The Queen will celebrate seven decades on the throne with a special four-day Bank Holiday weekend in June. A huge range of events, from pop concerts to street parties, will be held across the country to mark the Platinum Jubilee.
London will be the main focus of the celebrations, with local communities across the capital each playing their own part in the festivities. The events will include large-scale public events and numerous smaller activities for people of all ages, taking place all over the capital.
The Platinum Jubilee marks the first time any British monarch has ever served for 70 years as the UK’s head of state. Here’s a list of public celebrations taking place in London over the Platinum Jubilee Bank Holiday weekend.
June 1
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Superbloom at the Tower of London: A spectacular floral display to honour the Platinum Jubilee, transforming the Tower’s iconic moat. More than 20 million seeds have been sown to create the display, which runs until September 18.
June 2
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Trooping the Colour: The Queen’s Birthday Parade, featuring the Household Division and the 1st Battalion, Irish Guards. Tickets for seats at Horse Guards Parade have sold out, but thousands are expected to line the route. It starts at 11am.
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Platinum Jubilee Beacons: More than 1,500 beacons will be lit across the country to mark the Platinum Jubilee, including the principal beacon at Buckingham Palace. The ceremony starts at 9pm.
June 3
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Service of Thanksgiving: A special thanksgiving service at St Paul’s Cathedral to celebrate 70 years of the Queen’s reign. This service is not open to the public but will be televised live on BBC One.
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The Platinum Mela: A special multicultural celebration of the Queen’s 70-year reign at Flanders Playing Fields in Newham. Highlights include street food stalls and cultural performances.
June 4
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Platinum Party at the Palace: A live concert featuring some of the biggest names in pop, with 22,000 people expected to attend. Live coverage will be broadcast on BBC One and iPlayer.
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Royal Festival Hall Platinum Jubilee Celebration: A special Platinum Jubilee performance featuring the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra at the Royal Festival Hall, presented by Katie Derham of BBC Radio 3.
June 5
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The Big Jubilee Lunch: Street parties will be held across the UK, with more than 10 million people around the country expected to participate. The festivities will include a “mile-long” street party in Walthamstow.
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The Platinum Jubilee Pageant: The story of the Queen’s reign will be told in this pageant of four acts, revisiting iconic moments from her 70 years on the throne. More than 10,000 people are involved, including 6,000 volunteers. The event, which is free and open to the public, will be live-streamed.
These are just some of the festivities that’ll be taking place as part of the Platinum Jubilee. You can find out more about the thousands of events taking place in London and throughout the UK by checking out the official Platinum Jubilee interactive map.
