To celebrate the Queen’s 90th birthday today (April 21), crowds of people gathered outside Windsor Castle this morning. Our story focuses on a pair of pink-clad women named Judy & Anne, who had brought some balloons shaped like a ‘9’ and a ‘0’ to present to Her Majesty. Just so you know, here are Judy and Anne (and their King Charles spaniel in a buggy, who’s actually called Camilla):
Disaster struck when Anne lost her grip on the 9, leaving her with just the 0 – which by itself would just be insulting. She had to retrieve the 9, which was flying into the air behind the BBC’s friendliest meteorologist, Carol Kirkwood, interrupting her weather forecast. At this point the cameraperson took things into their own hands, shifting focus to the real story: a balloon floating high above the streets of Windsor, and the forlorn Anne chasing after it.
The hunt is on for the get-away number 9! @carolkirkwood #HappyBirthdayYourMajesty #Queenat90 #WindsorCastle https://t.co/sXGdJUBCYI
— BBC Breakfast (@BBCBreakfast) April 21, 2016
Later in the broadcast, the Breakfast team knew the right thing to do was to catch up with Anne & Judy. Initially Judy was most worried about what the Queen herself would think. “I wish to apologise to her Majesty if she suddenly wakes up and the number 9 is sitting on her sitting room balcony!”
But there was also her own sense of loss to deal with. “I’m devastated because I hoped to present Her Majesty with the ‘9’ and the ‘0’! But may I appeal to anybody in Windsor, if there’s a card shop, if they have a helium number 9 that I could possibly get this morning!”
#HappyBirthdayYourMajesty #Queenat90 #WindsorCastle #Where'stheballoon? 😉 @carolkirkwood https://t.co/9ZAHOm3ObI
— BBC Breakfast (@BBCBreakfast) April 21, 2016
The interview was done, Carol was finished, but presenter Naga Munchetty was not content with that summary of the situation. “Can we find out if she’s quite sporty?” she asked. Carol found out if she was quite sporty. Story over?
No! Carol and BBC Breakfast later hit up Twitter with this weirdly heartwarming update:
For those watching @BBCBreakfast this morning, two kind ladies arrived with a number 9 balloon for Judy and Anne!!!xxx
— Carol Kirkwood (@carolkirkwood) April 21, 2016
Reunion! The number 9 balloon has been found! #HappyBirthdayYourMajesty #Queenat90 @carolkirkwood @BBCNaga pic.twitter.com/RqjvaXxfWy
— BBC Breakfast (@BBCBreakfast) April 21, 2016