London: The colorful street is celebrating the spectacle Queen Elizabeth IIlife and highlighting BritainThe parade of diversity took place in central London on Sunday, honoring the last day of a long holiday weekend King70 years on the throne. Royal fans were hoping to catch another glimpse of the 96-year-old queen later Buckingham PalaceWhere the parade ends.
With the bells ringing in Westminster Abbey, a spectacular military parade of 200 horses began the ceremony as they walked from the Mall to Buckingham Palace. He waved the gold kingdom coach, a gilded carriage that had carried the queen to her coronation 69 years earlier.
The Queen did not participate in the competition – although a virtual version of her, taken from an archival video of her 1953 coronation, was shown on the windows of the coach.
The pomp and spectacle was followed by a fusion of acts celebrating the diversity of modern Britain and the Commonwealth, from hip hop and Bollywood dancers to queens and Mardi Gras-style floats. Some 6,000 performers parade along the three-kilometer (about two-mile) route with a sea of Union flags, telling the story of the Queen’s life with dance, vintage cars, vibrant costumes, carnival music and giant puppets.
From the Daleks in “Doctor Who” to James Bond’s Aston Martins, some of Britain’s best-loved cultural exports were here. Celebrities including singer Cliff Richard danced and sang from the open-top double-decker buses to represent the sights and sounds of each decade from the 1950s onwards.
Thousands took to the streets of London and spectators and participants alike spoke of the excitement and pride in their queen and country.
Warren Jobson, a biker who participated in the parade, said, “It’s a great honor to be a part of it, we’ve got the best queen in the world, right? The best country in the world.”
Organizers say the pageant is expected to be viewed by 1 billion people worldwide.
The most eager royal fans weathered the wet, chilly weather and camped out at the mall all night to secure the best view of the competition. Some came for the celebrities to perform, while others wanted to be a part of a historic moment.
“It’s part of history, it’s never going to happen again. It’s something special, so if you’re going to do it you have to go big or go home,” said 50-year-old Sean Wallen.
Seeing the spectacle, the queen did not join the royal compartment with her family. Neither did Prince Harry and his wife, Meghan, who made their first family trip to the UK since they moved from royal duties to the US in 2020. The couple largely stayed out of the limelight during the Platinum Jubilee events.
The monarch has not appeared in public for Platinum Jubilee events since Thursday, when she smiled and waved to her family on the balcony of Buckingham Palace. She has limited her presence in recent months because of what the palace described as “episodic mobility issues”. She also had COVID-19 this spring.
Still, she delighted the nation when she appeared in a surprise comedy video that staged a concert in front of Buckingham Palace on Saturday. In the video, Monarch sips tea with computer-animated Paddington Bears — and reveals that, like the beloved character, she was partial to marmalade sandwiches and liked to keep them in her handbag.
Diana Ross and rock band Queen kicked off Saturday night’s star-studded tribute concert, which also featured Rod Stewart, Duran Duran, Alicia Keys and Andrea Bocelli.
Prince Charles, the Queen’s eldest son and heir to the throne, has for decades highlighted his mother’s role as a symbol of unity and stability.
Addressing the Queen as “Your Majesty, Mother”, Charles said: “You laugh and cry with us and most importantly you have been there for us these 70 years.”
On Sunday, Charles and his wife, Camilla, met with the crowd for the “Big Jubilee Lunch” at the Oval cricket ground in London. Similarly millions across the country set out long tables, balloons and picnic fare for equally patriotic street parties and barbecues.
Later on Sunday, celebrities including singer-songwriter Ed Sheeran will perform “God Save the Queen” outside Buckingham Palace as the pageant’s finale. Many expect the monarch to make a second balcony appearance to kick off the weekend of the ceremony.
With the bells ringing in Westminster Abbey, a spectacular military parade of 200 horses began the ceremony as they walked from the Mall to Buckingham Palace. He waved the gold kingdom coach, a gilded carriage that had carried the queen to her coronation 69 years earlier.
The Queen did not participate in the competition – although a virtual version of her, taken from an archival video of her 1953 coronation, was shown on the windows of the coach.
The pomp and spectacle was followed by a fusion of acts celebrating the diversity of modern Britain and the Commonwealth, from hip hop and Bollywood dancers to queens and Mardi Gras-style floats. Some 6,000 performers parade along the three-kilometer (about two-mile) route with a sea of Union flags, telling the story of the Queen’s life with dance, vintage cars, vibrant costumes, carnival music and giant puppets.
From the Daleks in “Doctor Who” to James Bond’s Aston Martins, some of Britain’s best-loved cultural exports were here. Celebrities including singer Cliff Richard danced and sang from the open-top double-decker buses to represent the sights and sounds of each decade from the 1950s onwards.
Thousands took to the streets of London and spectators and participants alike spoke of the excitement and pride in their queen and country.
Warren Jobson, a biker who participated in the parade, said, “It’s a great honor to be a part of it, we’ve got the best queen in the world, right? The best country in the world.”
Organizers say the pageant is expected to be viewed by 1 billion people worldwide.
The most eager royal fans weathered the wet, chilly weather and camped out at the mall all night to secure the best view of the competition. Some came for the celebrities to perform, while others wanted to be a part of a historic moment.
“It’s part of history, it’s never going to happen again. It’s something special, so if you’re going to do it you have to go big or go home,” said 50-year-old Sean Wallen.
Seeing the spectacle, the queen did not join the royal compartment with her family. Neither did Prince Harry and his wife, Meghan, who made their first family trip to the UK since they moved from royal duties to the US in 2020. The couple largely stayed out of the limelight during the Platinum Jubilee events.
The monarch has not appeared in public for Platinum Jubilee events since Thursday, when she smiled and waved to her family on the balcony of Buckingham Palace. She has limited her presence in recent months because of what the palace described as “episodic mobility issues”. She also had COVID-19 this spring.
Still, she delighted the nation when she appeared in a surprise comedy video that staged a concert in front of Buckingham Palace on Saturday. In the video, Monarch sips tea with computer-animated Paddington Bears — and reveals that, like the beloved character, she was partial to marmalade sandwiches and liked to keep them in her handbag.
Diana Ross and rock band Queen kicked off Saturday night’s star-studded tribute concert, which also featured Rod Stewart, Duran Duran, Alicia Keys and Andrea Bocelli.
Prince Charles, the Queen’s eldest son and heir to the throne, has for decades highlighted his mother’s role as a symbol of unity and stability.
Addressing the Queen as “Your Majesty, Mother”, Charles said: “You laugh and cry with us and most importantly you have been there for us these 70 years.”
On Sunday, Charles and his wife, Camilla, met with the crowd for the “Big Jubilee Lunch” at the Oval cricket ground in London. Similarly millions across the country set out long tables, balloons and picnic fare for equally patriotic street parties and barbecues.
Later on Sunday, celebrities including singer-songwriter Ed Sheeran will perform “God Save the Queen” outside Buckingham Palace as the pageant’s finale. Many expect the monarch to make a second balcony appearance to kick off the weekend of the ceremony.