Buckingham Palace has released a complete itinerary for the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee next June. The occasion will be feted with a four day long weekend that will see a variety of high profile events in London.
The weekend will kick off on June 2 with the Queen’s favourite pastime – horse racing. The Queen will attend the Epsom Derby where this weekend her horse, Carlton House, is a favourite to win.
On June 3, the Queen will preside over the largest flotilla since the reign of King Charles II. 1000 boats and 30,000 people from across the Commonwealth will sail seven miles up the River Thames.The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh will take part in a specially crafted royal barge then disembark at Tower Bridge to watch the boats sail past.
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Palace and city officials are expecting a million people to gather round the river banks to watch the proceedings.Following the flotilla, the Queen will host the ‘Big Jubilee Lunch’ at the Palace. The lunch will take part across the United Kingdom. The lunch’s goal is to gather communities together to share a meal.
On June 4, the Queen will host a concert in the gardens of Buckingham Palace. It’s not yet known who'll perform or the type of music that can be expected.During the 2002 Golden Jubilee, the Queen hosted both a prom and a rock concert where Brian May played God Save the Queen on the roof of the Palace.
…beacons across the Commonwealth…
The Queen will then light the first in a chain of 2,012 beacons across the UK and Commonwealth, following the tradition started during the Silver Jubilee of her grandfather King George V. On June 5, there will be a Service of Thanksgiving in St. Paul’s Cathedral, followed by a carriage procession across London.
The royal family will then appear on the balcony of Buckingham Palace for a military fly past.Organizers are hoping for a large turnout, capitalizing on the success of the wedding of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.
“The wedding of the Duke and Duchess was really just the start of many major royal events,” says a palace source. “This has been a fantastic year for the royal family, and we hope the jubilee will be the pinnacle of these celebrations.”
“The hope is that this is going to be a major success. This is only the second diamond jubilee in our history, and the longest reign since Victoria. This will doubtless prove to be one of the last major celebrations of the Queen’s reign.”
The United Kingdom isn’t the only Commonwealth nation preparing for Jubilee celebrations. Most of the major Commonwealth Realms, including Canada, Australia and New Zealand, are planning jubilee events.
…Canada, Australia and New Zealand…
The Government of Canada has created a Jubilee Committee which is planning a number of activites across the country. The Queen and Prince Philip have been invited to tour the country next October, but it’s unclear if the Queen has accepted.A source within the Australian government has stated that they are working closely with the Palace and the New Zealand and Canadian governments in arranging celebrations.
Prince William and Catherine are expected to tour Australia and New Zealand early next year.
It’s rumoured that following the Jubilee celebrations, the Queen may slowly begin to cut back on her official public duties. “She will never abdicate,” a close friend of the Queen says.
“She doesn’t let her age dictate what she can and cannot do, but she knows that she may not be able to handle her current workload in a few years.”
“She’s already started to make concessions. She’s allowing Charles to preside over more investiture ceremonies and William is representing her on international travels throughout the Commonwealth. She now spends most Fridays at Windsor. It will be a very gradual cutback.”
The Queen officially marks 60 years on the throne on February 6, 2012.
[Horses, flotillas and a concert: The Queen will celebrate her Jubilee in style – Toronto Political Buzz | Examiner.com http://www.examiner.com/political-buzz-in-toronto/horses-flotillas-and-a-concert-the-queen-will-celebrate-her-jubilee-style#ixzz1OGL43ZL6]