Even Duchess Meghan andPrince Harry are making the journey from California to London for the occasion, and are bringing their 3-year-old son Archie and daughter Lilibet. Lili will turn 1 years old while the Sussexes are in the UK. It’ll be the first time she’s visited the country, and the first time she’ll meet her great-grandmother the queen in person. But what exactly is a jubilee—and why is the platinum jubilee so significant?
What is the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee?
A jubilee is a significant milestone in a monarch’s reign. Silver jubilees mark 25 years on the throne, golden jubilees mark 50 years, and in 2012 Queen Elizabeth II celebrated her diamond jubilee marking 60 years since she was coronated. In February this year, she celebrated her platinum jubilee, marking 70 years since she took the oath at the age of 25 folllowing the death of her father King George VI. Her platinum jubilee celebrations will take place in the UK from June 2-5. The queen is the first monarch in British history to celebrate a platinum jubilee. Back in 2015, she became the longest-serving British monarch in history after surpassing her great-great-grandmother Queen Victoria’s reign of 63 years and 216 days. This year the queen’s annual birthday parade, which is called Trooping the Colour, will take place a little earlier in June to coincide with the jubilee celebrations. We can expect to see members of the royal family riding in carriages through the streets towards Buckingham Palace, before eventually gathering on the palace balcony to watch a Royal Air Force fly-by and to wave to the crowds. However, neither the Duke and Duchess of Sussex nor Prince Andrew will be among the royals assembled on the balcony, as the queen has decided that only working royals and their children should gather there. Duchess Kate, Prince William and their three children—George, Charlotte, and Louis—will be part of the balcony crew. Trooping the Color takes place on June 2, and that evening 2,000 beacons will be lit in towns and cities across the UK. The next day the queen will attend a service of thanksgiving at St Paul’s Cathedral. On June 5 there will be a massive procession in London involving thousands of people and the Gold State Coach. Meanwhile, the souvenir industry has gone into overdrive printing tea towels, mugs, magnets, scarves, plates and t-shirts to commemorate the event. But it hasn’t all been plain sailing—a Chinese manufacturer produced 10,800 teacups, mugs and plates before realizing that they commemorated the queen’s ‘Platinum Jubbly’! Next up, find out the 10 things that will happen when Queen Elizabeth II dies.
