Queen's full Platinum Jubilee plans finally revealed
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Marking 70 years of tireless service to her nation, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, at 95 years of age, will soon become the first British Monarch to celebrate this amazing milestone.
Throughout the year the Queen and members of the Royal Family are set to travel around the country, undertaking a variety of engagements to mark this special occasion.
Now Buckingham Palace has finally released the full programme ahead of those celebrations. It includes parades, concerts and – if you're lucky enough to live in the United Kingdom – a Bank Holiday.
While it's not yet certain which events Her Majesty will actually be able to attend, following the orders given by doctors to rest last year, celebrations have already kicked off – with the Platinum Pudding Competition on January 10!
Run by Fortnum & Mason, it seeks to find a dish that can be dedicated to the Queen’s historic milestone. Recipes will be judged by an expert Panel, including food writer and chef Dame Mary Berry.
The Queen's Green Canopy initiative will continue to plant new trees to present to her at the end of the year. From May 12th to 15th, more than 500 horses and 1,000 performers are expected to take part in a show in the grounds of Windsor Castle.
This will take the audience through royal history – from Elizabeth I to the present day.
The rest of the celebrations are expected to take place later this year, with June the 2nd marking the first of the special four-day UK Bank holiday when the Birthday Parade – also known as Trooping the Colour – takes place in Horse Guards Parade.
On the same day, the UK, Channel Islands, Isle of Man and UK overseas territories will come together to light a beacon at the same time as the principal beacon at Buckingham Palace.
On June 3rd, a service of Thanksgiving for the Queen's reign will be held at St Paul's Cathedral, ahead of the star-studded Platinum Party at the Palace on Saturday, June 4th. The party is expected to bring together some of the world's biggest names in entertainment.
On June 5th, street parties are being planned across the UK, with neighbours expected to join together for food and fun to celebrate the Platinum Jubilee.
Pageant master Adrian Evans has also revealed there will be a special tribute to the Queen and her late husband, the Duke of Edinburgh, who died in April 2021, aged 99.
Throughout the celebrations, some of the Queen's estates - including Sandringham and Balmoral - will be open for residents and visitors to enjoy.
Performers, dancers, musicians, military personnel, key workers and volunteers will tell the story of the Queen's reign in the Platinum Jubilee Pageant.
This will include a River Of Hope - made up of 200 silk flags - which will make its way along the Mall.
Schoolchildren across the country have been invited to create a picture of their hopes for the planet over the next 70 years, and some of their designs will be put on to the flags.
In July, three displays marking the Queen's accession to the throne, the Coronation and Jubilees will be put on at Buckingham Palace, Windsor Castle and the Palace of Holyroodhouse.