In 2022, Her Majesty The Queen will become the first British Monarch to celebrate a Platinum Jubilee after 70 years of service.
What is Queen Elizabeth's Platinum Jubilee?
The Platinum Jubilee of Elizabeth II is being celebrated in 2022 in the Commonwealth to mark the 70th anniversary of the accession of Queen Elizabeth II on 6 February 1952. She will be the first monarch to reach the milestone.
The Queen, in occasion of the Ascension day, said that she hoped the Platinum Jubilee would bring together families and friends, neighbours and communities. She also added "this anniversary affords me a time to reflect on the goodwill shown to me by people of all nationalities, faiths and ages in this country and around the world over these years". Then she thanked everyone for their support, loyalty and affection, and signed the message "Your Servant".
What events are planned for the Queen's Jubilee celebrations?
The 'Trooping The Colour', also known as the 'Birthday Parade', which takes place every year for the Queen's birthday, officially kicks off the celebrations. The parade will begin on 2nd June in Buckingham Palace and will be attended by over 1,200 officers and soldiers, as well as hundreds of army musicians and 240 horses. After the parade, the royal family will make an appearance on the famous Buckingham Palace balcony and there will also be a Royal Air Force flypast.
For the first time, Jubilee Beacons will be lit in every capital city of each Commonwealth country.
The Platinum Jubilee celebrations will continue on Friday 3rd June with a thanksgiving service for the Queen's reign: this event will be held in the morning at St. Paul's Cathedral in London.
On Saturday 4th June the Queen, a passionate horse racing fan, will travel to Surrey to participate in the 'Cazoo Derby' at Epsom Downs.
The BBC's 'Platinum Party at the Palace' will also take place on 4th June. The highly anticipated concert, scheduled in front of Buckingham Palace, will see the participation of international stars and guests from the world of entertainment and sport.
On 5th June, the last day of the Jubilee celebrations, the 'Big Jubilee Lunch' will take place. Forecasts are for more than 10 million people to join the celebrations, with events ranging from attempting to host the world's longest street party, garden barbecues and community lunches.
The celebrations will then conclude with the 'Platinum Jubilee Pageant'. The Gold State Carriage will lead the 'Platinum Jubilee Pageant', the grand show that will combine street arts, theater, music, circus, carnival and costumes to celebrate Her Majesty. Forming a major part of the Platinum Pageant, the 'River of Hope' section will include two hundred silk flags that will parade along The Mall, appearing like a moving river.
The Platinum Pudding
The busy calendar of celebrations for the first weekend of June begins with the culinary competition for the "Platinum Pudding" where the best original recipe for the Queen's pudding will be judged by a jury of experts including Dame Mary Berry and Monica Galetti of Masterchef.
The winning recipe will then be made available to the public and the pudding will be enjoyed at the Big Jubilee Lunches during the holiday weekend.
Thus, after the 'Victoria Sponge', named after Queen Victoria who was said to regularly enjoy a slice of cake with whipped cream and strawberry jam along with her 5 o'clock tea, and after the 1953 Coronation Chicken, launched in honour of the coronation of Queen Elizabeth, another cooking competition will enliven this festive year.
Why this Platinum Jubilee is so important?
What makes the moment particularly noteworthy is that, in addition to being the first to reach 70 years, the Queen will almost certainly be the last and therefore only British monarch ever to mark a Platinum Jubilee.
A reign of such length requires not only living a long life but also coming the throne young; she became Queen aged just 25 when her father died at age 56. With future monarchs looking set to consistently take over when they are older, it’s almost impossible to see how any king or queen can manage 70 years in the future.
