Platinum jubilee: Royalist of 69 years doesn't miss an opportunity to celebrate the Queen

Rotorua royalist Barry Jenkins organised a lunch with 15 fellow keen royalists. Photo / Andrew Warner

A dedicated royalist of 69 years wishes he could be in London for the Queen's platinum jubilee, but happily celebrated with a quiet lunch and quiz instead.

Meanwhile, tiaras, evening gowns, ribbons and Union Jacks have been flying off the shelves in Tauranga in the lead-up to the celebration.

Rotorua's Barry Jenkins, 80, has been a self-proclaimed royalist since the Queen's coronation in 1953, and, for the past 20 years, has held an event for every one of her jubilees.

This year was no different, but unlike the most recent event of 100 people at a hotel, he decided to downsize to a group of 15, by invite only, at the Polynesian Spa.

Jenkins decorated the table with some of the memorabilia he owned, hung up some flags, and the group of royalists enjoyed a lunch, which was followed by a royals quiz.

He will also host a morning tea with a group of 12 invited guests on Monday.

He wished he could be in London for the occasion, saying it was a "great excuse for a party" and brought people together.

While he's never been to a jubilee celebration in the UK, he had seen the Queen - fleetingly from a distance - for the Trooping of the Colour in 1965.

However, it wasn't the most enjoyable experience because it was in the pouring rain, he said.

Jenkins said while he realised he probably was in a minority of royalists now, he said it was worth acknowledging the Queen because the "poor old thing is 96 now".

"Whether you like the royal family or not, they do more good than harm and an elected president usually does more harm than good."

Rotorua's Barry Jenkins with 15 fellow keen royalists at the Polynesian Spa lunch. Photo / Andrew Warner

Tauranga AJ's Emporium staff member Fran Ekenasio said tiaras, Union Jacks, decorations and blue and red ribbons had been flying out of the door this week.

She said there was an excitable vibe among those coming in to get supplies for jubilee celebrations.

Most of the items were for high teas at workplaces, she said.

Ekenasio said she would also be doing something small with her family, and usually watched the highlights of the Queen's life with her kids.

She liked to educate them on their relationship with New Zealand.

Cracker Jack's checkout assistant Te Mata Tamihana said there had been a spike in evening gown sales in the last week.

He wasn't sure whether this was for the jubilee because it was also high school ball season.

Crown and Badger owner Jessica Rafferty said they'd had lot more bookings than usual this weekend, which was good to see.

She said they would probably get a cake in for the Queen, but she hadn't had the time to organise anything as in previous years with the opening of her new restaurant, Nectar.