First Chelsea Pageant for 100 Years

Make a note in your diary for the weekend of 7 and 8 June 2008 at 6.45pm for the Chelsea Pageant being held in the grounds of the Royal Hospital Chelsea, the home of the Chelsea Pensioners. This will be the first Pageant held in the grounds of the Royal Hospital for 100 years so will include live music, soldiers, horses, gunfire, and fireworks.

The Chelsea Pageant is being held to raise funds for the Chelsea Pensioners' Appeal and stars of stage and screen including Dame Judi Dench, Rory Bremner, Timothy Spall, and Joanna Lumley will be providing the voices of the historical figures, while the Pageant will also feature soldiers and horses from the Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment, the Pikemen & Musketeers of the Honourable Artillery Company, the band of The Life Guards, and the Choir of the Royal Hospital Chelsea. The event commentator will be ex-Kensington and Chelsea MP and former Defence Minister, Michael Portillo.

Tickets can be purchased from Ticketmaster on 0844 847 2309 or online at www.ticketmaster.co.uk

• _{Image: Michael Portillo dressed as Charles II, founder of the Royal Hospital Chelsea, for the launch of The Chelsea Pageant
  © www.blj.co.uk}