The platinum jubilee celebrations to mark Queen Elizabeth II’s 70 years on the throne are fast approaching, with a whole host of events to mark this special occasion.
Four days of celebrations are scheduled to honour the monarch, including a platinum jubilee concert, Trooping the Colour, a pageant and a Service of Thanksgiving.
However, the question of whether the 96-year-old will be fit to attend all the events is still up for debate due to episodic mobility issues suffered by the Queen since autumn last year.
Such difficulties were cited as the justification for the monarch to pull out of the state opening of parliament earlier in May, prompting Prince Charles to stand in for her at the last minute.
Her absence was the first time the Queen was not present at the annual event in nearly 60 years.
So, what events is her majesty expected to attend over the bank holiday weekend? Here’s everything we know so far.
What events will the Queen attend over the platinum jubilee bank holiday weekend?
In early May, a Buckingham Palace spokesperson said that the Queen’s attendance at the platinum jubilee celebrations may not be confirmed “until the day itself”.
Speaking ahead of the four-day bank holiday weekend, the spokesperson explained: “The Queen is looking forward to the weekend and will be taking part in the celebrations but her presence will not be confirmed until much nearer the time or even on the day itself.”
Despite this, the monarch is currently expected to attend the Trooping the Colour ceremony on Thursday 2 June and a Service of Thanksgiving at St Paul’s Cathedral on Friday 3 June.
There will be no ceremonial journey to the Service of Thanksgiving and the Queen is expected to use a separate entrance so as not to walk up the main stairs.
The Queen was initially scheduled to attend the Epsom Derby on Saturday 4 June, but her attendance has been called into question with The Sunday Times reporting it to be “increasingly unlikely”.
Buckingham Palace said Her Majesty’s attendance would likely only be confirmed the day-of.
What events are scheduled to take place over the Jubilee bank holiday weekend?
A series of events held across the four-day bank holiday weekend include:
- Thursday 2 June: the Trooping the Colour parade and the platinum jubilee beacons.
- Friday 3 June: a Service of Thanksgiving.
- Saturday 4 June: The Derby at Epsom Downs and the Platinum Party at the Palace.
- Sunday 5 June: The Big Jubilee Lunch and The Platinum Jubilee Pageant.
Buckingham Palace has now revealed the exact timings of all of these events.
