The Commonwealth is unique. Unlike empires of Greece, Rome, and recent European empires that mainly collapsed, Britain's former empire nations support each other and work together towards shared goals in democracy and development, and include more than two billion citizens, almost one third of the world's population!
Millions came from around the world to celebrate the Queen's 60 years on the throne. Of course, I had to be there too. In brief...
* Walked past Buckingham Palace where we heard Tom Jones practising for BBC's Royal Concert tomorrow;
* Along the Mall lined with flags and police;
* Past the posh shopping area of Regent Street closed to traffic and laid out with Jubilee street party tables where we heard Prince Charles's speak;
* Through thronging Piccadilly Circus and Leicester Square to the National Portrait Gallery's art exhibition "The Queen: Art and Image" where I was "told off" for photographing a painting;
* To the River Thames where streams of people dressed in and waved English and UK flags near giant TV screens as they waited for the Queen's golden barge and flotilla - the Thames Diamond Jubilee Pageant.
It was exciting, fun, party-time. Friends around the world were in awe - their countries have little like it. The occasion was also marked by people getting together for Big Jubilee lunches up and down the country, and the lighting of thousands of Jubilee beacons around the world.
Pity we can't do it every year.
Commonwealth countries of which the Queen is the head
Antigua and Barbuda, Australia, Bahamas, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belize, Botswana, Brunei, Cameroon, Canada, Cyprus, Dominica, Gambia, Ghana, Grenada, Guyana, India, Jamaica, Kenya, Kiribati, Lesotho, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Malta, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Nauru, New Zealand, Nigeria, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Solomon Islands, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Swaziland, Tanzania, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tuvalu, Uganda, United Kingdom, Vanuatu, Zambia.