LONDON –
Queen Elizabeth II has appeared on the balcony of Buckingham Palace, delighting fans waiting to see her on the last day of the festivities marking the monarch’s 70th year on the throne.
The 96-year-old monarch has cut back on her schedule in recent months due to mobility problems, which the palace describes as “periodic mobility problems”.
Earlier on Sunday, the queen had only appeared in public twice during the four-day platinum jubilee.
On Thursday, Elizabeth joined other members of the royal family on the balcony of Buckingham Palace as they greeted the fans after the Queen’s birthday parade. Later that day, he took part in a national lighthouse lighting ceremony at Windsor Castle, the royal residence 32 miles west of London where he has spent much of the past two years.
But he did not attend a church service in his honor on Friday at St Paul’s Cathedral in central London, and decided not to travel to the Epsom Derby horse race on Saturday.
The Queen also missed the gala party outside Buckingham Palace on Saturday night, although she appeared in a pre-recorded parody with Paddington Bear.
THIS IS A LATEST NEWS UPDATE. The previous story of AP follows below.
LONDON (AP) – A bustling and colorful street contest celebrating the life of Queen Elizabeth II and highlighting British diversity paraded through central London on Sunday, the last day of a festive weekend in honor of the 70’s years of the monarch on the throne. Thousands took to the streets of London, many talking excitedly and proudly about their queen and her country.
Royal fans waiting to see another vision of the 96-year-old queen at Buckingham Palace, where the parade ends, can achieve their wish. The royal flag was raised over the palace, suggesting that the monarch might greet the crowd with a second balcony.
Known as the Royal Standard, the flag is only flown over one of the palaces when the queen is in residence.
The queen only appeared in public on Thursday during the four-day platinum jubilee extravaganza, and officials said she experienced “discomfort” during the events. Elizabeth has reduced her schedule in recent months due to mobility problems.
Sunday’s pageant began with a spectacular military parade with 200 horses marching through the mall to Buckingham Palace. They flanked the Golden State Coach, a golden carriage that carried the queen to her coronation 69 years ago. A virtual version of her, taken from an archive video of her 1953 coronation, was displayed in the coach’s windows.
After the pomp and prestige came a mix of acts celebrating the diversity of modern Britain and the Commonwealth, from hip hop and Bollywood dancers to drag queens and Mardi Gras-style floats. About 6,000 performers marched along a three-kilometer (almost two-mile) route surrounded by a sea of Union flags, telling the story of the queen’s life with dancing, vintage cars, vibrant costumes, carnival music and giant puppets.
Some of Britain’s most beloved cultural exports were here, from the Daleks to “Doctor Who” to the Aston Martins of James Bond. Celebrities such as singer Cliff Richard danced and sang from open-air double-decker buses designed to represent the sights and sounds of every decade from the 1950s onwards.
“It’s a great honor to be a part of this, we have the best queen in the world, right? The best country in the world,” said Warren Jobson, a motorcyclist who took part in the parade.
Organizers say the pageant is expected to be seen by a billion people worldwide. Finally, celebrities such as singer-songwriter Ed Sheeran will sing “God Save The Queen” outside Buckingham Palace, where many expect the monarch and her family to make another appearance on the balcony to end the weekend of celebrations. .
The most enthusiastic royal fans faced the humid and cold weather and camped in the mall during the night to ensure the best view of the event. Some came for the celebrities who will be performing, while others wanted to be part of a historic moment.
“It’s part of the story, it’s never going to happen again. It’s something special, so if you’re going to do it, you have to go home or go home,” said Shaun Wallen, 50.
The queen did not join her family at the royal pole watching the pageant. Neither did Prince Harry and his wife, Meghan, who made their first family trip to the UK since leaving the royal office and moved to the United States in 2020. The couple has largely stayed out of the UK. focus during platinum jubilee events.
The monarch delighted the country when she appeared in a surprise comedy video that opened a concert on Saturday in front of Buckingham Palace. In the video, the monarch drank tea with a computer-animated Paddington bear and revealed that, like the furry character, he liked jam sandwiches and liked to keep them in his handbag.
Diana Ross and rock band Queen led the star-studded tribute concert on Saturday night, which also featured Rod Stewart, Duran Duran, Alicia Keys and Andrea Bocelli.
Prince Charles, the queen’s eldest son and heir to the throne, highlighted his mother’s role as a symbol of unity and stability over the decades.
Addressing the Queen as “Go Majesty, Mummy,” Charles said, “You laugh and cry with us, and most importantly, you have been there for us for these 70 years.”
On Sunday, Charles and his wife, Camilla, mingled with crowds at The Oval Cricket Ground in London for a “Big Jubilee Lunch”. Millions across the country also proposed long tables, balloons and picnic food for parties and similar patriotic barbecues.
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Jo Kearney, Srdjan Nedeljkovic and Maria Grazia Murru contributed to this report.