THE Queen is gearing up to celebrate 70 years on the throne – and the nation will be right behind her.
Among the Platinum Jubilee festivities is a four-day Bank Holiday weekend scheduled for the first week of June with a catalogue of events for Brits to take part in.
What are the Platinum Jubilee events?
A national pudding competition, Jubilee lunches and a Birthday Parade are some of the events taking place this year to mark The Queen‘s seven decades-long reign.
The May Bank Holiday Weekend – which usually falls at the end of the month – will be moved to Thursday June 2, followed by an extra day off on Friday, June 3.
Buckingham Palace said in a statement: “The four days of celebrations will include public events and community activities, as well as national moments of reflection on The Queen’s 70 years of service.”
Pudding competition
Entries for the huge pudding competition, organised by Fortnum & Mason, opened on January 10, 2022.
It will see competitors aged eight and over try to create the perfect dessert for the Platinum Pudding campaign.
The winning recipe, chosen by judges Dame Mary Berry, Monica Galetti, and the head chef at Buckingham Palace, will be released to the public to be enjoyed as part of the celebrations this year and for “generations to come”.
The last day for entries is February 4, 2022, and a live final will take place on March 14, 2022.
Trooping the Colour
The Jubilee weekend will start with a bang as the Queen’s Birthday Parade – officially known as Trooping the Colour – is held.
Soldiers, horses and musicians will come together in a “great display of military precision, horsemanship and fanfare” to mark the occasion.
More than 1,500 towns, villages and cities throughout the UK, and each capital of the Commonwealth countries, will also join the fun.
But the main do will be in central London where crowds waving flags will line The Mall from Buckingham Palace and down The Mall to Horse Guard’s Parade.
And the display will end with an RAF fly-past watched by members of the Royal Family from the Palace balcony.
Green Canopy
Another Platinum Jubilee event, Her Majesty’s Green Canopy, will see thousands of trees planted in the Queen’s honour.
Every planting is being recorded on a digital Queen’s Green Canopy map.
Platinum Jubilee Beacons
Over 1,500 beacons will be lit throughout the UK, Channel Islands, Isle of Man and UK Overseas Territories.
Beacons will also be lit in each of the capital cities of the Commonwealth.
Platinum Party at the Palace
On Saturday, June 4, the BBC will host a huge Platinum Party at the Palace.
It will be a live concert bringing together some of the world’s biggest entertainers to celebrate the most significant moments from The Queen’s reign.
Platinum Jubilee Pageant
Performers, dancers, musicians, military personnel, key workers and volunteers will unite to tell the story of The Queen’s 70-year reign in a festival of creativity.
This will take place on Sunday, June 5, 2022.
An important part of the event will be the ‘River of Hope’ section which will see 200 silk flags process down The Mall like moving water.
Service of Thanksgiving
A service of thanksgiving for the Queen’s reign will take place on Thursday, June 2, 2022.
It will be at St Paul’s Cathedral.
Big Jubilee Lunch
Meanwhile, the annual Big Lunch will bring communities up and down the country together to host their own celebratory street party meals on June 5.
More than 1,400 groups have already decided to join in, signing up for a pack full of tips for for organising the special event through the Big Lunch website.
How to apply for Platinum Jubilee tickets
Applications for tickets for Trooping the Colour 2022 opened on January 17.
They will be allocated by a ballot due to the high interest, and applications must be made through the Army website in January and February 2022.
The public can also get tickets for other Platinum Jubilee events.
The ballot for UK residents to secure the thousands of audience tickets for the Platinum Party at the Palace will be launched in February.
Ahead of the main Jubilee weekend, some members of the Royal Family will attend a special celebration at the Windsor Horse Show, which runs between May 12th and May 15th 2022.
Tickets for the event are available to buy on the official website.
How can I watch the Platinum Jubilee events?
All events leading up to the four-day Bank Holiday weekend, as well as the Platinum Jubilee itself, will be broadcast on television.
Both BBC and ITV are expected to be covering the celebrations.
ITV will air the Windsor Horse Show from May 12 to 15, where more than 500 horses and 1,000 performers are expected to take part in the Platinum Jubilee Celebration.
BBC will broadcast live the Platinum Party at the Palace, the special concert that the broadcaster is hosting in Buckingham Palace.
