Queen Elizabeth's Platinum Jubilee 2022: Queen says she is 'deeply touched' by jubilee celebration
The queen is the first British monarch to celebrate a Platinum Jubilee.
The U.K. threw a once-in-a-generation celebration for Queen Elizabeth II's Platinum Jubilee.
The 96-year-old queen is the first British monarch in history to reach a Platinum Jubilee, which marks 70 years on the throne.
Elizabeth ascended to the throne on Feb. 6, 1952, following the death of her father, King George VI.
The queen's Platinum Jubilee celebration included everything from Trooping the Color to a National Service of Thanksgiving, a star-studded concert led by Diana Ross, thousands of lunches and street parties across the country and a final appearance by the queen herself.
Latest updates:
Queen Elizabeth II shares adorable moment with great-grandson
They are 92 years apart in age, but Queen Elizabeth, 96, and her great-grandson, Prince Louis, 4, appear to share a close bond.
The queen was seen answering Louis’s questions and pointing things out to him while the two watched military jets fly overhead on the balcony of Buckingham Palace at the end of Trooping the Color.
Louis, one of the queen’s nine great-grandchildren, is the youngest child of Prince William and Kate, Duchess of Cambridge.
He joined his siblings, Prince George and Princess Charlotte, on the balcony and, earlier, in a carriage to travel to Buckingham Palace.
Royal family watches military jets fly over Buckingham Palace
Britain’s royal family, led by Queen Elizabeth II, gathered on the balcony of Buckingham Palace to watch a traditional military flypast at the end of Trooping the Color.
Thanks in part to a weather-cooperating, beautiful sunny day in London, aircraft from the Royal Navy, British Army and Royal Air Force were able to fly directly down the length of the Mall and over the palace.
The queen, wearing sunglasses, watched the flypast with other members of the royal family, including Prince William and Kate’s children, Prince Louis, Prince George and Princess Charlotte, who were seen talking with the queen.
Down below the balcony, outside the palace gates, thousands of members of the public gathered to see the queen and watch the flypast, which is so fierce and low that onlookers say they can feel the ground rumble.
Who’s who on the balcony of Buckingham Palace
Queen Elizabeth II is holding court on the balcony of Buckingham Palace, where the royal family gathers to watch the military flypast at the end of Trooping the Color.
This year, the queen decided only royal family members who are “undertaking official public duties” on her behalf would appear on the balcony.
Those family members include:
Prince Charles and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall.
Prince William and Kate, Duchess of Cambridge, and their children, George, Charlotte and Louis.
Prince Edward and Sophie, Countess of Wessex, and their children, Louise and James.
Princess Anne and Admiral Sir Timothy Laurence.
Prince Richard and Birgitte, Duchess of Gloucester.
Prince Edward, Duke of Kent.
Princess Alexandra.
Noticeably absent from the balcony this year because they are no longer senior working royals are the queen’s son, Prince Andrew, and her grandson, Prince Harry, and his wife Meghan, Duchess of Sussex.
Queen Elizabeth II makes 1st Platinum Jubilee appearance
The woman of the hour, Queen Elizabeth II, made her first appearance of her Platinum Jubilee celebrations during Trooping the Color.
The queen, holding onto a cane, arrived on the balcony of Buckingham Palace alongside her cousin, the Duke of Kent.
The queen wore a blue coat and hat designed by Angela Kelly, her personal stylist of more than 20 years. The outfit is the same one the queen wore for her official jubilee portraited, released Wednesday.
For the first time in her 70-year reign, Elizabeth did not take part in the parade and instead took a salute from the cavalry on the balcony.
She will soon be joined on the balcony by other royal family members to watch the traditional military fly-past.
The queen took part in her first Trooping the Color parade as Princess Elizabeth in 1947.
First lady Jill Biden sends personal message to Queen Elizabeth
First lady Dr. Jill Biden sent well wishes to Queen Elizabeth ahead of the monarch’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations.
The message from Dr. Biden aired exclusively Wednesday on “Good Morning America.”
“Your Majesty, Joe and I wish you a wonderful celebration of your Platinum Jubilee,” Biden said. “Congratulations on 70 years of service to the United Kingdom and Commonwealth, and thank you for your enduring friendship with the American people.”
Last year at Windsor Castle, Biden and her husband, President Joe Biden, visited Queen Elizabeth, who has met nearly every U.S. president elected during her 70-year reign.