Queen’s Platinum Jubilee latest LIVE: Thousands of beacons to be lit after royals unite with Queen at Buckingham Palace
T
he Queen appeared on the balcony at Buckingham Palace with other royals to huge cheers from watching crowds as the Royal Family watched the fly over.
Following the fly over, beacons across the country and Commonwealth are set to be lit in honour of the Platinum Jubilee celebrations.
The beacons will be lit at 9.45pm with pipers across the UK performing the ‘Die Regnare’. Beacons will also be lit across the Commonwealth at 9.15pm local time.
The first beacons to be illuminated were in Tonga and the Samoa in the South Pacific, the final one will be in Belize.
Earlier on Thursday, the Queen, 96, was accompanied on her right-hand side by Prince Charles and his wife, Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall.
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Platinum Jubilee 2022: Best Pictures
Queen Elizabeth II stands on the Balcony of Buckingham Palace bas the troops march past during the Queen’s Birthday Parade, the Trooping the Colour
Jonathan Brady/WPA Pool/AFP via Getty Images
Queen Elizabeth, Prince Charles, Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, Prince William and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, along with Princess Charlotte, Prince George and Prince Louis appear on the balcony of Buckingham Palace as part of Trooping the Colour parade during the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations in London
REUTERS
Prince Louis reacts on the balcony of Buckingham Palace while viewing the Platinum Jubilee flypast (Aaron Chown/PA)
PA Wire
Members of the public fill The Mall ahead of a fly-past over Buckingham Palace during Trooping The Colour
Paul Ellis/WPA Pool/Getty Images
The Prince of Wales during the Trooping the Colour ceremony at Horse Guards Parade, central London, as the Queen celebrates her official birthday, on day one of the Platinum Jubilee celebration
Alberto Pezzali/PA
Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, Princess Charlotte, Prince George and Prince Louis ride in a carriage during Britain’s Queen Elizabeth’s Platinum Jubilee celebration
Phil Noble/Reuters
Red Arrows flying over Buckingham Palace during a special flypast following the Trooping the Colour ceremony at Horse Guards Parade, central London, as the Queen celebrates her official birthday, on day one of the Platinum Jubilee celebrations
PA
Queen Elizabeth II (R) stands with Britain’s Prince Charles, Prince of Wales to watch a special flypast from Buckingham Palace balcony following the Queen’s Birthday Parade, the Trooping the Colour, as part of Queen Elizabeth II’s platinum jubilee celebrations
AFP via Getty Images
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Duchess of Sussex with Savannah Phillips and Mia Tindall
© Kelvin Bruce
Household Division Foot Guards march during the Queen’s Birthday Parade, the Trooping the Colour, as part of Queen Elizabeth II’s platinum jubilee celebrations in London
Jeff Mitchell/WPA Pool//AFP via Getty Images
The Red Arrows perform a play past along the Mall on day one of the Platinum Jubilee celebration
Andrew Matthews/PA
Fighter jets from Britain’s RAF (Royal Air Force) fly in formation to form the number ‘70’ duing a special flypast from Buckingham Palace balcony following the Queen’s Birthday Parade, the Trooping the Colour, as part of Queen Elizabeth II’s platinum jubilee celebrations
AFP via Getty Images
Queen Elizabeth, Prince William and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, along with Princess Charlotte, Prince George and Prince Louis appear on the balcony of Buckingham Palace as part of Trooping the Colour parade during the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations in London
Hannah McKay/Reuters
Fighter jets from Britain’s RAF (Royal Air Force) fly in formation to form the number ‘70’ duing a special flypast from Buckingham Palace balcony following the Queen’s Birthday Parade, the Trooping the Colour, as part of Queen Elizabeth II’s platinum jubilee celebrations
AFP via Getty Images
Members of the Honourable Artillery Company perform a gun salute during celebrations marking the Platinum Jubilee of Britain’s Queen Elizabeth, at the Tower of London
John Sibley/Reuters
Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Kent watch from the balcony during the Trooping the Colour ceremony at Horse Guards Parade, central London, as the Queen celebrates her official birthday, on day one of the Platinum Jubilee celebrations
Jonathan Brady/PA
Duchess of Cambridge waves to the public as she arrives on a carriage to attend the Queen’s Birthday Parade, the Trooping the Colour, as part of Queen Elizabeth II’s platinum jubilee celebrations
AFP via Getty Images
Prince William and Princess Anne, Princess Royal, attend the Trooping the Colour parade in celebration of Britain’s Queen Elizabeth’s Platinum Jubilee
Toby Melville/Reuters
Princess Charlotte, Prince George and Prince Louis ride in a carriage during Britain’s Queen Elizabeth’s Platinum Jubilee celebration
Phil Noble/Reuters
Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, Princess Charlotte, Prince George and Prince Louis ride in a carriage during the Trooping the Colour parade in celebration of Britain’s Queen Elizabeth’s Platinum Jubilee
Phil Noble/Reuters
A man walks with his two corgis named Chuckles and Bunting along The Mall during the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations in London
Henry Nicholls/Reuters
A Queen Elizabeth II impersonator is interviewed as she walks along The Mall in London
Alberto Pezzali)/AP
A man wearing a Union Jack suit looks on as people gather along The Mall for the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations in London
Henry Nicholls/Reuters
Queen Elizabeth II wipes her eye as she and the Duke of Kent watch from the balcony of Buckingham Place after the Trooping the Color ceremony
Aaron Chown/WPA/Pool/AP
Prince William and Kate, the Duchess of Cambridge, also witnessed the fly past with their three children, Princes George and Louis and their sister, Princess Charlotte.
Thousands packed the sides of The Mall earlier on Thursday as the monarch made a first appearance alongside her cousin the Duke of Kent, Colonel of the Scots Guards, to take the Trooping the Colour salute.
After 70 years of service for the country and Commonwealth, well-wishers are taking to the streets over the extended bank holiday weekend to celebrate the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee.
Trooping the Colour began the festivities and saw the Prince of Wales deputise for the Queen, taking the salute and inspecting the troops as the Duke and Duchess of Sussex join the Duchess of Cambridge and other royals to watch the spectacle.
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Australian PM says Queen has been ‘reassuring constant’
Australia’s new prime minister, Anthony Albanese, said the sovereign had been a “reassuring constant”, and shared pictures of a beacon lit in her honour.
He tweeted: “This week marks the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee. In her seven decades on the throne, the Queen has been a reassuring constant, projecting calm and strength.
“Tonight, along with 53 other nations, we light a beacon to give thanks to Her Majesty and send our warmest congratulations.”
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Watch: Jubilant celebrations across the UK for Platinum Jubilee
Jubilant celebrations across the UK for Platinum Jubilee
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Queen ‘experienced some discomfort’ at celebrations
In a statement, Buckingham Palace said the Queen “greatly enjoyed” her birthday parade and flypast in London but “did experience some discomfort”.
The statement said: “Taking into account the journey and activity required to participate in tomorrow’s National Service of Thanksgiving at St Paul’s Cathedral, Her Majesty, with great reluctance, has concluded that she will not attend.”
She is believed to have experienced episodic mobility issues during Thursday’s events.
But she will attend a beacon lighting event at Windsor Castle on Thursday evening, the palace confirmed.
It is understood the decision was considered regrettable but sensible due to the length of the journey and time involved and the physical demands the service would require.
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Queen to miss National Service of Thanksgiving at St Paul’s Cathedral
The Queen will miss the National Service of Thanksgiving at St Paul’s Cathedral
in London on Friday “with great reluctance” after experiencing “some
discomfort” during Thursday’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations, Buckingham Palace
said.
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Barack Obama pays tribute to ‘steadfast’ Queen
Former US president Barack Obama has said getting to know the Queen was among the “great privileges” of his time in office, as he paid tribute to the “steadfast” monarch on her Platinum Jubilee.
He said the sovereign, now 96, reminded him a little of his grandmother when they met, and he liked to think they had formed a “special relationship” of their own over the years – making reference to the phrase often used to characterise the alliance between the US and UK.
Mr Obama, who served as the 44th US president from 2009 to 2017, said he and wife Michelle had not known what to expect on his first trip to Buckingham Palace, but they “shouldn’t have been worried”.
In a video message broadcast by the BBC, he said: “When you’re President of the United States you meet a lot of remarkable people, and you try under all circumstances to maintain your composure.
“But that’s harder than you think when you’re visiting Her Majesty.”
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North Korea congratulates the Queen
North Korea says its leader, Kim Jong Un, sent a letter congratulating Queen Elizabeth II as the UK began a four-day celebration marking her 70 years on the throne.
The country’s foreign ministry said on its website that Kim sent a letter congratulating the queen and the British people. It didn’t provide further details.
North Korea and Britain established diplomatic relations in 2000 and have maintained embassies in each other’s capitals despite a steady decline in bilateral ties.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un wears a face mask on state television during a meeting acknowledging the country’s first case of COVID-19
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Gun salute fired from HMS Portland
Images have shown the HMS Portland frigate firing a gun salute to mark the jubilee from Devon, earlier on Thursday.
The HMS Portland fires a gun salute
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Prince Andrew tests positive for Covid
Prince Andrew has tested positive for Covid, Buckingham Palace has announced. Due to this, the Duke of York will not attend the service at St Paul’s Cathedral, the palace said.
A palace spokesman said: “After undertaking a routine test the Duke has tested positive for COVID and with regret will no longer be attending tomorrow’s service.”
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Storm warning ahead of Jubilee gatherings on Saturday
The Met Office could issue a thunderstorm weather warning for London on Saturday night as crowds are expected to attend the BBC’s Platinum Party at the Palace.
Forecasters are predicting heavy, possibly thundery, showers during performances from the likes of Craig David and Alicia Keys outside Buckingham Palace.
Met Office meteorologist Simon Partridge said: “It’s being monitored but at the moment there’s not enough confidence to issue any warnings, but it’s one that’s going to be reviewed tomorrow morning as to whether or not we do require a thunderstorm warning simply because of the number of people we’re expecting in the capital on Saturday night, so that’s one area of slight concern in terms of weather causing some issues for festivities.”
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PM congratulates Queen
Boris Johnson has congratulated the Queen on her Platinum Jubilee.
He wrote on Twitter: “ Congratulations to Her Majesty The Queen on your remarkable Platinum Jubilee.
“The whole country, Commonwealth and world thank you for your unwavering duty and service.
“Vivat Regina Elizabetha! God Save The Queen!”
