When is the Queen's Platinum Jubilee, what are the celebration plans and when is the extra bank holiday?
3 June 2021, 16:38
The Queen's Platinum Jubilee will mark 70 years of the Monarch's reign, complete with an extra-long Bank Holiday weekend and countless celebrations.
This week, Buckingham Palace confirmed the details of the Queen's Platinum Jubilee in 2022.
The Platinum Jubilee is a huge milestone no British Monarch has ever reached before, and will mark Queen Elizabeth II's impressive 70 years on the throne.
This special occasion will be marked with an extra-long Bank Holiday weekend, a return of Trooping the Colour among other parties and events.
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While the Queen's 70 years of service will be rejoiced throughout 2022 in different ways, it is the Bank Holiday weekend from June 2 to June 5 which will see the main celebrations.
Here's everything you need to know:
On Thursday, June 2
On the Thursday of the Bank Holiday weekend, the Queen's famous Birthday Parade – also known as Trooping the Colour – will take place for the first time in two years.
The 2020 and 2021 celebrations were cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic.
However, the iconic event will return with a bang in 2022 as over 1,400 parading soldiers, 200 horses and 400 musicians will take part in the traditional parade.
This parade will start at Buckingham Palace, and travel down The Mall as members of the Royal Family join the procession in horse carriages.
The parade will end with the RAF fly-past, which will be watched by members of the Royal Family from the Buckingham Palace balcony.
The last time the family gathered on the famous balcony was in 2019 for the same event.
As well as Trooping the Colour, Beacons will be lit throughout the United Kingdom, Channel Islands, Isle of Man and UK Overseas Territories to mark the special occasion.
Beacons will also be lit in each of the capital cities of the Commonwealth countries.
On Friday, June 3
On the Friday, the day will begin with a Service of Thanksgiving at St Paul's Cathedral.
Other events will be happening throughout this day, however, the details are yet to be announced.
On Saturday, June 4
On the Saturday, the Queen and other members of the Royal Family will attend the Derby at Epsom Downs.
The Queen attends this event every year without fail, and has been known to bring along Kate Middleton, Prince William, Prince Harry and her granddaughters Princess Eugenie and Princess Beatrice in the past.
Also on Saturday, the Platinum Party at the Palace will take place.
The Platinum Party at the Palace will mark the Queen's 70 years on the throne with a special live concert which will be broadcast by the BBC.
Members of the public will be invited to apply to attend this special event and details of the ballot for UK residents to secure audience tickets will be released in due course.
On Sunday, June 5
On the Sunday, people across Britain will be encouraged to take place in 'The Big Jubilee Lunch', which aims to bring communities together to socialise and bond.
Your own Jubilee Lunch can be big or small, and can see you celebrate with friends and family, or even in the street with your neighbours.
The Platinum Jubilee Pageant will be the last event of the Jubilee weekend, and will see over 5,000 people from across the UK and the Commonwealth come together to perform theatre, street arts, music, carnival and circus pieces.
Who will be attending the Queen's Platinum Jubilee celebrations?
While members of the royal family attending each event have not yet been confirmed, we expect appearances from the immediate members of the Queen's family.
These include Prince Charles, Camilla the Duchess of Cornwall, Prince William, Kate Middleton – their children George, Charlotte and Louis – as well as Princesses Eugenie and Beatrice.
According to reports, Meghan and Harry are keen to return to the UK next year the celebrate the Queen with the rest of the Royal Family.
However, after the past year, it is hard to say how difficult this will be.
A source told The Sun: "Harry wants to be there. It is already causing a headache and is going to be very awkward.
"What events can they attend? Will we put them on the Buckingham Palace balcony for the flypast?
“This is a celebration for the Queen’s 70 years of service to the nation and should not be overshadowed."
What is the Platinum Jubilee?
A Platinum Jubilee is a celebration to mark an anniversary, in this context, 70 years since the Queen was crowned.
The Queen marked her Silver Jubilee in 1977, her Golden Jubilee in 2022, her Diamond Jubilee in 2012 and her Sapphire Jubilee in 2017.
Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II's coronation took place on June 2 in 1953, she was only 25-years-old at the time.
She acceded the throne following the death of her father, George VI, who passed away at the age of 56-years-old following a battle with lung cancer.
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