HOW could they top the Golden Jubilee party in 2002 when Brian May played guitar on Buckingham Palace’s roof?
No one knew, but Queen still managed it at the opening of the Platinum Party at the Palace.
May appeared in a cloud of smoke high above the main stage in front of the Queen Victoria Memorial statue.
The previous queen may not have been amused but the flag-waving crowd stretched down the Mall, smiling from the Queen’s brilliant video with Paddington Bear were delighted.
Roger Taylor and Adam Lambert opened with We Will Rock You.
The real Queen watching from Windsor and 30 royals with 22,000 invited guests for the 2½ hour spectacular were wondering where May would appear.
Before the star-studded show the rocker, 74, had teased: “We’re very excited.
Everyone’s been asking whether we can top the Palace roof in the Golden Jubilee
“We’ve been working on it and have an interesting new place to go.”
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The crowd, led by Prince Charles and Camilla, William, Kate, Prince George and Princess Charlotte, roared when he appeared above the main stage.
With PM Boris Johnson and wife Carrie among those watching, Lambert and the Queen duo went into Don’t Stop Me Now and We Are the Champions.
Comedian Lee Mack pointed to the Palace gates and was cheered when he said: “Who’d have thought you could say Party & Gate and it is a positive.”
DJ Jax Jones savoured every moment of his three-minute set, just as he said he would.
The audience, which included 7,000 key workers who kept Britain going in the pandemic swayed with Elbow and the Citizens of the World choir.
Thousands lined The Mall to catch a glimpse of the event on giant screens.
University learning support worker Aisha Kasim, 37, flew from Aberdeen with mum Mae.
She said: “It’s a once in a lifetime opportunity.”
Lucy Morris, 39, who travelled from Durham with son Lucas Wainwright, 14, said: “It’s an honour to be here.
“I’m looking forward to seeing the royals come out.”
Lincolnshire couple Malcolm, 65, and Mandy Tipple, 59, wore Union Jacks and matching face paint.
Mandy said: “I’m just proud to be British, so to be here for this is a dream come true.”
Diversity took the audience on a three-minute 70-year journey through British pop, from Dusty Springfield via the Beatles, through the flares of Saturday Night Fever to Brit Pop, Spice Girls and Adele.
Craig David, who watched previous jubilees with his mum in their council flat in Southampton came out from behind the decks to savour every moment of a special jubilee version of his TS5 show.
Singer-songwriter Mimi Webb set Buck House on Fire in her silver boots while King of the Musicals Andrew Lloyd Webber said the Queen’s 70-year reign “had outrun any theatre show in history”.
Lord Lloyd-Webber had been worried about performing a duet onstage with Lin-Manuel Miranda who got a massive cheer when he sang about how we all got a four-day Bank Holiday.
The casts of West End hits Hamilton, Phantom of the Opera, Lion King and Divorced also performed.
Jason Donovan put on his dream coat again to sing Any Dream Will Do from Joseph and his Technicolour Dreamcoat.
In a recorded message 007 star Daniel Craig, who walked with the Queen through Buckingham Palace in her famous 2012 Olympic video, said: “I would follow you anywhere.”
Former US President’s wife Michelle Obama thanked the Queen for making a nervous first lady welcome at Buckingham Palace and for her kindness to their children.
Eurovision star Sam Ryder, who two years ago was making songs in his bedroom, sang Spaceman in a spangly Union Jack suit.
Prince William — in the Royal Box’s front row — cheered and sang along as George Ezra belted out Shotgun.
While Prince Charles and Camilla led the royals, including a tired looking Princess Charlotte in waving Union Jacks as Rod Stewart sang Sweet Caroline.
Sir Rod seemed peeved about having to perform a cover of the Neil Diamond’s classic and claimed the BBC forced him into it.
He told the crowd: “This is a funny one for me to sing but the BBC made me sing it. Join in — make it comfortable for me.”
Olympic Gold medal winners Tom Daly and Dame Jessica Ennis-Hill thanked the Queen for all the support she has given sports stars.
They introduced Italian opera singer Andrea Bocelli, who has been blind since 12, who sang World Cup football anthem Nessun Dorma.
Princess Di’s favourite band Duran Duran with Simon Le Bon, 63, sang Girls on Film as the Queen’s fashion through the years was projected on to the front of the Palace.
Dame Julie Andrews, 86, and Sir Mo Farah, 39, paid tribute to the Queen’s dedication while tennis star Emma Raducanu, 19, praised her ability to “stay calm at all times”.
The forecast thunderstorms stayed away as darkness fell and torches lit up in the crowd as Alicia Keys, 41, on the piano sang Superwoman and New York.
