At the beginning of June, the UK will usher in a four-day public holiday weekend to commemorate the platinum jubilee celebrations of Queen Elizabeth II. This marks the 70th anniversary of the Queen becoming monarch of the British Empire.
When is the Silver Jubilee Public Holiday?
The spring public holiday - usually the last Monday in May - is moved to Thursday 2 June this year. This will be followed by an additional public holiday on Friday 3 June.
What activities has the government planned?
The Queen is the first British monarch to have a Platinum Jubilee and many public events are planned:
Thursday 2 June - Trooping the Color celebrations , the Queen's official birthday parade begins with members of the Royal Air Force in Royal Air Force flight formation watched from the balcony of Buckingham Palace . beacon lights up , with over 1,500 beacons and beacons set to light up across the UK. The main beacon will be lit in a special ceremony at Buckingham Palace, including the sculptural Tree of Life.
Friday 3rd June - St Paul's Cathedral Thanksgiving Service The largest church bell in the UK will ring at St Paul's.
Saturday 4 June – The Derby at Epsom Downs, where members of the Royal Family are expected to attend the horse racing events. Platinum Party at the Palace, Live concert in front of Buckingham Palace, featuring a host of acts including Diana Ross, The Queen, Duran Duran, Sir Rod Stewart and Sam Ryder.
Sunday 5 June - Platinum Jubilee Pageant, the story of the Queen's reign will be told in a performance in front of Buckingham Palace, including soldiers, dancers, corgi puppets and a performance by Ed Sheeran. Big Jubilee Luncheon , will be held across the country. Pubs, bars and nightclubs can stay open until 01:00 BST from 2 to 4 June.
The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall will guest star in BBC One's EastEnders soap from June 2. Prince Charles and Camilla joined residents of Albert Square for their Jubilee street party.
To mark the jubilee, eight new cities in the UK have been officially named. The title has been awarded to Bangor, Colchester, Doncaster, Dunfermline, Milton Keynes and Wrexham , as well as Douglas on the Isle of Man and Port Stanley on the Falkland Islands.
How does the Commonwealth celebrate The Queen ’s Jubilee ?
Beacon lighting ceremonies will take place in all 54 capital cities of the Commonwealth. Australia is naming an island in its capital, Canberra, in honor of the Queen. Aspen Island on Lake Burley Griffin will be renamed Queen Elizabeth II Island.
Which members of the royal family attended?
The Queen plans to attend the Trooping the Color parade and the National Thanksgiving Service. Her existence would not be confirmed until closer to time. The queen, who has limited mobility, has withdrawn from several events recently. The Duke of York and the Duke and Duchess of Sussex will not appear on the balcony of Buckingham Palace. The event is limited to members of the royal family currently engaged in official duties.
The royal family has also been undertaking a series of trips. The Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall visited Canada in May after visiting Ireland in March. The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge visited Belize, Jamaica and Bahamas.
What happened in the other Jubilee years?
This will be Queen Elizabeth II's fourth jubilee - she celebrated her silver jubilee in 1977, her golden jubilee in 2002 and her diamond jubilee in 2012 .
source BBC, ukalfa.cn
