Drag Race UK’s Vanity Milan ‘honoured’ to play part in Queen’s jubilee
(Getty/Jeff Spicer/Max Mumby)
RuPaul’s Drag Race UK star Vanity Milan has said that she feels ‘blessed’ to be participating in the Queen’s platinum jubilee pageant.
The south London queen rose to fame after competing on the third season of the iconic drag competition, serving “unapologetic Blackness” with a dose of fierce looks that landed her in 4th place.
Vanity Milan said she was “really excited” to be given a role in the jubilee pageant, taking place on Sunday (5 June). She’ll be joined by fellow Drag Race UK stars Ella Vayday, Blu Hydrangea and Baga Chipz.
Speaking to The Mirror, Vanity Milan teased: “The float that I’m on represents the 90s and fashion and I think that goes hand in hand really.
“I’m a 90s baby, that’s the era that I was brought up in so it’s exciting to represent the 90s and do what I do best, which is be a drag queen and sell it on my float.”
Vanity said they are inspired by 90s icons such as Liz Hurley and Geri Halliwell.
“Mine is very much a Naomi Campbell-inspired look”, she said, adding: “My husband is a designer so we’ve been working closely to ensure we fit the brief.”
Vanity’s float will be part of the “The Time of Our Lives” segment of the pageant.
Drag icon Cheddar Gorgeous is also taking part in the parade, and told PinkNews that she has a sense of “trepidation and awareness” of the “absolutely complicated” legacy that the British monarchy holds.
“You can absolutely draw attention to the legacy of the institution and draw attention to the need to acknowledge those legacies of colonialism,” they said.
“The queen does not have political power here in the UK,” Cheddar explained. “We can’t blame her for having power and not having power at the same time.”
As the jubilee celebrations kicked off, the official Drag Race UK Twitter account announced it was awarding the Queen an “honorary platinum, diamond encrusted RuPeter Badge” in royal purple.
RuPaul’s #DragRaceUK wishes Her Majesty condragulations on her #PlatinumJubilee. 😍 To celebrate this glorious occasion we are awarding her an honorary platinum, diamond encrusted RuPeter Badge. 🥳 Long May She Slay! #HM70 pic.twitter.com/6ogpuhYDiw
— RuPaul's Drag Race UK (@dragraceukbbc) June 2, 2022
Fans had mixed feelings about the move, with some describing it as “fabulous” while others criticised it as “cringe”.
It's fabulous 👌 our Queen will wear it with ptide 🥳🥳— richard wilson (@richsheff) June 2, 2022
Fabulous ❤️🇬🇧 pic.twitter.com/7M89YrnZGP— Ally 🇦🇺🇮🇹 (@Ally1889) June 2, 2022
why is drag race so patriotic its so cringe on all of its franchises— ventricosuspicious (@ventricosuspic1) June 2, 2022
— 💫 (@sarahjoy88) June 2, 2022
