Everything to know about Queen Elizabeth’s Platinum Jubilee: after Covid-19, bombastic British royal parades are back – but Prince Harry and Meghan Markle won’t be on the Buckingham Palace balcony
- Her Majesty will honour 70 years on the throne in June with a four-day public holiday in Britain and massive celebrations from Buckingham Palace to St Paul’s Cathedral
- But at the official Trooping the Colour parade, Harry and Meghan won’t be joining working royals like Kate Middleton and Prince William on the balcony this year
The word “jubilee” is used to describe a milestone anniversary of a monarch’s accession to the throne. Queen Elizabeth, 96, succeeded to the throne at the age of 25 upon the death of her father, King George VI, who passed away on February 6, 1952.
The Platinum Jubilee is particularly significant, as the queen is the first British monarch to achieve a 70-year reign. So, what can we expect on the special occasion?
For Britons, it means a four-day public holiday
That weekend will consist of: the queen’s birthday parade (known as Trooping the Colour) on June 2, a Service of Thanksgiving at St Paul’s Cathedral on June 3, a Platinum Party at the Palace and The Derby at Epsom Downs on June 4, and a Platinum Jubilee Pageant and Big Jubilee Lunch on June 5.
Trooping the Colour, the queen’s birthday parade, is to begin at London’s Buckingham Palace and will move down The Mall to Horse Guard’s Parade. It will include more than 1,400 soldiers, 200 horses and 400 musicians, according to the official website. The parade has not been held in this capacity since before the Covid-19 pandemic.