags being flown and joy being felt.” At the time, being just a little boy, he was bemused at his grandmother when she curtsied at a statue of the Queen.
On 11 November 1999, Armistice Day, this adolescent bemusement turned to adult understanding when he met the Queen on South African soil right here in Newton. He was invited to meet the Queen after he and a colleague put together a video montage of the Queen’s first visit to South Africa and more specifically, Johannesburg back in 1947. For Klass, this was a hallmark event that he will never forget or take for granted.
At the upcoming Royals Reflection event, which the public and fellow ‘royalists’ are more than welcome to attend, one can expect to be treated to a unique event unlike any other.
Details: Selwyn Klass 082 603 3214.
