London: Queen Elizabeth II awkwardly stepped onto the balcony of Buckingham Palace on Thursday, drawing wild cheers from the tens of thousands who had come to accompany him at the start of four days of celebration of his 70 years on the throne.
His fans wore Union Jack flags, party hats or plastic tiaras. Some had camped overnight in hopes of catching a glimpse of the 96-year-old queen, whose attendance is becoming increasingly rare, and a chance to see the Trooping the Colour – a military parade that has marked each sovereign’s official birthday since 1760.
It was an explosion of joy in the huge crowd, one of the first large gatherings in the UK since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Everyone’s got the same mission,” said Hilary Mathews, 70, from Hertfordshire outside London. “All the horrors that are going on in the world and in England at the moment are put behind us for a day, and we can really enjoy celebrating the Queen.”
Elizabeth, who became queen at age 25, is Britain’s longest-reigning monarch and the first woman to reach the milestone of seven decades on the throne.
Yet after a lifetime of good health, age has started to take hold of him. Buckingham Palace announced late Thursday that the Queen would not attend a Thanksgiving church service on Friday after experiencing “some discomfort” at Thursday’s events. The palace said that with “great reluctance” the monarch has decided to leave the service at St Paul’s Cathedral.
The Queen has had trouble moving around in recent months, and has been ruled out of several public events.
But Elizabeth took part in lighting a series of ceremonial beacons at Windsor Castle Thursday night as planned.
Jubilee celebrations last a long weekend, and it was not immediately known how the news would affect Jubilee events on Saturday and Sunday.
The palace says the “Queen very much enjoyed Thursday’s events” – and it showed.
He basked in his moment. Smiling, she chatted with her 4-year-old great-grandson, Prince Louis, who sometimes covered her ears as 70 military planes swooped down from the top of the palace to salute the queen. The six-minute demonstration involved building Typhoon fighter jets flying in the shape of number 70.
The Queen, dressed in a dusky blue dress designed by Angela Kelly, was joined on the balcony by more than a dozen royals – though not by Prince Harry and his wife Meghan, who stepped down from front-line royal duties two years ago. The couple traveled from their home in California to London with their two young children to take part in the low-key ceremony, and watched Thursday’s Trooping the Color with other family members.
He did not appear on the balcony of the palace, as the emperor decided that only working members of the royal family should receive that honor. Prince Andrew, who stepped down from public duties amid controversy over his relationship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, was also excluded from the ruling.
Andrew will also miss Friday’s Thanksgiving service after testing positive for COVID-19.
The jubilee is being celebrated with a four-day holiday celebration and a concert at Buckingham Palace on Saturday and a competition organized by thousands of artists from schools and community groups across the country on Sunday. Thousands of street parties have been planned across the country, repeating a tradition that began with the Queen’s coronation in 1953.
Not everyone in Britain is celebrating. Many people have decided to take advantage of the long weekend and go on vacation. And 12 protesters were arrested on Thursday for crossing past barriers and on the parade route. The group Animal Rebellion claimed responsibility, saying that the protesters were “demanding that royal land be reclaimed”.
Yet the jubilee is giving many – even those indifferent to the monarchy – a chance to reflect on the state of the nation and the vast changes that took place during Elizabeth’s reign.
Former Prime Minister John Major, one of 14 prime ministers during the Queen’s reign, said the monarch’s stern presence has helped run the country for decades.
“The Queen has represented our superior personalities for over 70 years,” he told the BBC.
In a written jubilee message, the Queen thanked people in Britain and across the Commonwealth involved in organizing the ceremony. This country loves a good party.
“I know that many happy memories will be made of these festive occasions,” said Elizabeth. “I continue to be inspired by the goodwill shown, and hope that the days ahead will provide an opportunity to reflect on all that has been achieved during the past 70 years, as we look to the future with confidence and enthusiasm.”
Greetings arrived from world leaders including the US President Joe Biden and Pope Francis. French President Emmanuel Macron called Elizabeth “the golden thread that binds our two countries” and former President Barack Obama recalled the Queen’s “grace and generosity” during his first visit to the palace.
“Your life has been a gift not only to the United Kingdom but to the world,” Obama told the BBC, “May the light of your crown reign supreme.”
On Thursday, cheers and rumbles of hooves were heard as horse-drawn carriages carried members of the royal family, including Prince Williamwife of, catand their children, Prince George, 8, Princess CharlottePrince Louis, 7, and 4-year-old from Buckingham Palace to the Horse Guards Parade, a ceremonial parade ground about 1 kilometer (0.6 mi) away, for the Trooping the Color ceremony.
The annual tradition is a ceremonial re-enactment of battle flags, or colors, that were once displayed to soldiers to ensure that they would recognize an important rallying point if they deviated in battle.
Prince Charles, the 73-year-old heir to the throne, played a key role during the event on Thursday as he stood up for his mother – as she has more and more late.
In his formal military uniform, Charles rode on horseback to the parade ground and saluted passing soldiers in his scarlet tunic and bear hats. He was accompanied by his sister Princess Anne and eldest son Prince William.
Thousands of locals and tourists thronged the route between the palace and the parade ground to enjoy the spectacle and the atmosphere.
“I was at the fore… I’m very proud of the Queen,” said 60-year-old Celia Lourd. “She has been my queen all my life and I think we are very grateful for the service she has given to the country. So I wanted to come today to show my support and say thank you.”
His fans wore Union Jack flags, party hats or plastic tiaras. Some had camped overnight in hopes of catching a glimpse of the 96-year-old queen, whose attendance is becoming increasingly rare, and a chance to see the Trooping the Colour – a military parade that has marked each sovereign’s official birthday since 1760.
It was an explosion of joy in the huge crowd, one of the first large gatherings in the UK since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Everyone’s got the same mission,” said Hilary Mathews, 70, from Hertfordshire outside London. “All the horrors that are going on in the world and in England at the moment are put behind us for a day, and we can really enjoy celebrating the Queen.”
Elizabeth, who became queen at age 25, is Britain’s longest-reigning monarch and the first woman to reach the milestone of seven decades on the throne.
Yet after a lifetime of good health, age has started to take hold of him. Buckingham Palace announced late Thursday that the Queen would not attend a Thanksgiving church service on Friday after experiencing “some discomfort” at Thursday’s events. The palace said that with “great reluctance” the monarch has decided to leave the service at St Paul’s Cathedral.
The Queen has had trouble moving around in recent months, and has been ruled out of several public events.
But Elizabeth took part in lighting a series of ceremonial beacons at Windsor Castle Thursday night as planned.
Jubilee celebrations last a long weekend, and it was not immediately known how the news would affect Jubilee events on Saturday and Sunday.
The palace says the “Queen very much enjoyed Thursday’s events” – and it showed.
He basked in his moment. Smiling, she chatted with her 4-year-old great-grandson, Prince Louis, who sometimes covered her ears as 70 military planes swooped down from the top of the palace to salute the queen. The six-minute demonstration involved building Typhoon fighter jets flying in the shape of number 70.
The Queen, dressed in a dusky blue dress designed by Angela Kelly, was joined on the balcony by more than a dozen royals – though not by Prince Harry and his wife Meghan, who stepped down from front-line royal duties two years ago. The couple traveled from their home in California to London with their two young children to take part in the low-key ceremony, and watched Thursday’s Trooping the Color with other family members.
He did not appear on the balcony of the palace, as the emperor decided that only working members of the royal family should receive that honor. Prince Andrew, who stepped down from public duties amid controversy over his relationship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, was also excluded from the ruling.
Andrew will also miss Friday’s Thanksgiving service after testing positive for COVID-19.
The jubilee is being celebrated with a four-day holiday celebration and a concert at Buckingham Palace on Saturday and a competition organized by thousands of artists from schools and community groups across the country on Sunday. Thousands of street parties have been planned across the country, repeating a tradition that began with the Queen’s coronation in 1953.
Not everyone in Britain is celebrating. Many people have decided to take advantage of the long weekend and go on vacation. And 12 protesters were arrested on Thursday for crossing past barriers and on the parade route. The group Animal Rebellion claimed responsibility, saying that the protesters were “demanding that royal land be reclaimed”.
Yet the jubilee is giving many – even those indifferent to the monarchy – a chance to reflect on the state of the nation and the vast changes that took place during Elizabeth’s reign.
Former Prime Minister John Major, one of 14 prime ministers during the Queen’s reign, said the monarch’s stern presence has helped run the country for decades.
“The Queen has represented our superior personalities for over 70 years,” he told the BBC.
In a written jubilee message, the Queen thanked people in Britain and across the Commonwealth involved in organizing the ceremony. This country loves a good party.
“I know that many happy memories will be made of these festive occasions,” said Elizabeth. “I continue to be inspired by the goodwill shown, and hope that the days ahead will provide an opportunity to reflect on all that has been achieved during the past 70 years, as we look to the future with confidence and enthusiasm.”
Greetings arrived from world leaders including the US President Joe Biden and Pope Francis. French President Emmanuel Macron called Elizabeth “the golden thread that binds our two countries” and former President Barack Obama recalled the Queen’s “grace and generosity” during his first visit to the palace.
“Your life has been a gift not only to the United Kingdom but to the world,” Obama told the BBC, “May the light of your crown reign supreme.”
On Thursday, cheers and rumbles of hooves were heard as horse-drawn carriages carried members of the royal family, including Prince Williamwife of, catand their children, Prince George, 8, Princess CharlottePrince Louis, 7, and 4-year-old from Buckingham Palace to the Horse Guards Parade, a ceremonial parade ground about 1 kilometer (0.6 mi) away, for the Trooping the Color ceremony.
The annual tradition is a ceremonial re-enactment of battle flags, or colors, that were once displayed to soldiers to ensure that they would recognize an important rallying point if they deviated in battle.
Prince Charles, the 73-year-old heir to the throne, played a key role during the event on Thursday as he stood up for his mother – as she has more and more late.
In his formal military uniform, Charles rode on horseback to the parade ground and saluted passing soldiers in his scarlet tunic and bear hats. He was accompanied by his sister Princess Anne and eldest son Prince William.
Thousands of locals and tourists thronged the route between the palace and the parade ground to enjoy the spectacle and the atmosphere.
“I was at the fore… I’m very proud of the Queen,” said 60-year-old Celia Lourd. “She has been my queen all my life and I think we are very grateful for the service she has given to the country. So I wanted to come today to show my support and say thank you.”