What is a Platinum Jubilee? The Platinum Jubilee celebrates seventy years of a monarch’s reign! That’s a long time! I remember as a ‘youngish’ child celebrating the Silver Jubilee in 1977 and the Queen seemed ‘old’ then! To think that we are now forty-five years down the road and the Queen is still doing her thing is amazing!
So this is a very big year for the UK as preparations to celebrate Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee gain momentum. Events and celebrations will be taking place across the nation!
There are efforts underway to create a wonderful floral river in the moat of the Tower of London similar to the poppy takeover of the moat in recent years to commemorate Remembrance Sunday.
But it’s the Platinum Jubilee Weekend that has got everyone excited. A four-day celebration stretching from the 2nd June through to the 5th June will see Street Parties enjoyed all over the country which will be enhanced by major events including the Trooping the Colour ceremony to officially mark the monarch’s birthday, accompanied by a flypast by the Royal Air Force. There will also be a huge party at the Queen’s official London residence and everyone is invited – a massive concert featuring international performers will rock Buckingham Palace and will be beamed to big screens across the nations.
There’s a special Platinum Jubilee Pageant and clusters of events around Britain for visitors to enjoy, including giant picnics, parades, exhibitions and more.
To find out what’s happening across Britain, visitors can look at this ever-evolving interactive map of events.
Check out the top 9 events to celebrate Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee below:
1) – 12-15 May
Where: Windsor Castle Event: A Gallop Through History
Visitors will be enchanted by 500 horses and 1000 performers creating a piece of theatre that will detail some of the key events marking the Queen’s life and reign.
2) – 1 June
Where: Victoria and Albert Museum, London Event: Platinum Jubilee Emblem design reveal
Visitors can see the Platinum Jubilee award winning emblem design revealed at London’s Victorian and Albert Museum as well as the nine shortlisted designs.
3) – 2 June
Where: Outside Buckingham Palace Event: Trooping the Colour
After a Covid induced break, Trooping the Colour will return to mark the Queen’s birthday, with the accompanying pomp and pageantry; featuring nearly 1,500 soldiers, 200 horses and 400 musicians. There will also be a big RAF fly-over.
4) – 2 June
Where: All over the UK and Commonwealth Event: Beacon Lighting
A traditional event to celebrate Jubilees and other national events of note over the years – 1,500 beacons will be lit throughout Britain, overseas territories and Commonwealth nations.
5) – 4 June
Where: Buckingham Palace Event: Party at the Palace
One of the highlights of the Diamond Jubilee was the party at the Palace and this year’s ‘The Platinum Party at the Palace’ will see more than 5,000 street artists, theatre, music and circus performers celebrate 70 years of the Queen’s reign. A live concert at Buckingham Palace will feature some of the world’s top musicians and artists, including George Ezra, with the concert shown on big screens across Britain.
6) – 5 June
Where: Various Event: Big Jubilee Lunch
Visitors will be welcomed to join the Big Jubilee Lunch, with events taking place across Britain, at locations from village greens to specially organised festivals.
7) – 5 June
Where: Windsor Event: World’s Longest Picnic Table (part of Big Jubilee Lunch)
Windsor is planning the world’s longest picnic table (the minimum would be 500m-long table to seat some 1,600 people). The very long table will run from Cambridge Gate, down the Long Walk towards the Copper Horse, a monumental statue of King George III.
8) – 5 June
Where: Buckingham Palace Event: The Platinum Jubilee Pageant
Best frocks, sequins and pom-poms at the ready for The Platinum Jubilee Pageant which will feature some 5000 people from the UK and Commonwealth, and will be sure to bring colourful and noisy celebrations to the streets of London.
9) – 3 July to 25 September
Where: Palace of Holyroodhouse Event: Display of previous Jubilees
The Palace of Holyroodhouse will host a display looking back at Her Majesty’s previous Jubilees, including the outfits, the gems and the jewels worn on each of the Silver, Golden and Diamond celebrations.
Sandringham House and Balmoral Castle will also be open for visitors to have a look around.
Other events
There’s plenty more happening around Britain throughout the summer.
Windsor Castle is hosting its own display, including the original Coronation Dress and Robe of Estate worn by The Queen on her accession. It took 12 embroideresses, using 18 different types of gold thread, more than 3,500 hours to complete just the needlework alone. And in July visitors will be able to explore the State Rooms at Buckingham Palace to see portraits, and diamond tiaras, among other royal items. For something very regal, visitors can enjoy a privately guided tour around the private gardens of the palace, or take a horse drawn carriage around Windsor Great Park under the gaze of the castle, with Windsor Carriages. And if it’s a quick toast to the queen, then visitors could raise a specially created Jubilee golf-leaf-topped champagne cocktail at The Goring, just minutes from Buckingham Palace.
Are you celebrating – if so how?
