Pubs will be allowed to stay open later than usual as Brits come together to celebrate the Queen's Platinum Jubilee this week. A special four-day weekend will mark the monarch's 70 years on the throne from Thursday, June 2.
Celebrations will be allowed to continue into the early hours in England and Wales after it was agreed that licensing rules would be relaxed for a total of three nights. On Thursday, Friday and Saturday this week, pubs and bars will be allowed to stay open until 1am the next day - that's two hours later than the usual standard closing time of 11pm.
Announcing the change last month, home secretary Priti Patel said: "For 70 years Her Majesty The Queen has served the UK and the Commonwealth with the utmost dignity, steadfastness and resolve. The Platinum Jubilee is a truly historic national occasion, which will see families, friends and communities across the country come together to celebrate this unprecedented landmark in a remarkable reign.
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"Over the extended bank holiday weekend, we will be able to raise a glass to toast Her Majesty’s incredible service to our country, while also providing a boost to the hospitality industry after a challenging couple of years."
The temporary extension to licensing laws does not apply to supermarkets and shops selling alcohol, which will have to stick to the current rules.
A whole host of celebrations will be taking place up and down the country, with the Queen herself making an appearance at official events in London. On June 2, Trooping the Colour, the sovereign’s official birthday parade, will kick start the four days of festivities, with the expectation the Queen will join working members of the royal family on the Buckingham Palace balcony.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are expected to join members of the monarchy for the service of thanksgiving at St Paul’s Cathedral on Friday June 3, which is also likely to see the Duke of York make an appearance.
A personal highlight for the Queen will be her afternoon at Epsom racecourse for the Derby, although her three horses have been withdrawn from the race, and that evening Diana Ross, Queen + Adam Lambert and a host of stars will perform at an open-air concert in front of the palace.
The weekend will end with street parties and Big Jubilee Lunches held across the country on Sunday, while in central London the Platinum Jubilee Pageant will see a 3km carnival procession make its way through the streets. It will feature a cast of thousands, including puppets and celebrities and tributes to the seven decades of the Queen’s reign and for the finale Ed Sheeran will sing the national anthem in front of the Queen’s official residence.
