The British will celebrate the 70th anniversary of Queen Elizabeth II's reign with a host of events and millions of spectators, starting on Thursday 2 June through Sunday 5 June.
According to the government, there are approximately 200,000 events planned locally. These include screenings, street parties, and tens of thousands outdoor festive lunches that are expected to bring together more than 10 million people. In addition to the Commonwealth countries (Canada and New Zealand), more than 600 lunches have been planned elsewhere in the world, most notably in Brazil. These are the must-attend events of the jubilee.
To kick off the celebrations, approximately 1,500 servicemen and 400 musicians along with 250 horses and 250 horses will parade through central London between Buckingham Palace (formerly Horse Guards Parade Square for Trooping The Colors) and Horse Guards Parade Square. According to the Ministry of Defence, Colour is traditionally used to mark the Sovereign’s official birthday. Due to the pandemic, this parade was cancelled two years in succession.
Six minutes of British Army planes including the Royal Air Force's aerobatic troop, the Red Arrows will fly above Buckingham Palace to close the military parade. Senior members of the Royal Family will also be seen from the balcony. Prince Harry and Meghan, who were both accused of sexual assault by Prince Andrew, have been removed from the monarchy.
According to "The Independent", the Queen will not be attending the Royal Salute or review of military personnel for the first time since 1970. According to the palace, Elizabeth II was unable "mobility problems" to miss the speech at the throne.
On Thursday night, more than 2,800 beacons from around the UK will be lit at Buckingham Palace, the Isle of Man, and British Territories.
Illuminations will be available in all 54 Commonwealth capitals from Tonga to Samoa (South Pacific) to Belize in Central America. The iconic BT Tower and several cathedrals will also be illuminated as will bridges that span the River Thames in London.
The symbolic buildings on the French coasts will be illuminated Thursday night.
Friday's thanksgiving mass will be held at St. Paul's Cathedral, London. The bell of the Great Paul (Great Paul), which weighs 16.5 tons, will be rung on this occasion. This is a rare event.
Some 22,000 people, including 5,000 "essential worker" pandemic victims, are expected to attend a huge concert at Buckingham Palace as part of the BBC Platinum Party. Queen rockers Adam Lambert, Motown legend Diana Ross and the Alicia Keys are among the headliners.
According to BBC, the evening's theme will be "Born during Her Majesty’s reign" and include fashion, music, and sport.
To celebrate the Jubilee, citizens are encouraged to host lunches in their communities. There have been thousands of meetings, including street parties, barbecues, picnics, and even large-scale table competitions.
More than 8.5 Million people attended the meals during the Queen's Diamond Jubilee, 60 years of her reign in 2012.
A large parade will be held to pay tribute the monarch and the diversity in the British people on Sunday closing. The event will gather 10,000 artists and volunteers. The organizers estimate that the show will be seen by more than a billion people if it includes all distribution channels.
