Our Great Big Jubilee Round-up
The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations over the long bank holiday weekend are fast approaching. To mark the major milestone (70 years on the throne is no mean feat), there is a whole host of exciting things happening and ways to get involved. From the Birthday Parade to The Reading Agency and BBC Books Initiative, here’s everything you need to know to get you in the spirit.
The Official Jubilee Weekend Schedule
Thursday 2nd June
It all kicks off with the Queen’s Birthday Parade on bank holiday Thursday, with over 1,400 soldiers, 200 horses and 400 musicians coming together for what’s set to be a spectacular event. The parade will start at Buckingham Palace and move down to The Mall and onto Horse Guards Parade, with members of the Royal Family joining on horseback and carriages. The event will then close with a traditional RAF fly-past watched by the Queen and her family members from the Buckingham Palace balcony.
Lighting of the Platinum Jubilee Beacons
The UK has a long tradition of lighting beacons to celebrate royal events and the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee is no exception. There will be three different kinds of beacon events to mark the anniversary, each which you can read about here.
Friday 3rd June
On the Friday morning St. Paul’s Cathedral will hold a Service of Thanksgiving for the Queen. It won’t be open to the public, but will no doubt be aired on TV. On what channel and when is TBC.
Saturday 4th June
On Saturday the Queen and members of the Royal Family will attend the Derby at Epsom Downs. Hats at the ready.
Then in the evening, what’s set to be the highlight of the four day weekend, Platinum Party at the Palace will be hosted at Buckingham Palace and bring together some of the biggest names in music to perform in front of the Queen. For those of us not lucky enough to get tickets in the ballot, fear not, the BBC will be broadcasting the entire thing, so we can all happily bop away on our sofas.
Sunday 5th June
Today is when most street parties will take place, including the Big Jubilee Lunch day. Street parties, BBQs, park picnics and garden get-togethers will be in full swing up and down the country. Cucumber sandwiches in-coming.
The Platinum Jubilee Pageant
The weekend’s celebrations will round off with a special London based pageant that tells the story of the Queen’s seventy year reign. It will feature artistic performers, military personnel, musicians, dancers, volunteers and key workers.
Of course there's no Jubilee party without some right royal party decorations. Deck the front of your house with our Union Jack bunting, dress the table with our Jubilee paper plates and display your mini Victoria sponges and sandwiches on our jazzy reversible cake stands.
Jubilee get-togethers in your area
A community picnic in Banwell, a bonfire in Burnley and a sing-along in Bury, it couldn’t be easier to find out what jubilee events are scheduled in your local area with the Queen’s Jubilee Map of Events. There are over 700 events listed so far across the country with more added every day. The hard part will be deciding which ones to go to.
To get you in the mood
Listen to
Spotify’s This is Jubilee playlist, featuring belters like Abba’s Dancing Queen and London Calling by The Clash. We’re playing it on repeat.
Watch
If there was ever a time to start Netflix’s The Crown - the hit series that dramatises the story of the Queen and the events that have shaped her reign - this is it. Or why not watch Helen Mirren’s portrayal of Queen Elizabeth in The Queen, it did land her an Oscar for Best Actress after all.
For the Colin Firth fans among us, The King’s Speech which also features the wonderful Helena Bonham Carter is as funny as it is feel-good.
Read...The Night Tiger
One of the seventy titles from The Reading Agency and BBC’s The Big Jubilee Read initiative. The reading for pleasure campaign celebrates great books from across the Commonwealth to coincide with the Queen’s celebrations. You can find the entire list of titles here.
Psst, did you know…
Beccles in Suffolk is aiming to break the Guinness World Record for bunting to mark the Queen’s Jubilee. Residents are getting their knitting needles out in a bid to create the longest knitted bunting line ever. The current record stands at 14,279m and was achieved by Devon County Show, Crafts and Gardens in May 2020. Does knit sound easy to achieve – sorry we couldn’t resist!
It looks like Colin the Caterpillar has got some competition. Inspired by her beloved pet pooches, Morrisons is set to release a corgi cake to celebrate her majesty’s historic milestone. The cake is a chocolate covered swiss roll topped with red, white and blue sprinkles and named Clarence as voted by their customers. Clarence the Corgi will be available to buy from May 21st. Pic courtesy of Morrisons.
A Chinese manufacturer produced a whopping 10,800 teacups, mugs and plates to commemorate the Platinum Jubilee but failed to notice a major spelling mistake. Instead of printing ‘The Platinum Jubilee’ they printed ‘The Platinum Jubbly.’ You couldn’t make it up. Pic from inews.
And finally... We couldn't resist mentioning that the Queen is getting her very own limited edition Barbie doll courtesy of Mattel. Queen Barbie is dressed in an ivory silk gown, glittery tiara and blue riband and will be available at John Lewis and other major stores.
