Celebrations commemorating the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee have begun in London and across the UK, with large crowds roaming the streets of the British capital to watch the festivities.
Key points:
- Thousands flock to London as the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations begin, marking the 70th anniversary of her reign.
- Protesters have interrupted a gang during the Trooping the Color military parade outside Buckingham Palace
- Police have warned people to stay away from the area with display spaces already in the capacity
The Queen appeared on the balcony of Buckingham Palace with other members of the royal family working as the Royal Air Force flew over with the red arrow acrobatic flight crew as well as historic military aircraft.
It was his second public appearance of the day; before he appeared with a radiant smile beside his cousin, the Duke of Kent, on the same balcony to welcome the crowd.
Wearing a pale blue dress that she also wore for her official Jubilee portrait, she used a cane to go out on the balcony.
Thursday marks not only the beginning of the jubilee, but also the 69th anniversary of the coronation of Elizabeth, who became queen on the death of her father George VI in February 1952.
The queen smiled as she watched from the balcony of Buckingham Palace after the Trooping the Color ceremony. (AP: Jonathan Brady)
The Platinum Jubilee will feature four days of festivities, parades and pomp to pay tribute to the 96-year-old monarch and her 70th reign on the British throne.
Celebrations began on Thursday morning with Trooping the Color, a military parade held by members of the British Army dating back to the 17th century.
Part of the parade was interrupted by several protesters, who jumped the crowd barriers and ran out onto Mall Boulevard in front of Buckingham Palace and took to the road in front of a band.
Police rushed to drag the men.
Police in riot gear stormed a rally on Friday, removing hundreds of protesters by truck. (Reuters: John Sibley)
By mid-morning, police were forced to warn people to stay away from the event, and the viewing places quickly filled up.
“The display areas in central London for the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations are already full,” Metropolitan Police said in a statement.
“To avoid disappointment in not being able to enter viewing areas, please avoid the area.”
Queen Elizabeth joined other members of the royal family working on the balcony of Buckingham Palace for the RAF Pass. (Reuters: Hannah McKay)
Earlier on Thursday, the Queen thanked the participants in the celebrations for marking her platinum jubilee.
“Thank you to everyone who took part in the call for communities, families, neighbors and friends to commemorate my platinum jubilee, in the UK and across the Commonwealth,” it said in a statement.
“I continue to be inspired by the goodwill shown to me, and I hope that the next few days will be an opportunity to reflect on all that has been achieved over the past 70 years, as we look to the future with confidence and excitement. “.
The arrival of the first members of the royal family in a carriage: Kate, the wife of Prince William, his three young children and Camilla, the wife of the heir to the throne, Prince Charles, received a standing ovation .
Space to play or pause, M to mute, left and right arrows to search, up and down arrows for volume. The Duchess of Cambridge arrives at Trooping the Color with George, Charlotte and Louis
Prince Charles, 73, Prince William, 39, and the Queen’s daughter, Princess Anna, rode on horseback.
Charles and William will perform other ceremonial tasks on behalf of the Queen, although much attention will be paid to those who will not be present.
The second child, Prince Andrew, 62, who settled a lawsuit in the United States in February in which he was accused of sexually abusing American woman Virginia Roberts Giuffre when he was 17, did not attend.
It was later revealed on Thursday that Andrew, the Duke of York, would not attend the National Thanksgiving Service on Friday after testing positive for COVID-19.
“After a routine test, the Duke of York has tested positive for COVID and will regretfully stop attending the Thanksgiving service tomorrow,” a spokesman told the BBC.
The BBC said it was understood the duke had met with the queen in recent days, but not since he had tested positive.
Prince Harry, who now lives in Los Angeles with his wife Meghan, attended the parade, but was absent when the royal family gathered on the palace balcony to watch the passage.
“Our duty to come and celebrate”
As the planes flew overhead, people clapped loudly and waved Union Jack flags.
Tens of thousands gathered in the gardens and streets surrounding the palace to watch the military parade.
Brisbane Morris and Sheryl Blanchard extended their holiday to attend the Platinum Jubilee in London. (ABC News: Isabella Higg)
Brisbane couple Sheryl and Morris Blanchard extended their London holiday to attend the jubilee and described the moment as a “unique experience in life”.
“We just had to come, no one does the pomp and ceremony like the British do,” Blanchard said.
“So we thought that as Australians we had to do our duty and go down to celebrate.”
Living the Duchess of Cambridge and her children was the highlight for Mrs. Blanchard.
“Seeing the royal family, especially beautiful Kate and the kids, smiling and greeting,” he said.
British Prince George, Prince Louis and Princess Charlotte enjoyed their first Jubilee celebration. (Reuters: Henry Nicholls)
“It was really great.”
There were artillery salutes in London, across Britain and from Royal Navy ships at sea.
In the evening, beacons will be lit across the country and the Commonwealth, with the Queen at the helm of the lighting of the main Platinum Jubilee Beacon at her home in Windsor Castle.
French President Emmanuel Macron, Pope Francis and former British prime ministers were among those who sent messages of goodwill.
Loading
“I can’t think of any other public figure, no other celebrity, no other president … who could have been so popular,” former Prime Minister John Major told BBC radio.
Wired ABC
Posted 3 hours, 3 hours ago, Thursday, June 2, 2022 at 11:30 AM, last updated on Thursday, June 2, 2022 at 3:05 PM