As the sun sets on The Mall, the air is heavy with the buzz of excitement and the flutter of Union flags.
The left side of London’s most famous street, which leads up to Buckingham Palace, is occupied by royal fans who’ve come in their droves.
Some sit in camp chairs, others lie in tents but we’re all here very early to bag a good spot to see The Queen.
Five minutes later, sleeping bag in tow, I actually do see the Queen waving right at me, but it turns out to be a life-sized cardboard version.
She serves as the centre-piece to John Loughery and his friends’ meticulously organised camp; they’ve been here since Monday.
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John, 67, welcomes me in, warning he’s been averaging two hours of sleep per night so isn’t on form. “Last night we had a dreadful night,” he says, cheerily. “The thunderstorms were unbelievable.”
Still, the group of mates, who travel from Newcastle, Northern Ireland or London to meet up regularly, are used to being patient. They’ve been attending royal events for 25 years.
“We’ve been to all births,” he says. “ Prince George’s, Princess Charlotte’s and Louis ’. We spent a month outside the Lindo Wing waiting for Charlotte to be born.”
He explains that tomorrow they are sticking to the theme: “We’re going to be celebrating with platinum champagne, platinum cakes, platinum cups, forks and knives.”
However, not everyone is quite as prepared. Ethan Tuggat and Regan Want, both 18, are a few spaces along towards the palace.
Armed with a packet of Pringles and little else, the two are plonked in camp chairs having arrived earlier in the evening. “We’re going to take shifts just to make sure we’re safe,” says Tuggat.
“We’re going to camp-out, well we’re just sleeping on the chairs. We’re sitting, and eating snacks.”
While they say their family thinks they’re mad for staying overnight, the cousins feel that many of their generation are anti-monarchy so have travelled from Kent and Hertfordshire to show their support.
But just by looking at Joseph Afrane, you can tell where his support lies. The Ghanian-born Battersea-based 58-year-old has already become a local celebrity, as camera clad fans queue for selfies.
He’s courting so much attention because he’s dressed head-to-toe in the Union Jack. This includes his socks, watch, hat, waistcoat, bag and shoes. “I’m THE royal superfan,” he declares, proudly.
“I have over 120 suits,” he says, “and I copy most of them from Her Majesty. The coloured suits and hats and everything.”
His house is also papered with the Union Jack, even down to his bedsheets, but tonight he will be sleeping rough.
Joseph first fell in love with all things royal 20 years ago at the Golden Jubilee and since then has become somewhat of a stalwart on the scene.
The Queen has waved to him before at the Trooping of the Colour, five years ago, but it was Prince Harry and Meghan Markle who actually spoke to him as he celebrated their wedding.
“They told me, ‘you’re doing a good job’,” he says. If they see him tomorrow, no doubt they’ll think the same.
