This June, the Queen of England celebrates 60 years as Monarch and Head of the Commonwealth. To mark the Diamond Jubilee, a number of show-stopping events will take place in London and abroad, as members of the royal family visit England’s Commonwealth territories. Join the celebrations from June 2-5 to honor the Queen and take part in this momentous event.
London
London is the place to be for the Diamond Jubilee. Walk along the River Thames and see up to 1,000 boats in the Thames Diamond Jubilee Pageant. See if you can spot the Royal Barge – the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh will be on it. For those without tickets, the Diamond Jubilee Concert will air on TV on Monday, June 4. Also on Monday, the Queen will light the National Beacon along with 2,012 others lit by communities all over the UK and the Commonwealth. The events will culminate on Tuesday with a service at St Paul’s Cathedral, a procession with all three military services and an appearance by the royal family on the balcony of Buckingham Palace to watch a RAF flypast and a Feu de Joie, a rifle salute by the Queen’s Guard.
Scotland
To mark the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee, Perth was awarded city status and will now be Scotland’s seventh city – joining Aberdeen, Dundee, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Inverness and Stirling. Perth based its bid on its long history as a city before the status was removed in 1975 during a local government shake up. On Monday, June 4, beacons will be lit on Edinburgh Castle and the Palace of Holyroodhouse, the Queen’s official residence in Scotland.
Street parties, parades, fairs, exhibitions and concerts are being staged in the principality to mark the Jubilee. The small town of St Asaph was awarded city status, along with Chelmsford, Essex and Perth. One of the main Diamond Jubilee projects is the lighting of beacons on Monday, June 4 – 100 are already registered in Wales. .
The festivities start on Sunday, June 3 at 3pm when some of the island’s parishes will hold street parties. Start Monday early for a day packed full of activities. At 10:30am, a Service of Thanksgiving led by the Dean of Jersey will be held at the Town Church. Then from 2:30-4pm, gaze upon classic and vintage vehicles at the People’s Park. Alternatively, enjoy the horse racing at Les Landes Racecourse from 2:30 to 5:45pm. Grab a bite to eat at the Jubilee Food Fair at Les Jardins de la Mer from 4:30-11pm. The Jubilee Concert will then take place at Fort Regent from 7:30-9:45pm. Appreciate the variety of music, from military bands to a choir of 500 singers to popular artists to the Jersey Pipe Band. After the Jersey Militia fire a 21-gun salute, cast your eyes on the island’s Jubilee Beacon and a spectacular firework display; all can be seen from Elizabeth Castle from 10pm.
Ryde, Isle of Wight
A “Cool Britannia” parade will take place on Ryde Beach at 2pm on June 2. There’s fun for all the family in Appley Park, where a large marquee will be erected for evening entertainment and an afternoon of activities on Sunday, June 3. The evening events include a vintage cocktail party on Saturday, a carnival party on Sunday and on Monday a firework display, as well as the lighting of the Jubilee Beacon from 9:30-11pm. Sunday will see visitors enjoying a 50s Lambretta Special edition “Ride Out” showcasing scooters, a vintage tea party from 2-4pm, magicians, dance and performance workshops, rides and much more. Take part in 1950s football, sandcastle competitions and sack races – or just go for a dip in the water at Ryde beach. Hovertravel are also doing a flyby, where visitors can meet the captain and dress the hovercraft with flags.
Gibraltar
As the Diamond Jubilee is celebrated, it will have been 58 years since the Queen and Prince Phillip arrived in Gibraltar as part of Her Majesty’s Coronation Tour in May 1954, and Gibraltar wants to celebrate. The Earl and Countess of Wessex will visit Gibraltar from June 11-13, and Gibraltar’s tourist board is planning many celebratory events. They are proposing to light beacons in the Commonwealth-wide plan, arrange charity fundraising events and organize a sporting competition to create a new Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Cup for the winning sport.
Cyprus
The Western Sovereign Base Area is holding a Party in the Park in Happy Valley, Episkopi, Limassol on Friday, June 1. Or you could head to DT’s Bar, Tombs of the Kings Road, Paphos on Sunday, June 3 at 1pm. Tickets are open to everyone and cost €20. Included in the price is a welcome Jubilee cocktail, street party buffet lunch, traditional English sing-a-long with Bob Clarkson and dancing. The Thames Pageant will also be screened live on a big screen.
Canada
In Canada, a new commemorative medal named the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal has been created. The medal is a way for Canada to honor the Queen’s service to the country as well as achievements by Canadians. During 2012, 60,000 Canadians will be recognized and awarded the medal. Canada will also take part by lighting beacons as part of the Commonwealth celebrations. The Royal British Columbia Museum in Victoria, British Columbia will mount an exhibition of Cecil Beaton photographs of Elizabeth II from June 1-Sept 3.
Australia
On Monday, June 4, Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard will light a beacon on top of Parliament House in Canberra. Parks Place in the Parliamentary zone will be renamed Queen Elizabeth Terrace, which will complement the names of adjacent streets Queen Victoria, King Edward and King George Terraces. If you’re after a collector’s item, purchase a Jubilee stamp issued by Australia Post; the Jubilee coin issued by the Royal Australian Mint sold out in record time. Toward the end of 2012, Australia will welcome the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall for a visit.
New Zealand
On June 4, New Zealanders will celebrate the Queen’s birthday and the Queen’s Honors list will be released. This year, the celebrations will be even bigger. New Zealand Post created a special commemorative stamp honoring the milestone. New Zealand will pay tribute by lighting beacons along with other Commonwealth countries. In addition, the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall will visit New Zealand in November on their Commonwealth tour as representatives of the Queen.
(Images: Featured image – Defence Images; London – kathmandu; Scotland – http2007; Wales – katclay; Jersey, Channel Islands – marilynjane; Isle of Wight – Shardalow; Gibraltar – davidstanleytravel; Cyprus – perepel; Canada – tuchodi; Australia – nsgbrown; New Zealand – www.nzhistory.net.nz)
