After two bank holidays, a pop concert, a thanksgiving service and today’s pageant, that brings the four-day jubilee celebrations to an end, and our live coverage draws to a close.
Thanks for following along, we hope you’ve enjoyed it, particularly Stuart Heritage’s account of last night’s party at the palace.
We’ll leave you with a summary of today’s pageant, and the Queen’s appearance on the balcony at Buckingham Palace.
Here’s some tales and reflections from those on the Mall earlier, as Emine Sinmaz spoke to those who had made the trip on the jubilee, and their thoughts on the future of the monarchy.
Views on the royals were mixed, with some hoping that Prince William becomes king next, rather than his father.
Here’s a jubilee dispatch from festivities in Glasgow from Eve Livingston.
In the weeks preceding the jubilee, Glasgow found itself making headlines for its supposed lack of enthusiasm. The city’s relationship with monarchy remains complicated, tied up with politics, religion and football, and only a handful of street closures were requested.
In neighbouring South Lanarkshire, that number was one — but on Western Avenue in Rutherglen, enthusiasm is in no short supply. Volunteers dressed in red, white and blue with Union Jack deely-boppers handle heaving plates of food as local DJ Andrew Fraser plays requests ranging from country and western to motown classics.
79-year-old piper John Paton was here 10 years ago for the diamond jubilee, and as recently as Thursday night when he piped for the lighting of a jubilee beacon which stands proudly in the church garden. “It’s been a very good week,” he says, dressed in a kilt with his bagpipes close by. “It’s a great turnout today — and the rain is all staying down in England.”
For organiser Isabelle Tennent, trustee of Rutherglen West and Wardlawhill Church who are behind today’s party, the event is about neighbours coming together as much as it is the Queen. “The church isn’t what some people think it is,” she says. “For me it’s community, it’s caring and sharing, and today is evidence of what it should be.”
On the other side of Glasgow, Saracen Street in the city’s historically deprived Possilpark has also been closed for a street party organised by Possilpark Parish Church. “We never thought we’d see a three-course meal being served on Saracen Street,” laughs Anne McDougall as she finishes her soup starter at a trestle table in the sun, a paper crown on her head. “And it’s good to celebrate the Queen. Even though we’re Scots, we can still celebrate her,” she says with a wink.
Also among attendees are Ewere Osarenen and Desmond Areghan, both 36, who joined the party after spotting it on their way home from a nearby church.
“We saw this lovely party with everybody smiling and happy, so we came here and they gave us ice-cream and food,” laughs Areghan, ice-cream cone in hand. “We asked what [was] happening and they said it’s the Queen’s jubilee. When I came to Scotland in 2018 I always saw this church but never entered, so I think the Queen’s jubilee is a great opportunity.”
As the sun beats down on Saracen Street, children enjoy hula hooping, hopscotch and a chance to ‘beat the goalie’ while party songs blast across the road. Stalls representing local community groups also line the street; this party was organised by church members alongside the groups who use their halls, including drug and alcohol groups and a disability charity.
“The church is quite a small, cosy community,” says organiser and church member Adah Younger. “So this is the first time I’ve managed to get the people who use our halls together with the worshipping congregation to produce an event for the whole community. It’s been stressful and very chaotic — but it’s absolutely fantastic.”
- This post was amended on 6 June 2022. Celebrations in 2012 were for the Queen’s diamond jubilee, not “silver jubilee” as an earlier version said.
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My colleague Mark Lawson has done a review of this weekend’s jubilee celebrations and the BBC’s coverage, which stretches to more than 15 hours of live coverage – in addition to one-off specials.
Short of royal correspondent Jonny Dymond changing his surname to Platinum for the bank holiday weekend, the BBC could not have made much more effort in its coverage of Elizabeth II’s 70 years on the throne. There were 15 and a half hours of live coverage across four days on BBC One, punctuated by documentaries and specials.
The corporation, in covering royal matters, has two modes – courtier and reporter. These are generally separate – head bowed for weddings and funerals, fingers pointing for programmes about Prince Andrew or royal finances and divorces – but were merged by the circumstances of these ceremonies.
Thursday’s trooping the colour and Friday’s service of thanksgiving were the sort of events that would naturally find the BBC at its most reverential, tone little changed from when the Queen replaced her father. But, unusually for such pomp programmes, there were properly newsworthy presences – the Sussexes of California briefly back on parade, Boris Johnson in potentially one of his final duties as PM – and absences: the Archbishop of Canterbury with Covid and pneumonia, Prince Andrew with Covid and disgrace. Most extraordinarily, there was doubt over whether and when the Queen might appear.
For the sartorially interested, the Queen’s bright green wool dress was a Stewart Parvin design, adorned with a Bow Brooch.
Parvin has previously designed many of the monarch’s well known bold and colourful outfits.
It was matched with a Rachel Trevor-Morgan hat with a black pom pom, pearl jewellery and white gloves.
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Queen 'humbled and deeply touched' by jubilee celebrations
The Queen has released a statement about the weekend’s jubilee celebrations, thanking people for their support.
She acknowledged that she has not been able to make all official events held to mark her 70 years on the throne, but said she was “committed to serving you to the best of my ability supported by my family”.
The full statement says:
When it comes to how to mark 70 years as your Queen, there is no guidebook to follow. It really is a first. But I have been humbled and deeply touched that so many people have taken to the streets to celebrate my platinum jubilee.
While I may not have attended every event in person, my heart has been with you all; and I remain committed to serving you to the best of my ability, supported by my family.
I have been inspired by the kindness, joy and kinship that has been so evident in recent days, and I hope this renewed sense of togetherness will be felt for many years to come.
I thank you all most sincerely for your good wishes and for the part you have all played in these happy celebrations.
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A reminder of one of the funnier moments during the pageant, as the Jaguar of the TV chef and Great British Bake Off presenter Prue Leith’s broke down.
The vintage car got a push from stewards and Leith took it in good humour, laughing it off and waving to the crowds during the “dame” section of the event.
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The mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, who sat behind the royals and danced along to Abba earlier on, tweeted:
Happy and glorious: a wonderful end to the @Jubilee_Pageant as millions across the country join together for the national anthem. 🇬🇧
— Sadiq Khan (@SadiqKhan) June 5, 2022
Thank you and congratulations to Her Majesty the Queen on a remarkable 70 years. 👑💜#PlatinumJubilee #HM70pic.twitter.com/hzMqQDN2Ji
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The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have tweeted their approval of the platinum jubilee pageant this evening
:
Amazing display of street art, theatre, music, sport and more…
— The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge (@KensingtonRoyal) June 5, 2022
What a joyous occasion at the #PlatinumJubilee pageant!
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Queen appears on Buckingham Palace balcony
The Queen has just walked out on to the Buckingham Palace balcony to greet crowds gathered in The Mall.
Wearing a green outfit, she is joined by other senior members of the royal family as the national anthem is played.
Prince Charles and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, appeared on the balcony, as did the Cambridge family.
And moments later, it’s all over. The Queen retreats back inside the palace with her family in tow.
Now it is time for the cast of Mamma Mia to perform Dancing Queen for the excited crowd.
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Royal standard raised above Buckingham Palace
The Queen is expected to appear on the Buckingham Palace balcony after her presence in central London was confirmed.
The royal standard was raised above the palace, which signals that the monarch is in the building.
The Queen had to pull out of a number of events during the platinum jubilee bank holiday weekend but a public appearance may now be imminent.
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A 260-year-old carriage featuring a hologram of the Queen during her coronation in 1953 led a pageant through central London as part of platinum jubilee celebrations.
The procession followed a similar route to the one taken by the monarch, 96, on her coronation day and was intended to evoke the different decades of her reign.
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An 86-year-old man riding his vintage bike in the jubilee parade has driven motorcycles for as long as the Queen has been on the throne.
Peter Biles from High Barnet, north London, and his 1952 Vincent twin-cylinder were part of a fleet of classic motorbikes celebrating the culture, music and fashion of the first decade of the Queen’s reign in the pageant’s The Time Of Our Lives act.
Biles said he had passed his test at the age of 16 and took up motorcycling in 1952, a year before the monarch’s coronation.
He told PA Media: “I’ve always loved bikes.”
He said it was a privilege to be part of the festivities and that he hoped for a repeat of the golden jubilee, in which he also participated.
“In the one 10 years ago I couldn’t hear the engine running, the roar of the crowd was tremendous, I revved the throttle and still couldn’t hear the engine,” he said.
His wife rode in the sidecar during that event and on tours of the Alps, but is no longer able to and is watching this year’s spectacle on television.
“She’s got bad hands now so she took part 10 years ago in the golden one and going abroad, touring Switzerland and everything, but she’s frightened to get in it in case she can’t get out, so she’s at home which is a shame”.
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Republic, the leading organisation calling for the British monarchy to be abolished, has highlighted what it said was a sharp drop in support for the royal family in recent years.
In a Twitter thread questioning a lack of honesty in BBC News coverage of the platinum jubilee, the group said support for the monarchy had fallen from 75% to 60% in the past five to ten years.
It also said support for abolishing the monarchy has risen to 27%.
The full thread can be viewed here.
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Morris Minor drivers formed part of the platinum jubilee pageant in front of Buckingham Palace on day four of the celebrations.
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The jubilee has met with a muted response in much of sub-Saharan Africa, with commentators evoking the troubled history of the British empire, London’s diminished influence and the distraction of deepening economic problems on the continent to explain the apparent apathy.
Buckingham Palace listed 18 official beacons lit in commemoration across Africa last week, and the Seychelles president, Wavel Ramkalawan, described the Queen as “a remarkable global personality whose legacy transcends national borders” who was “loved and respected by the entire world”. But such sentiments are not universal.
In South Africa, where three beacons were lit, even those who have keenly followed the celebrations admit that there is limited interest among most of the population. “I’m watching everything I can. She’s such a lovely lady,” said Edweena Bell, 69, a nanny in west Johannesburg, the country’s commercial capital.
“To English-speaking South Africans, it’s a hankering after the past, the colonial era and all that. It’s romantic. But generally, she doesn’t mean a lot to most people here.”
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The Platinum Party at the Palace attracted a peak of 13.4 million viewers on BBC One on Saturday night and was watched by an average overnight audience of 11.2 million, a 66.8% share, the BBC said.
The special jubilee event, which was held outside Buckingham Palace, was opened by Queen + Adam Lambert, featured a star-studded lineup with performances from Duran Duran, Craig David, Alicia Keys and Sir Rod Stewart among others, and was closed by Diana Ross.
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The street pageant to celebrate the Queen’s platinum jubilee has begun on the Mall in London. The Prince of Wales, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis are among members of the royal family in position to watch the event.
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Among those expected to be in the jubilee pageant’s royal box are the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall and the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.
The Princess Royal and Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence will also be there with Princess Beatrice and her husband Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi, and Princess Eugenie and her husband Jack Brooksbank.
Anne’s son Peter Phillips will be joined by his children Savannah and Isla, while Zara and Mike Tindall and the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester will also attend.
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Grant Shapps has said people are “over-interpreting” the boos directed at Boris Johnson when the prime minister attended a service on Friday for the Queen’s platinum jubilee.
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People are gathering for a Big Jubilee Lunch on Windsor’s Long Walk as part of the platinum jubilee celebrations.
Millions of people are expected to attend Big Jubilee Lunch picnics up and down the country this afternoon.
Our eagle-eyed readers might even spot a Yorkshire terrier getting in on this particular party ...
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While celebrations may be in full flow at the Oval cricket ground, it is fair to say the platinum jubilee has not been universally embraced by the British public.
While there has not been anything like the division or opposition to the Queen’s bank holiday weekend extravaganza that some leading commentators have suggested, there is clearly some indifference and lack of interest.
In Scotland, there was a very low turnout at several events, including a beacon-lighting ceremony in Strathclyde Park.
Two men & a dug turn up to see lighting of beacon at Strathclyde Park. What a waste of effort. Considering that there were police that could have been out doing their jobs, First aiders,Marshalls, & Ice-cream vans all stood down. Maybe the organisers might think twice from now on pic.twitter.com/bJER2lqQc8
— Nicola's No1 Comrade (Hostage within the UK) (@no1_nicola) June 3, 2022
There also seemed to be nobody in attendance at the screening of events in the centre of Perth.
But perhaps the lack of interest should come as no surprise to organisers. Last month a YouGov survey found that 56% of Britons had no intention of celebrating the jubilee.
Money well spent in Perth today. pic.twitter.com/s66GbVbrTI
— Scott Gòrdan 🏴 (@duckfundee) June 3, 2022
While Scotland had the highest percentage (71%) of people not interested in celebrating, the majority of people in every region of the UK had no plans.
Even in the south of England, only 18% of people said they would be marking the occasion, demonstrating that – despite the amount of coverage the jubilee has received – it remains very much a minority interest.
It comes amid the Royal Family’s waning popularity, especially in younger age groups.
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The Prince of Wales has said he hopes “bickering” does not return after a feeling of “togetherness” across the nation over the platinum jubilee weekend.
Charles and Camilla mingled with guests at the Big Jubilee Lunch in the Oval, PA Media reported.
Sarah Friar, the CEO of the neighbourhood app Nextdoor, was among those to meet the prince, who sat opposite her. “He said at the end how great it was that everyone comes together this weekend,” she said.
“We see it with neighbours, right? I’m from a company called Nextdoor, so people coming together with the best coming out. People who don’t know each other are out having fun.”
Friar, originally from Sion Mills in Co Tyrone, said Charles had commented:
When it comes to Monday are we going to go back to all the bickering again? Let’s hope we don’t do that.
Gemma Snow, from the Eden Project, was sitting next to Charles at the lunch for a few minutes and said he had talked about “keeping that togetherness going”.
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Two bus preservation enthusiasts have described their delight at taking part in the platinum jubilee pageant.
Richard Dixon, 63, Ivan Fisher, 42, and their friend John Stewart co-own a 1950s vehicle which is taking part in the decorated open-top doubledecker bus parade for the decade-by-decade celebration.
Dixon will be a ticket conductor on their 1950s bus while Fisher will be driving a vehicle from the 2000s.
Fisher, who is a funeral director, told the PA news agency:
It took us nine hours to get here from Norwich as she’s got a top speed of 32mph.
We came Thursday last week so that they could decorate them and put the wraps on them. It took nine men nine hours for each bus.
The gentleman who owns the 2000s bus was approached by the pageant committee and asked if he knew of anyone who could contribute a bus, and we jumped at the chance because it’s a big privilege to be involved.
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Elizabeth II has been on the throne for 70 years, as I am sure you have heard. She is 96 years old. There’s no delicate way of putting this, so let us be blunt: she will not reign over us for much longer.
She will be succeeded by a man who has proudly announced his readiness to break the conventions controlling the behaviour of the head of state.
Because there is no prospect of parliament jumping a generation and passing the crown to his son, no one can stop the forward march of Charles III taking the throne.
Prince Charles and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, have arrived at the Oval cricket ground to attend one of the many Big Jubilee Lunch events taking place today.
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However, it will come as no surprise to learn that one family who will be celebrating the platinum jubilee with a particular enthusiasm is the Cambridges.
In a Twitter post this morning, Kate, Duchess of Cambridge, could be seen baking union jack themed cakes with her three children.
They tweeted:
Baking cakes for the local community in Cardiff to enjoy at a Platinum Jubilee street party taking place today!
We hope you like them!
Baking cakes for the local community in Cardiff to enjoy at a Platinum Jubilee street party taking place today! 🎉
— The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge (@KensingtonRoyal) June 5, 2022
We hope you like them! 🧁 pic.twitter.com/lK9QkaGugB
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As platinum jubilee celebrations draw to a close today, you would be forgiven for thinking an entire nation had come together to feast, dance around the maypole and adorn their homes in extravagant red, white and blue bunting.
Such has been the focus of the media and news outlets, at least.
However, an overwhelming number of the British population have simply been getting on with their weekend as normal, save for the additional bank holiday.
An article from CNN has spoken to a number of people, in particular young Britons, who “couldn’t care less” about joining in with street parties or beacon lighting ceremonies.
Hackney resident Joss MacDonald said:
I’m sick of it. I’m currently in the middle of packing to go to Italy.
MacDonald said that the monarchy, whose wealth and power is linked to a legacy of British colonialism, has failed to modernise and is disconnected from today’s multicultural Britain, adding:
I won’t begrudge people a good time. I think the opportunity to have a big national celebration is great, but it’s such a shame that it has to be for this institution.
Polling conducted by YouGov from March to May 2021 found that 31% of 18- to 24-year-olds surveyed said they wanted to see the monarchy continue, while 41% believed that Britain should have an elected head of state and 28% were undecided, according to CNN.
Roisin Conneely, a 26-year-old digital communications professional, said she would be spending the weekend at her home in Redbridge, east London, binge-watching the latest season of Stranger Things.
She said:
I couldn’t care less.
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Good morning and welcome to our live coverage of the fourth and final day of the Queen’s platinum jubilee bank holiday weekend.
For those suffering from jubilee fatigue, it will be a welcome end to the seemingly never-ending displays of pageantry and sycophantic declarations of affection for the monarchy.
But for others, it is the climax of a historic weekend of celebration and appreciation for Britain’s longest-serving monarch, Queen Elizabeth II.
Despite wind and rain expected throughout the day, more than 10 million people across the UK are expected to attend street parties as part of Sunday’s “big jubilee lunch”. Outside the UK, more than 600 lunches have been planned across the Commonwealth.
Then, from 2.30pm BST, the gold state carriage, led by the sovereign’s escort but not carrying the Queen, will lead a pageant on a 3km route up the Mall in central London to Buckingham Palace.
Involving more than 10,000 people – including military, volunteers, performers and key workers – it will be available to watch on big screens in London, Cardiff and Edinburgh.
Follow throughout the day for the latest updates from proceedings.
- We want to hear a range of voices and views about the Platinum Jubilee. Email tom.ambrose.casual@theguardian.com or tweet @tomambrose89 with comments and suggestions for coverage throughout the day.
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