There are celebrations in honor of Queen Elizabeth. No other monarch in British history has reached 70 years of service.
Take your party hats and hang your bow – Celebrations with platinum anniversary for the UK Queen Elizabeth II approaching us.
No other monarch in British history has reached 70 years of service.
The queen, then 25 years old, ascended the throne on February 6, 1952 after the death of her father, King George VI.
In 2015, she became Britain’s longest-serving reigning monarch, surpassing the time spent on the throne by her great-grandmother Queen Victoria, who ruled for 63 years and seven months.
In recognition of the significant event, Buckingham Palace is doing its best. Here’s what you need to know.
What’s going on?
To celebrate an unprecedented anniversary, a number of events took place in the UK this year. It all ends a four-day weekend of the National Bank from Thursday, June 2, to Sunday, June 5, known as the Platinum Jubilee Weekend. In the UK, royal celebrations are usually held in the summer to improve the weather.
The weekend will feature a variety of public events and social events, as well as “national moments of reflection” on the seven decades of the Queen’s reign, the palace said.
The upcoming celebrations will be the first anniversary of the Queen without her husband, Prince Philip, who died in 2021.
Several anniversaries mark the reign of the Queen since her accession to the throne in 1952: the Silver Anniversary, which celebrates 25 years in 1977; celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Golden Jubilee in 2002; and celebrating the Diamond Jubilee ten years ago before its 60th anniversary.
The monarch decided to celebrate other anniversaries, such as her Ruby Anniversary (40 years in 1992) and Sapphire Anniversary (65 years in 2017), with less pomp and without public events.
The Queen’s private estates – including Sandringham House and Balmaral Castle – are also joining the anniversary themed events.
What activities are planned?
Thursday, June 2nd
The festivities begin at 10 a.m. BSC (5 a.m. Eastern European Time) with a Queen’s birthday parade known as Trooping the Color. The annual ceremony returns to central London after a two-year hiatus due to a coronavirus pandemic.
In an impressive show of military festivities more than 1,200 officers from the Queen’s personal troops, the Home Division, will be joined by several hundred army musicians and 240 horses. The “color” – or regimental flag – will be carried by the 1st Battalion of the Irish Guard. The procession will start at Buckingham Palace and move down the mall to the Horse Guards Parade, which will be joined by members of the royal family on horseback and in carriages.
Upon returning from the site the queen and members of the royal family will make their usual balcony. The event will end with a flight over the palace.
Later, 1,500 lighthouses will be lit in the UK, the Channel Islands, the Isle of Man and the UK overseas. The main lighthouse will be lit at a special ceremony at Buckingham Palace. Lighthouse lighting is a long-standing royal tradition used to celebrate anniversaries, weddings and coronations. Lighthouses will also be lit in the capital cities of the Commonwealth.
Friday, June 3rd
A service of thanksgiving in honor of the Queen’s long reign will be held at St. Paul’s Cathedral with the participation of family members.
Saturday, June 4th
It is expected that several members of the royal family in the afternoon will go to the Epsom Downs racetrack to participate in the 243rd issue of the famous Derby races. The Queen, the most avid horse breeder, was a regular spectator at the event and even presented the famous trophy of past years.
In the evening at two and a half hours of the concert “Platinum Party At The Palace” will be a stellar lineup on three stages, built in front of Buckingham Palace and the famous Queen Victoria Memorial. Queen + Adam Lambert, Alicia Keys and Diana Ross are among the performers who will perform their biggest hits on the show, which will be broadcast live on the BBC. About 22,000 people will be able to watch the concert in person, including 10,000 who won tickets through public voting; 5,000 tickets were reserved for key employees.
Sunday, June 5th
At the end of Sunday’s celebrations, people are urged to hold street parties as part of the “Big Jubilee Dinner” initiative. Joint meetings are to be held across Britain, including flagship events in London and the Eden Project in Cornwall, where the idea of dinners originated. “Great Jubilee Dinners” are also planned around the world, from Canada to Brazil to South Africa and Japan.
Weekend finale Platinum anniversary contestin which artists, dancers, musicians, the military, key workers and volunteers come together to bring to life the landmark moments of the Queen’s reign at the Festival of Creativity. Starting at 14:30 (9:30 ET), the competition will include a “River of Hope” section that will include 200 silk flags running through the mall like a river. Students were asked to create a picture of their hopes and aspirations for the planet for the next 70 years, the choice of which will be shown on silk flags.
When will we see the queen?
It is not entirely clear when we will see the queen on the weekend.
The 96-year-old monarch has recently struggled with mobility issues and has been forced to give up several public appearances, including State opening of parliament in May.
She will still be reinsured until the anniversary and has not confirmed whether she will attend the various celebrations.
Royal source recently told CNN that Her Majesty is “looking forward” to the festivities and plans to take part in the festivities, but “her presence will only be confirmed closer to the time or on the day itself”.
What other members of the royal family are joining the celebration?
Most high-ranking members of the royal family are expected to attend several anniversary celebrations in central London. Some will also travel to all four UK countries during a four-day extravaganza when the Queen will send Cambridge to Wales, the Earl and Countess of Wessex to Northern Ireland and Princess Anne to Scotland.
And after much speculation it has also been confirmed that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex and their children will be flying back to the UK for the festivities.
The Queen has decided that only members of the royal family, acting, will appear on the famous balcony of Buckingham Palace during the color parade on Thursday. So we expect to see the Queen along with her three children – Charles, Edward and Anne – as well as Princes William and Kate and their children, as well as a number of other relatives of the monarch.
That doesn’t mean Harry, Megan or Andrew won’t participate in the celebration at all. A wider family is traditionally invited to worship, as well as to worship St. Paul’s Cathedral on Friday.
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