It's a sweltering hot day in London today, a real British heat wave with no a/c, and the Jubilee enthusiasm is papable. It's not quite Jubilee fever yet, but it's definitely getting there: most shops are covered in Queen/Jubilee imagery, and even cynical Londoners are staring to concede that they might be tempted down to the river on Sunday to watch the riverboat pageant. Piccadilly Circus is a forest of tourist tat and Oxford Street and Regent Street are both emblazoned their full length with Union Jacks.

Everyone's acutely aware, however, that the ultimate success of this weekend's celebrations is very weather dependant, and the bad news is that showery downpours are being predicted for the weekend. How very British.