London, England —(Map)
This weekend, England will celebrate the “Platinum Jubilee” of Queen Elizabeth II, an event marking the queen’s 70 years on the throne. The country has planned a huge celebration that will run from Thursday to Sunday.
Queen Elizabeth II became the queen of England in 1952 at the age of 25. On June 2, it will have been 70 years since she officially took the throne, and Britain is throwing a big party to celebrate. Actually, a bunch of big parties. Taken together, the celebrations are known as a “Jubilee”, and the 70th one is a “Platinum Jubilee”.
(Source: PlatinumJubilee.gov.uk.)
England’s queen doesn’t have much real power, but she’s extremely popular with the British people. And as a symbol of the country, she is famous around the world. No other English monarch has ruled as long as Queen Elizabeth. The queen is now 96, and it’s possible that this will be her last Jubilee. So Britain is making sure the celebration is a big one.
The government has changed the calendar to create a special four-day weekend running from Thursday through Sunday. During those four days, there will be special parades, concerts, parties, and church services.
(Source: Royal.uk.)
This year, because of the queen’s age, other royal family members will stand in for her at some events. This will be the first time that the royal family has gotten together since Harry and Meghan moved to Canada in 2020.
Thursday’s celebrations start with a parade with over 1,000 soldiers and 240 horses, and the Royal Air Force flying over Buckingham Palace. Special lights and bonfires will be lit across the country. Special events will continue through the weekend.
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Thursday’s celebrations start with a parade with over 1,000 soldiers and 240 horses, and the Royal Air Force flying over Buckingham Palace. Special lights and bonfires will be lit across the country. Above, a practice session last Saturday for Thursday’s parade.
One of the weekend’s highlights will be a huge concert with several stars, including Elton John. The final event will take place on Sunday – a four-act celebration at Buckingham Palace, called the Platinum Jubilee Pageant.
The first act of the pageant is another huge parade. Next comes a show with some of Britain’s most famous people, which highlights how music and fashion have changed in the last 70 years. The third act is a 12-chapter celebration of the queen’s life. The final act includes the singing of the United Kingdom’s national anthem, “God Save the Queen”.
The Jubilee doesn’t just celebrate the Queen, but also how the country has grown and changed during her time as queen. The United Kingdom (UK) has changed a lot in the last 70 years.
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The Jubilee is also seen as a great time for people to get together. The government says that there will be as many as 16,000 street parties held in Britain this weekend. Above, decorations for this weekend’s events.
The Jubilee is also seen as a great time for people to get together. The government says that there will be as many as 16,000 street parties held in Britain this weekend.
Excitement over the Jubilee is very high, both in the UK and in other countries where it will also be celebrated like Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. The Guardian reports that up to 39 million people will be celebrating the Jubilee in some way.
There has been so much demand for party supplies and decorations in the UK that some stores are running out. As one store manager put it, “The public has gone Jubilee crazy.”
Did You Know…?
To honor the queen’s time on the throne, the toy company Mattel even made a Queen Elizabeth II version of its Barbie doll.
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