Celebrations for the Queen’s platinum jubilee are being held this week, with a 10,000-strong pageant honouring the monarch expected to captivate the capital on Sunday 5 June.
The Platinum Jubilee Pageant, which will conclude the four-day festivities, is one of the main official events organised by Buckingham Palace and the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) to mark Queen Elizabeth’s historic milestone.
It will be broadcast live on the BBC and on large screens around The Mall in London, Edinburgh’s Princes Street Gardens and in Bute Park in Cardiff.
Thousands of performers from across the UK and the Commonwealth will tell the story of the Queen’s 70-year reign – the longest of any British monarch in history – and the changing face of British society.
Here’s everything you need to know about what route the pageant will take and how you can watch it:
What time is the Platinum Jubilee Pageant?
The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Pageant will start at 2.30pm on Sunday 5 June and is expected to end at 5pm.
What is the Platinum Jubilee Pageant route?
According to the event’s official website, the pageant will take place “on some of the most iconic streets in Westminster”.
These include Whitehall and The Mall, up to Buckingham Palace.
A map provided by the organisers, which also includes information on where the big screens will be placed around The Mall and the locations of toilet facilities, shows that the pageant will begin on Whitehall.
It will then travel to Admiralty Arch, near Charing Cross station, before processing up The Mall towards the Queen Victoria Memorial, which takes pride of place outside Buckingham Palace.
The pageant will finish outside the palace. Culminating in a grand finale led by Ed Sheeran, who is planning to pay a special tribute to the Queen and the late Prince Philip.
A red line indicating the pageant’s route on the organiser’s map also runs down Birdcage Walk, but the official information provided does not mention the street.
It is therefore unclear how much of the pageant will be visible from there.
The map can be found on the official Platinum Jubilee Pageant website.
How can I watch the Platinum Jubilee Pageant?
There are two official grandstands located outside the palace, but tickets for these seats are no longer available.
However, there are other ways to watch the pageant. Public viewing areas will be available along Whitehall and The Mall, which do not require a ticket to access.
The organisers have advised people to “please remember that the area will be busy on the day and to give yourself enough time to get to them”.
Big screens broadcasting the pageant will also be placed in St James’ Park, along The Mall and Whitehall so that as many people as possible will be able to watch the procession.
If you wish to watch the pageant from home, it will be broadcast live on BBC One, BBC iPlayer and across the BBC network.
Who is performing at the Platinum Jubilee Pageant?
According to the organisers, 10,000 people are involved in the pageant.
These include the military, more than 6,000 volunteers, performers, and key workers, as well as 2,500 members of the general public.
A cast of “national treasures” including Gary Lineker, Basil Brush, Sir Mo Farah, Ant & Dec, Lord Andrew Lloyd Webber, Dame Joan Collins and Dame Kelly Holmes will also reportedly be making appearances.
