Celebrations for Queen Elizabeth II's Platinum Jubilee end with a parade through London
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On Sunday, the final day of the Platinum Jubilee, which honoured Queen Elizabeth's 70 years on the British throne, the city of London played host to a parade that featured military bands, dancers, performers, and celebrities.
Even though the weather was overcast the entire time, hundreds of open-topped buses, vintage cars, Olympic cyclists, and troops from Britain and the Commonwealth travelled along the route that the Queen, who is now 96 years old, took on the day of her coronation in 1953.
Dancers dressed in 1950s outfits danced down the Mall, the grand boulevard leading up to Buckingham Palace, while Morris Minor cars carried Union flags and honked their horns, reflecting the different decades of the queen's reign.
The Gold State Coach, which transported the Queen to Westminster Abbey for her coronation in 1953, was also seen in public for the first time in 20 years.
The pageant through central London on Sunday was intended to cap off the fourth and final day of the Queen's Platinum Jubilee, which has included a military parade, a Royal Air Force flypast, a thanksgiving service, and a glittering concert.
During the national anthem, Queen Elizabeth II is shown on The Mall to crowds. Credit: AP/Dominic Lipinski.
She has reigned longer than any of her predecessors. However, she was forced to miss a number of events due to "episodic mobility problems," which have recently caused her to cancel engagements.
Hundreds of thousands of devoted royal supporters showed up to watch the events and enjoy picnics in what is, for many people, the first major national public event that has taken place since the COVID-19 pandemic.
Emma Woodhouse, a 21-year-old nanny from the eastern county of Norfolk, got to the Mall at 5:30 a.m. to get a good view. Just in case, she brought Union Jack shower caps with her.
"I think everyone will be in good spirits," she told Reuters. "We'll be there come rain or shine."
Credit: Guardian News.
The 10,000-strong parade included singer Ed Sheeran and more than 100 "national treasures," including former soccer player Gary Lineker, model Kate Moss, runner Mo Farah, and children's TV puppet Basil Brush.
In addition to that, there were participants dancing to the music of Abba while dressed as various things, such as flowers, swans, and animals.
As part of an estimated 16,000 street parties, a series of "Big Jubilee Lunches" were held across the United Kingdom. Another 600 similar gatherings occurred around the world, including in Canada, Brazil, New Zealand, Japan, and South Africa.
Races between Corgis, the queen's favourite dog breed, were held on Saturday, reflecting the country's quirky sense of humour, while the monarch appeared in a comic sketch with Paddington Bear before tapping in time with the Queen anthem "We Will Rock You."
The last day of celebrations comes after Prince Charles, who is 73 years old, paid a personal tribute to his mother during the pop concert that took place in front of Buckingham Palace on Saturday night.
"You pledged to serve your whole life – you continue to deliver. That is why we are here," he said in his message to the queen, whom he referred to as his "mummy". She was at her Windsor Castle residence outside London at the time.
"You have met us and talked with us. You laugh and cry with us and, most importantly, you have been there for us, for these 70 years."
Queen Elizabeth II ended four days of celebrations with a Buckingham Palace balcony appearance. Credit: AP/Alberto Pezzali.
During her reign, there have been 14 UK prime ministers and 14 US presidents; the Berlin Wall has come and gone; Britain has joined and left the European Union; and its once-mighty empire has disintegrated, replaced by a Commonwealth of 54 nations.
Opinion polls show that the monarchy is supported by the majority of Britons, and a recent Ipsos poll found that nine out of ten respondents supported the Queen.
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