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Crowds covered in Union Jack flags have gathered early on The Mall today to secure a prime spot for the biggest royal celebration in decades – as four days of events finally begin with Trooping the Colour.
Royal superfans have adorned themselves in red, white and blue blazers, flags and hats as they lined The Mall this morning to watch the Queen‘s historic birthday parade kick off at 10am.
Groups cracked out glasses of bubbly and began singing God Save the Queen as early as 8am today – waking up the hardcore fans who have slept in chairs, tents and even on the pavement overnight to secure a prime spot for today’s celebrations.
Spirits were high among the crowds as members of the public chatted and joked with police maintaining the perimeter. Several handmade signs hung over the barriers, with one simply saying, ‘thank you’.
Devoted royalists will watch from the famous street leading up to Buckingham Palace from Trafalgar Square for the traditional Trooping the Colour.
The military ceremony – which has been used to mark a British Monarch’s official birthday for 260 years – will be carried out by 1st Battalion Irish Guards, plus more than 1,500 officers and soldiers from the Household Division.
Prince Charles will take the Salute, joined by Prince William, a Colonel in the regiment and Princess Anne.
Royal fans across the country who aren’t lucky enough to have a space along The Mall can watch events unfold on huge screens in nearby St James Park, or in Princes Street Gardens in Edinburgh or Bute Park in Cardiff.
More than 350 horses and hundreds of military musicians will be involved in the procession, in which members of the Royal Family will travel on horseback and in carriages down the Mall to Horse Guards Parade, where the ceremony takes place.
In a show of the resilience that has marked her record-breaking reign, the Queen has vowed to make two appearances on the Buckingham Palace balcony on Thursday, the first day of her Jubilee celebrations.
Charles, the Duchess of Cornwall, William and the Duchess of Cambridge, the Earl and Countess of Wessex, Anne, the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester, the Duke of Kent, Princess Alexandra and Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence will be on the balcony with her – to watch a flypast which is due to take place at about 1pm.
The six-minute display by 71 aircraft will include the Red Arrows and the Royal Air Force Battle of Britain Memorial Flight.
Today will mark the first day of the four-day celebrations to mark the Queen’s 70th year on the throne. A special Service of Thanksgiving will take place at St Paul’s Cathedral tomorrow, followed by a Party at the Palace event on Saturday, before the big grandstand finish on Sunday with the Jubilee Pageant through the streets of London.
One excited fan on The Mall today told heaped praise on the Queen. Kirk Paton, 42, from Cambridge, said: ‘When you are British, I feel it’s (the Monarchy) is ingrained in you more than you realise.
Speaking of the Queen, he said: ‘It’s the sense of service. She’s always kept above politics. She’s never revealed the details of her discussions with her prime ministers.’
Royal fans sing the national anthem as they gather along the Mall leading to Buckingham Palace in London
Women with Union Jack hats and face paint attend the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations at The Mall in London, and enjoy an early drink
Groups cracked out glasses of bubbly and began singing God Save the Queen as early as 8am today – waking up the hardcore fans who have slept in chairs, tents and even on the pavement overnight to secure a prime spot for today’s celebrations
Huge numbers of people have already arrived on The Mall today decked out in Union Jack flags as they celebrate the Queen’s Jubilee
Devoted royalists will watch as the colour – or flag – is trooped by the 1st Battalion Irish Guards plus more than 1,500 officers and soldiers from the Household Division
Crowds have gathered early on The Mall today to secure their prime spot for the biggest royal celebration in decades – as four days of events finally begin with Trooping the Colour
Royal fans have Union flag transfers applied to their faces as they gather along the Mall leading to Buckingham Palace in London
A royal superfan decked in Union Jack everything and carrying a huge Union Jack flag walks along The Mall towards Buckingham Palace
Royal fans Caellia and Yoshilen wear costumes as they arrive on the Mall to celebrate the first day of celebrations to mark the Platinum Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth
Pictured: A man walks with his two corgis named Chuckles and Bunting along The Mall during the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations
People start to wake up at sunrise on the Mall, with some hardcore fans sleeping in tents or on the floor. They have been making sure they have a good position for the first day of The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee celebrations
A soldier speaks to a member of the public on the Mall before the start of Trooping the Colour in London during the Jubilee
A girl poses with police officers as royal enthusiasts gather along The Mall for the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations in London
Crowds on The Mall ahead the Trooping the Colour ceremony at Horse Guards Parade, central London, as the Queen celebrates her official birthday
Members of the military march during the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations at The Mall in London, ahead of Trooping the Colour
Another, Lea Maunder, 22, from Halle, Germany, who had been on The Mall since 6am, said: ‘I love the spirit of the Royal Family – I’m a big fan of the Queen. I had to dress my best for her – I’m wearing a fascinator and carrying my Union Jack handbag.’
Ambulance service worker Gilbert Falconer, 65, travelled from Scotland to witness the event, which is held to mark the queen’s official birthday.
‘We know it’s a special occasion because it might be the last day we’ll see Her Majesty in a public event,’ he told AFP.
Another spectator, Daniel Marmah, said: ‘This is very significant. It’s the first time we’ve had a monarch who’s lasted for so many years.’
The Queen’s two planned balcony appearances – which come despite recent mobility problems – will take place during Her Majesty’s official Birthday Parade, the start of the four-day bank holiday weekend.
A Royal source told the Mail On Sunday: ‘The Queen is determined to take part in the Jubilee celebrations. Trooping was brought forward by one week to be part of the Jubilee this year and the Queen very much wants to be part of it.’
Buckingham Palace announced that ‘after careful consideration’ the Queen would not invite the Duke of York or the Duke and Duchess of Sussex to join her as they were no longer working members of the Royal Family.
A Palace spokesman said the Royal balcony appearances would be limited to members of the Royal Family ‘who are currently undertaking official public duties on behalf of the Queen’.
Ahead of the celebrations today, Prince Harry, Meghan Markle and their children arrived in the UK, marking daughter Lilibet’s first time in the country, ahead of today’s first of the Platinum Jubilee events.
The Sussexes left LAX airport with their children Archie and Lilibet, who will meet her great-grandmother for the first time as she turns one on Saturday.
The family of four landed in a London airport this afternoon, with a small team of staffers, Page Six reported.
One source suggested they left overnight last night, and would have been landing in London this afternoon after a 12 hour flight — just months after Harry claimed he was ‘unable to return home’ because is too dangerous.
On June 4, their daughter Lilibet will be marking her first birthday. The Queen is likely to miss her favourite sporting event, the Derby horse races at Epsom, for the little one’s celebrations, as she meets her for the first time.
While the couple are expected to attend Trooping the Colour as spectators tomorrow, Andrew will not, a military source told MailOnline.
As colonel of the Grenadier Guards, Andrew has previously played a key role in the ceremony, riding out by the Queen’s side as the regiment’s representative.
Since being stripped of the title earlier this year the Duke of York was not expected to play an active part in the event, but the possibility of him appearing with other royals on Horse Guards Parade as a spectator had previously been left open.
Both Andrew and the Sussexes have already been barred from appearing on the Buckingham Palace to watch the RAF Red Arrows’ flypast.
A record 12million people are gearing up for street parties held in the Queen’s honour during the special extended bank holiday weekend.
Millions of people across the nation will be celebrating the Platinum Jubilee at patriotic street parties while live music, light projections and life-size cut outs of the Queen herald the historic occasion over the next four days.
A man with a Union Jack flag and hat attends the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations at The Mall in London
Rule Britannia!: A woman wears a Britannia costume as people attend the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations at The Mall in London
People wearing masks of Queen Elizabeth and Prince Harry as they attend the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations at The Mall in London
A person wearing a mask of Britain’s Queen Elizabeth attends the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations at The Mall
Royal fans take up their spots on The Mall to attend ahead of the Trooping the Colour ceremony at Horse Guards Parade, central London
Huge crowds converged on central London in bright sunshine on Thursday for the start of four days of public events to mark Queen Elizabeth II’s historic Platinum Jubilee
Royal fans with a large Queen’s Jubilee Union Jack wait for Trooping the Colour for Queen Elizabeth’s Platinum Jubilee in London today
Crowds holding huge Union Jack flags and wearing Union Jack hats – and even suits – as they line up on The Mall to celebrate the Jubilee
Royal fans toast the Queen with a glass of sparkling rose wine on The Mall while waving Union Jack flags and wearing Union Jack hats
Pictured: People gather along The Mall during the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations in London
More than 350 horses and hundreds of military musicians will be involved in the procession, in which members of the Royal Family will travel on horseback and in carriages down the Mall to Horse Guards Parade, where the ceremony takes place
Pictured: A Royal superfan handed out croissants this morning to other royalists who have secured their places early at The Mall
A man with a Union Jack suit poses for a selfie with a woman as people gather along The Mall during the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee
Royal superfans have adorned themselves in Union Jack blazers, flags and hats as they lined The Mall this morning to watch the Queen’s historic birthday parade kick off at 10am
Jubilee revellers covered in red, white and blue soak up the atmosphere on The Mall ahead of the Queen’s jubilee celebrations
People wearing crowns and waving Union Jack flags gather along The Mall for the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations in London
Royal enthusiasts claim their spots on the Mall before the start of Trooping the Colour, with one wearing a knitted crown to the event
Royal fans wearing plastic masks of the Queen and carrying a toy corgi walk alongside the Mall leading to Buckingham Palace in London
Satirical artist Kaya Mar poses with one of his artworks as people gather along The Mall for the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations in London
People with Union Jack flags walk as they gather near The Mall during the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations in London
It was Union Jacks galore with people in Union Jack clothing with Union Jack flags and Jubilee flags as they await the celebrations on The Mall in London
A police officer walks down The Mall during the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations in London
Police officers stand on the Mall leading to Buckingham Palace in London, Thursday June 2, 2022, on the first of four days of celebrations to mark the Platinum Jubilee
Police officers on The Mall ahead the Trooping the Colour ceremony at Horse Guards Parade, central London, as the Queen celebrates her official birthday
Events range from family picnics to a record-breaking 5,000-strong street party in the North West, in what the Met Office has said will be a quintessentially British summer bank holiday of drizzle and patchy sunshine.
The largest party celebrating the Queen’s record-breaking 70-year reign is set to be Morecambe Bay’s Big Jubilee Lunch on Sunday, which is hosting around 5,000 people at over 500 tables overlooking the sea.
Official celebrations will begin at 1pm with a Samba dance down the promenade, before Lord Shuttleworth – the Lord Lieutenant of Lancashire – cuts a replica cake of the kind the Queen cut at the G7 Big Lunch at Eden last year.
Organiser Luke Trevaskis said the Lancashire seaside town is ‘incredibly proud’ to be hosting Jubilee celebrations.
Mr Trevaskis, who is the chief executive at Morecambe Town Council, told the PA News Agency: ‘This is going to be the first major event Morecambe has had coming out of lockdown, which was a very, very difficult period of time for so many people.
‘It’s going to be an amazing opportunity for communities to come together and celebrate the Queen being on the throne for 70 years, but also to really celebrate what makes Morecambe special.
‘Morecambe is so multi-cultural, we have a sense of pride in our diversity – and people who weren’t born in Morecambe have a sense of pride in the monarchy just as much as the people who were.’
Red, white and blue smoke cannons will be released across the bay at 3.30pm to mark the end of the jubilations. At the opposite end of the country, an LED beacon will be illuminating the south coast from Hove Esplanade in Brighton, East Sussex.
The city’s mayor, Lizzie Deane, said: ‘The Platinum Jubilee is a historic national occasion and I know many people are looking forward to having a long weekend to spend with friends and family.’
In Croydon, south London, a thanksgiving service will be held at Addiscombe Catholic Church, where diversity will be celebrated in the Queen’s 70th year.
Organiser Sylvia Wachuku-King said prayers will be said in six languages, while Guides are crafting a quilt representing the jubilee.
Meanwhile in nearby Bromley, a committee of seven women have planned a street party for 40 families.
Hairdresser Athina Hapeshis, 55, said her street came together as a community during the coronavirus pandemic, and they have decorated 72 trees in the area with Union Jack colours in preparation for the party.
A record 12million people are gearing up for street parties held in the Queen’s honour during the special extended bank holiday weekend
Royal fans wearing Union Jack hats celebrate on The Mall in front of a large Union Jack flag ahead of celebrations for the Queen’s Jubilee
Royal fans gather along the Mall leading to Buckingham Palace in London, Thursday June 2, 2022, on the first of four days of celebrations to mark the Platinum Jubilee
Royal fans wearing plastic masks of The Queen walk towards Buckingham Palace as they prepare to enjoy the Jubilee celebrations
People wearing top hats are seen on The Mall during the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations in London
One royal fan was seen wearing a blazer covered in Union Jack flags as he patiently waits on The Mall for the start of the Jubilee celebrations
A man wearing a decorated hat with a badge of the Queen on the front poses for a photograph as he waits on The Mall this morning
Police officers direct pedestrians as people gather along The Mall for the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations in London
Royal fans across the country who aren’t lucky enough to have a space along The Mall can watch events unfold on huge screens in nearby St James Park, or in Princes Street Gardens in Edinburgh or Bute Park in Cardiff
Mrs Hapeshis, who is a grandmother-to-three and has a life-size cut out of the Queen in her home overlooking the street festivities, said residents can expect cakes, a live DJ and games for the children.
She told PA: ‘I remember the Queen’s Silver Jubilee, and I wanted to make sure my grandchildren and all the children around here have something to remember.’
When asked what the monarchy meant to her community, she said: ‘Because it’s such a mix of age groups, everyone will have their own view, but it’s definitely brought the community together.
‘The fact the Queen has been serving so many years and she’s a woman – the children have been learning a lot about it at school.
‘We’re just waiting for the weather to say ‘yes, it’s going to be amazing’.’
The Met Office has said northern areas can expect a cool and showery start to the bank holiday on Thursday, before temperatures pick up on Friday, which is set to be the warmest day of the weekend.
Temperatures are set to soar to 26C in the south on Friday, while north-west Scotland is expected to be the warmest on Sunday.
An estimated 10 million people plan to celebrate the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee, according to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS).
The Department also said that more than 70,000 ‘Big Jubilee Lunches’ and 200,000 more local events have been planned across the four nations.
Many official events will also be collecting money for charities throughout the bank holiday. Across the Commonwealth and the rest of the world, more than 600 Big Jubilee Lunches are planned in around 80 countries – from Greenland to New Zealand.
- How are you celebrating the Queen’s jubilee?: Send in your pictures to james.robinson@mailonline.co.uk
Jubilee celebrations begin TODAY! Royals on horseback will take part in Queen’s Birthday Parade before Trooping the Colour, Royal Gun Salute and special 71-aircraft flypast – as Her Majesty appears on Buckingham Palace balcony
By Laurence Dollimore for MailOnline
Anticipation is building for the Queen‘s Platinum Jubilee with people across the UK preparing to mark Her Majesty’s 70th year on the throne with a four-day weekend of festivities – starting from today.
A series of major events has been scheduled, beginning on Thursday with Trooping the Colour and ending on Sunday with a special Pageant celebrating the life of the nation’s longest-reigning monarch.
Outdoor parties will also take place on Sunday as part of the Big Jubilee Lunch, while there will be a televised concert on the BBC from Buckingham Palace the day before.
Though celebrations have already started in some places, official events will begin today with a special Trooping the Colour.
More than 1,500 officers and soldiers and hundreds of horses from the Household Division will stage the display on Horse Guards Parade in London, with the colour trooped by the 1st Battalion, Irish Guards.
The Queen is then expected to delight crowds with an appearance on the Buckingham Palace balcony. It is also expected that she will appear again on the balcony after the Pageant parade finale on Sunday.
After today’s events, the monarch is also hoping to be able attend the service of thanksgiving at St Paul’s Cathedral on Friday, with her wider family including – it is expected – Prince Harry, Meghan Markle and Prince Andrew.
The Queen, 96, is also set to spend time with the Sussexes, who are bringing their children Archie and Lilibet over from the US – and could meet Lili for the first time as she celebrates her first birthday on Saturday.
On Sunday, thousands of people will gather across the country as more than 85,000 Big Jubilee Lunches and street parties are staged in celebration of the Queen’s record-breaking 70 year reign.
Royal Family members will also visit every corner of the UK over the weekend for official engagements – with William and Kate going to Wales; Edward and Sophie travelling to Northern Ireland; and Anne to Scotland.
Here, MailOnline looks at the programme of events over the four-day bank holiday weekend from today:
Drew, four, from Norwich, waves her Union flag on The Mall near Buckingham Palace, during a family day trip ahead of the Platinum Jubilee
Crowds line The Mall, in central London, to watch the Band of the Brigade of Gurkhas, ahead, where well-wishers are already camping out for the best spots to view the Platinum Jubilee celebrations
Members of the Household Cavalry ride along The Mall, in London, ahead of the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee, with events starting from today
Crowds line The Mall, in central London, to watch the Band of the Brigade of Gurkhas, ahead, where well-wishers are already camping out for the best spots to view the Platinum Jubilee celebrations
Participants were greeted by dark clouds and rain during the full rehearsal of the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Pageant that wiil take place on June 5
Royal fan John Loughrey (left) puts a banner over his tent on The Mall near Buckingham Palace, London, where well-wishers are already camping out for the best spots to view the Platinum Jubilee celebrations
A man sells merchandise outside a shop near Windsor Castle ahead of celebrations for the Platinum Jubilee this weekend
Soldiers on parade during The Colonel’s Review at Horse Guards Parade on May 28, 2022 in London
Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, Colonel of the Irish Guards leads The Colonel’s Review at Horse Guards Parade ahead of Trooping the Colour on Thursday
TODAY – Trooping the Colour (from 10am, flypast at 1pm)
The Queen’s birthday parade will today kick off at 10am at Buckingham Palace and move down The Mall to the Horse Guards Parade.
The Royal Family will travel from Buckingham Palace along The Mall to the parade ground in carriages at about 10.30am, with the Prince of Wales, the Duke of Cambridge and the Princess Royal on horseback.
The Trooping the Colour will then mark the monarch’s official birthday, as has been tradition for the last 260 years. This year the colour will be trooped by the 1st Batallion, Irish Guards, with up to 1,450 officers and soldiers from the Household Division, together with 400 Army musicians and around 240 horses.
Prince Charles will take the Salute, joined by Prince William, a Colonel in the regiment and Princess Anne.
Royal fans across the country who aren’t lucky enough to have a space along The Mall can watch events unfold on huge screens in nearby St James Park, or in Princes Street Gardens in Edinburgh or Bute Park in Cardiff.
The Colonel’s Review, the final rehearsal of the Trooping the Colour, at Horse Guards Parade in London last Saturday
Irish Guards on The Mall during the Colonel’s Review, the final rehearsal of the Trooping the Colour, the Queen’s annual birthday parade
The Duke of Cambridge, Colonel of the Irish Guards, on The Mall during the Colonel’s Review in London last Saturday
Plans are said to be in place either for the Queen briefly to inspect the troops on the parade ground or from the balcony with the Duke of Kent, or to only appear on the balcony with the royal family for a special flypast afterwards.
If the Queen does delegate her salute duties at Trooping to another family member, it will be the first time she has done so in her 70-year reign.
Charles, the Duchess of Cornwall, William and the Duchess of Cambridge, the Earl and Countess of Wessex, Anne, the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester, the Duke of Kent, Princess Alexandra and Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence will be on the balcony for the flypast which is due to take place at about 1pm.
The Queen limited the numbers to working royals, meaning the Duke of York and the Duke and Duchess of Sussex will not be there.
But her Cambridge great-grandchildren, Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis, and her two youngest grandchildren, the Wessexes’ children Lady Louise Windsor and James, Viscount Severn, will be present.
A six-minute display by more than 70 aircraft will include the Red Arrows and the Royal Air Force Battle of Britain Memorial Flight.
Platinum Jubilee Beacons (from 9.25pm)
On Thursday evening, more than 3,000 beacons will be set ablaze across the UK and the Commonwealth in tribute to the Queen.
The network of flaming tributes will stretch throughout the country, with beacons at sites including the Tower of London, Windsor Great Park, Hillsborough Castle and the Queen’s estates of Sandringham and Balmoral, and on top of the UK’s four highest peaks.
The first beacons will be lit in Tonga and Samoa in the South Pacific, and the final one in the central American country of Belize.
The principal beacon outside the Palace – a 21-metre tall Tree of Trees sculpture for the Queen’s Green Canopy initiative – will be illuminated by a senior member of the royal family, and images will be projected on to the Palace.
Major General Nick Eeles Governor of Edinburgh Castle lights the Diamond Jubilee beacon at Edinburgh Castle in June 2012
Reverand Jane Hedges, Canon of Westminster Abbey, lights a beacon outside the Abbey as part of Diamond Jubilee celebrations in June 2012
English Heritage projects images of Her Majesty the Queen – one from each decade of her reign – onto Stonehenge’s majestic stones to mark the historic occasion of Her Royal Highness becoming the first British monarch to commemorate a Platinum Jubilee
FRIDAY
Service of Thanksgiving (from 11am)
A traditional service of thanksgiving will be held at St Paul’s Cathedral in the City of London from 11am on Friday.
There will be no ceremonial journey to the cathedral and the Queen, if she attends, will use a different entrance to aid her comfort rather than the steep main steps.
Wider members of the family are expected to be present including possibly Harry, Meghan and Andrew, and the service will be followed by a Guildhall reception for members of the royal family.
The Archbishop of Canterbury has tested positive for Covid-19 and will miss the service. The Archbishop of York, the Most Revd Stephen Cottrell, will give the sermon instead.
Justin Welby was diagnosed with mild pneumonia last Thursday and was continuing to work, but after developing symptoms over the weekend he tested for coronavirus.
A full dress rehearsal this morning for the Service of Thanksgiving at St Paul’s Cathedral which will take place on Friday
Practice marches this morning ahead of the Service of Thanksgiving at St Paul’s Cathedral which takes place this Friday
Participants set to feature in the Service of thanksgiving at St Paul’s Cathedral take part in a full dress rehearsal outside the London landmark earlier this week
SATURDAY
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge will visit Cardiff Castle to meet performers and crew involved in the special Platinum Jubilee Celebration Concert taking place in the castle grounds later that afternoon, Buckingham Palace has announced.
During their visit, William and Kate will view rehearsals and meet some of the acts taking part in the celebrations, including Bonnie Tyler and Owain Wynn Evans.
Hosted by Aled Jones and Shan Cothi, the concert at Cardiff Castle will feature live performances from some of Wales’ best-known singers and entertainers, alongside choirs, bands and orchestras.
During the extended bank holiday weekend, the Earl and Countess of Wessex will carry out two engagements in Northern Ireland while the Princess Royal, accompanied by Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence, will visit Edinburgh.
Epsom Derby (from 4pm)
The Queen is no longer planning to attend the Epsom Derby during her Platinum Jubilee weekend.
The 96-year-old monarch is said to want to pace herself during her milestone celebrations, with her daughter the Princess Royal representing her at the racecourse instead, The Sunday Times reported.
The Derby on Saturday June 4 was to be a personal highlight for the Queen during the four days of Jubilee festivities.
The head of state, a passionate horse owner and breeder, was due to be greeted on the course with a special guard of honour including up to 40 of her past and present jockeys.
But the newspaper revealed the monarch is now ‘increasingly unlikely’ to head to Epsom. However the Queen will still have a runner – Just Fine, in the penultimate race of the afternoon.
People stand on The Mall looking towards Buckingham Palace and the Queen Victoria Memorial statue as the road is lined with Union Jacks
A message for Queen Elizabeth II is seen on a digital display as horses are walked through Piccadilly Circus in London today
A pedestrian passes a shop window adorned with Union flag-themed bunting, and a portrait of Queen Elizabeth II, in Colchester, eastern England
Hype Hair salon in Bermondsey, south east London, puts up Union Jack flags and a Platinum Jubilee flag of the Queen with red, white and blue balloons and bunting
A banner and face masks of members of the royal family are displayed in the window of the Blue Anchor pub in Hammersmith, London, to celebrate the forthcoming Platinum Jubilee of the Queen this weekend
The Floral Mini, King’s Road Chelsea In Bloom floral displays in Chelsea for the Platinum Jubilee in London
Alan and Kelly Wakeling pose today at their market stall ALK Fruit and Veg on Portobello Road in Notting Hill, West London
Legoland modeller Paula Young poses for a photograph while completing a model of a scene at Buckingham Palace, at Legoland in Windsor
Lilibet’s birthday
Saturday is also the first birthday of Harry and Meghan’s daughter Lilibet, amid speculation the youngster could spend the day with her namesake great-grandmother.
The Sussexes are flying over from the US with Lili, who has never met the Queen in person before, and her older brother Archie.
It could be the first time Harry and Meghan have been seen alongside the Windsor clan since Megxit and since they accused an unnamed senior royal of racism during their controversial Oprah Winfrey interview.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are flying over from the US with Lilibet and her brother Archie (pictured last December)
Party At The Palace (from 7.30pm)
In the evening, the BBC’s Party at the Palace – set on three stages in front of Buckingham Palace – will entertain a live crowd of 22,000 people and a television audience of millions.
The line-up includes Diana Ross, Queen + Adam Lambert, Alicia Keys, Nile Rodgers, Andrea Bocelli, Duran Duran, Bond composer Hans Zimmer, Ella Eyre, Craig David, Mabel, Elbow and George Ezra.
The show will also feature appearances from stars including Sir David Attenborough, Emma Raducanu, David Beckham, Stephen Fry and Dame Julie Andrews.
Charles and William are preparing to deliver public tributes at the concert to the Queen, who will be watching on television from Windsor.
An artist’s impression released earlier this month of the stage outside Buckingham Palace for the Platinum Party at the Palace
SUNDAY
Big Jubilee Lunch
Millions of people are expected to sit down with their neighbours at street parties, picnics and barbecues, with more than 200,000 Big Jubilee Lunches being held across the UK on the Sunday afternoon,
Camilla, patron of the Big Lunch, will join Charles at a flagship feast at The Oval cricket ground in south London, while the Earl and Countess of Wessex will meet people creating the ‘Long Table’ down on The Long Walk leading up to Windsor Castle.
The celebration also coincides with this year’s Thank You Day – originally set up to pay tribute to those who helped people through the pandemic.
Celebrities Ross Kemp, Gareth Southgate, Prue Leith and Ellie Simmonds have urged people to throw the biggest thank you party for the Queen.
A Jubilee street party on June 3, 2012 on the bridge that connects Goring in Oxfordshire and Streatley in Berkshire
The Blue Anchor pub in Hammersmith put a 3D silicone mask of the Queen wearing a golden crown, adorned with pearls, silver jewelled earrings and Union Jack glasses behind the bar for this weekend’s festivities
A hair removal clinic in London puts special Platinum Jubilee bunting across their sandwich board, as well as featuring a cartoon Corgi drawn on the glass of their storefront, which is pictured wearing a Union Jack party hat
Union Jack bunting and dedicated Platinum Jubilee flags are displayed in a shopping area to celebrate Her Majesty’s 70 years on the throne, with events being thrown from Thursday 2 June to Sunday 5 June
The Platinum Pudding, Scotch eggs and fruit platters will feature on a six-metre felt creation by artist Lucy Sparrow which is to be viewed by Charles and Camilla at The Oval. It will be given pride of place in the Grand Entrance of Buckingham Palace later this year.
Members of the local community, 70 volunteers who have been recognised as Platinum Champions through the Royal Voluntary Service’s Platinum Champions Awards, celebrity ambassadors and various charity representatives will be among the guests at the cricket ground.
The royal couple will also present the Platinum Champions with certificates and pins, before cutting a Big Jubilee Lunch cake.
More than 600 international Big Jubilee Lunches are being planned throughout the Commonwealth and beyond – from Canada to Brazil, New Zealand to Japan and South Africa to Switzerland.
Revelers on the Mall in London on June 5, 2012 during the four-day Diamond Jubilee celebration for the Queen that year
Union Jack flags cover the Kirby Estate in Bermondsey, south east London, for the Jubilee, who are known for adorning the housing area with flags on national events. They had plenty of England flags in celebration of the England football team getting to the finals of the Euros last year
Considered to be the ‘most patriotic estate in England’, Kirby Estate in Bermondsey adorns the railings of the flats with Union Jack flags ahead of the Jubilee weekend
Edward and Sophie will join Berkshire residents for their special lunch on the Long Walk, not far from Windsor Castle.
The Long Walk is being reinvented to create ‘the Long Table’ in celebration of the jubilee. This royal pair are also set to meet groups of street performers.
Charles and Camilla will also celebrate with the residents of Albert Square in an EastEnders special. They will be seen attending a Big Lunch in a June 2 episode of the BBC soap.
The Big Lunch is an annual event aimed at celebrating community connections.
Jubilee Pageant (from 2.30pm)
The finale on June 5 is the Jubilee Pageant through the streets of London.
Set to be watched by up to a billion people across the globe, more than 10,000 people have been involved in staging the £15million procession.
Puppet corgis, a giant 3D wire bust of the Queen and the Gold State Coach are just some of the sights set to feature in the 1.8-mile (3km) parade.
Union flags hang above as horses are walked along Regent Street in London today ahead of the Platinum Jubilee celebrations
Union flags hang above as horses are walked along Regent Street in London today ahead of the Platinum Jubilee celebrations
Stars including Idris Elba, Sir Cliff Richard, Courtney Love and Slade’s Noddy Holder will take to open-top buses in a through-the-ages tribute to the culture and music of the 70 years of the Queen’s reign.
A peloton of 300 cyclists, riding vintage bikes from across the seven decades of her reign, is to travel down The Mall led by Sir Chris Hoy and cycling golden couple Dame Laura and Sir Jason Kenny.
Olympic champions Sir Chris, Dame Laura and Sir Jason will be among six ‘hero cyclists’ who race towards Buckingham Palace ready to complete a 360-degree circuit of the Queen Victoria Memorial on Sunday.
Some 205 vehicles will appear as part of the parade, including 11 Morris Minors, seven Land Rovers, 20 vintage Minis including one in the shape of an Outspan Orange and seven original James Bond vehicles.
Some 205 vehicles will appear as part of the parade, including 11 Morris Minors, seven Land Rovers, 20 vintage Minis including one in the shape of an Outspan Orange and seven original James Bond vehicles. Members of the Royal Navy and Royal Marines rehearse for their role in the Platinum Jubilee Pageant in Fareham
Ice cream vans, JCBs, Del-Boy’s Only Fools And Horses three-wheeled Reliant Regal Supervan III, 15 Sinclair C5s, and seven open-top double-decker buses decorated in images of the decade they represent will also head down The Mall and past the palace. Pictured: Royal Navy and the Royal Marine Corps of Drums personnel during a rehearsal for the Platinum Jubilee Pageant at HMS Collingwood, in Fareham
Royal Marines Commando personnel during a rehearsal for the Platinum Jubilee Pageant at HMS Collingwood, in Fareham
Royal Navy personnel during a rehearsal for the Platinum Jubilee Pageant at HMS Collingwood
Royal Navy and the Royal Marine Corps of Drums personnel during a rehearsal for the Platinum Jubilee Pageant at HMS Collingwood, in Fareham
Royal Navy personnel pictured at HMS Colingwood on Monday rehearsing for the Jubilee Pageant on Sunday. They will be joined with a peloton of 300 cyclists, riding vintage bikes form across the seven decades of Her Majesty’s reign, is to travel down The Mall led by Chris Hoy and cycling golden couple Dame Laura and Sir Jason Kenny
Royal Navy personnel during a rehearsal for the Platinum Jubilee Pageant at HMS Collingwood, in Fareham, Hampshire. The Pageant on Sunday has over 10,000 involved and is anticipating over a billion people watching from across the globe
Those picnicking at the Big Jubilee Lunch and taking part in the spectacular Pageant parade through London on Sunday could face unsettled weather with a cloudier day, 19C (66F) highs and some risk of showers. Royal Navy personnel rehearse for their role at the Pageant on Sunday
Set to be watched by up to a billion people across the globe, more than 10,000 people have been involved in staging the £15million procession
Puppet corgis, a giant 3D wire bust of the Queen and the Gold State Coach are just some of the sights set to feature in the 1.8-mile (3km) parade
A peloton of 300 cyclists, riding vintage bikes from across the seven decades of her reign, is to travel down The Mall led by Sir Chris Hoy and cycling golden couple Dame Laura and Sir Jason Kenny. Pictured: Royal Navy and the Royal Marine Corps of Drums personnel during a rehearsal for the Platinum Jubilee Pageant at HMS Collingwood, in Fareham
Members of the marching band rehearse for their role in the Platinum Jubilee Pageant in Fareham
Members of the Royal Marines rehearse for their role in the Platinum Jubilee Pageant in Fareham
Royal Navy and Royal Marines rehearse for The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Pageant. More than 200 personnel, supported by the Royal Marine Corps of Drums, are put through their paces for the final time before they represent the Royal Navy at the Pageant on Sunday
The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Pageant will tell the story of The Queen’s 70-year reign, including her enduring and close bond with the UK Armed Forces
More than 200 personnel, supported by the Royal Marine Corps of Drums, are put through their paces for the final time before they represent the Royal Navy at the Pageant on Sunday 5 June
Ice cream vans, JCBs, Del-Boy’s Only Fools And Horses three-wheeled Reliant Regal Supervan III, 15 Sinclair C5s, and seven open-top double-decker buses decorated in images of the decade they represent will also head down The Mall and past the palace.
It is hoped the monarch will make a final appearance on the Palace balcony to round off the weekend to see a musical finale of Ed Sheeran singing the national anthem with a choir made up of nearly 200 celebrities.
The pageant is split into four acts:
- For Queen and Country with a military parade;
- The Time of Our Lives progressing through seven decades of culture, music and fashion;
- Let’s Celebrate telling the story of the Queen’s life in 12 chapters with corgi puppets and carnival creations; and
- Happy and Glorious musical spectacle starring Ed Sheeran and close to 200 celebrities.
A lifesize knitted Queen Elizabeth and a little corgi is seen in the grounds of St Luke’s Church in Holmes Chapel, Cheshire
A knitted British guard puppet and red, white and blue covers are displayed on a pole in the streets of Holmes Chapel, Cheshire, for the Platinum Jubilee
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