The Queen will celebrate her Platinum Jubilee in a culmination of events, next month, to mark her impressive 70-year reign, although she officially hit the milestone on 6 February 2022.
Her Majesty is the longest reigning British monarch, and so it’s just as well she marks the major milestone in style.
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Over recent months there have been pre-Jubilee events, including an intimate tour of the Queen’s horses and the stables in Newmarket, to throwback photos of the Prince William and Harry’s grandmother.
The 96-year-old royal has had growing concerns over her health and welfare in advance of recent royal engagements, but contingency plans are in place to ensure she makes the upcoming celebration.
While there has been growing speculation over who will be standing on the balcony of Buckingham Palace by her side for Trooping the Colour, which will kickstart the royal celebrations, our concern is the Queen, and she is in for a jam-packed weekend that’s for sure.
We have all the details on what’s going on over the Platinum Jubilee weekend, which starts on 2 June and will come to an end on 5 June, so you know exactly where to be to wave at the Queen and her royal family.
Day one: Thursday 2 June
The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations will start on 2 June with the Queen’s Birthday Parade, also known as Trooping the Colour.
The parade will kick off at 10am, and will see the iconic Horse Guards Parade take place along the Mall towards Buckingham Palace, which has been royal tradition to celebrate the sovereign for almost 300 years.
The Royal UK website explained the plan of events: “The colour will be trooped by the 1st Battalion, Irish Guards, and more than 1200 officers and soldiers from the Household Division will put on a display of military pageantry on Horse Guards Parade, together with hundreds of Army musicians and around 240 horses.”
The day will also see a Royal Gun Salute, which will be fired, followed by the Flypast to coincide with the Royal Family’s appearance on the balcony of Buckingham Palace.
In previous years Prince William and Kate Middleton’s children have been pictured sticking their tongue out, waving and pulling funny faces while on the platform, so keep your eyes peeled if you want a giggle.
Thursday 2 June will also see beacons light up across the UK, Channel Islands, the Isle of Man, as well as in the cities of Commonwealth countries to celebrate the Platinum Jubilee.
The beacon lighting tradition will also include a “special ceremony” at Buckingham Palace on the evening of 2 June, while Help for Heroes veterans are said to be lighting the traditional fires in the furthest points in the north, south, east and west of Great Britain.
The website has confirmed: “The principal beacon lighting will take place in a special ceremony at Buckingham Palace on Thursday evening. This will take the form of a lighting installation with The Queen’s Green Canopy ‘Tree of Trees’ sculpture and projections onto the front of Buckingham Palace. This innovative new way of taking part in the beacon lighting will reflect the Royal Family’s long history of championing environmental causes.”
Day two: Friday 3 June
Following Trooping the Colour a National Service of Thanksgiving will take place at St. Paul’s Cathedral.
The service will commence at 11.30am, and will see the largest church bell, Great Paul, ring just moments prior at 10.50am for five minutes.
It has also been confirmed by Buckingham Palace a special song will be sung during the official engagement. “The service will include a new Anthem by Judith Weir, Master of The Queen’s Music, that sets to music words from the third Chapter of the Book of Proverbs”, Royal UK has stated.
After the service a reception at Guildhall will be underway, although further details have yet to be confirmed.
Day three: 4 June
We know how much the Queen loves her horses, and she often attends Royal Ascot to watch her own compete. So, it is only right a horse racing event takes place to mark the Platinum Jubilee.
As part of the third day of the Platinum Jubilee celebrations The Derby at Epsom Downs racecourse will take place. The 243rd Derby is a flat race and will kick off at 5.30pm.
Though the Queen’s horse, Reach For The Moon, has been pulled out of the race, a tribute to Her Majesty will be held, which will involve 40 retired and current jockeys wear the Queen’s silks to form a guard of honour.
Later in the evening BBC will be launching its hotly anticipated Platinum Party at the Palace, which will be hosted by Kirsty Young and Roman Kemp.
Platinum Party at the Palace will kick off at 8pm, and is said to be open to 22,000 guests, which include 5,000 key workers who went above and beyond during the coronavirus pandemic.
Big acts are tipped to perform on the evening to celebrate the Platinum Jubilee, and though it was previously reported the Spice Girls would reunite to join the star-studded line-up, they have since denied the rumours.
However, singer George Ezra and Radio One presenter Clara Amfo are tipped to take to the stage.
For those who have been unable to get a ticket to the three-hour long concert, it will be aired live on BBC One, and available to watch on BBC iPlayer, so whether you enjoy in the comfort of your own home, or play it as the street party continues, it is a great way to bring day two events to a close.
While celebrations are underway in London, those in Surrey can enjoy a Jubilee Picnic on the Long Walk in Windsor.
Day four: 5 June
Last but by no means least, the final day of celebrations is on Sunday 5 June, and it is one extravaganza not to be missed; from the Big Jubilee Lunch to a Jubilee Pageant featuring the Gold State Coach.
The Big Jubilee Lunch has seen over 60,000 people registered to host the lunch over the weekend, which includes a variety of events, including world record attempts for the longest street party, for example.
In London’s The Oval a specially invited audience will bond over food, memories, and share friendship and food together while at the impressive venue.
However, the Big Jubilee Lunch is not only in London, but across the globe, as “over 600 international Big Jubilee Lunches [have been] planned throughout the Commonwealth and beyond – from Canada to Brazil, New Zealand to Japan and South Africa to Switzerland”.
The Platinum Jubilee Pageant is a nod to the Queen’s Coronation, as the Bells of Westminster Abbey will ring in time with The Mounted Band of the Household Cavalry, who will lead the Gold State Coach along the pageant route, which will go from Parliament Square, along Whitehall, up the Mall, and back to Buckingham Palace.
This is certainly one to keep your eyes open for as the Gold State Coach was used to transport the monarch on her Coronation and Jubilees, and will present original footage from the Coronation on the windows, but it has not been on the road for over 20 years.
Describing the Gold State Coach, the Royal UK website writes: “The Gold State Coach is the Platinum Pageant’s iconic figurehead; a ‘crown jewel’ made yet more awesome by the glittering livery worn by its four pairs of Windsor Greys. Everywhere you look, in the golden sculptures and painted panels, in the uniforms of the postillions, grooms, footmen, attendants and mounted guards, there is rich tradition and history.”
The Platinum Pageant aims to “bring to life iconic moments from The Queen’s reign as well as showcasing our changing society over the past 70 years”, so it is safe to say it will be the pièce de résistance of the four-day celebrations.
The pageant will conclude with the National Anthem, and a gospel choir will perform alongside the Band of Her Majesty’s Royal Marines.
Ed Sheeran, as well as many other famous figures across music, film, sport and the arts, will play an important role on Sunday’s events, as well as the Armed Forces, volunteers, key workers and the general public.
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