Diamond Jubilee Celebrations 2012
Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Windsor became the Queen of England at the age of twenty six after the death of her father King George Vl on the 6th February 1952. Her Coronation took place a year later on the 2nd June 1953. Queen Elizabeth ll is now eighty six years of age and she is celebrating sixty years reign on the throne. The only other monarch to reign for this length of time was the Queen’s great great grandmother, Queen Victoria.
During 2012 the Queen plans to celebrate her longevity not only with the people of the UK but also with the citizens of the sixteen countries to which she is head of state. To mark herDiamond Jubilee, celebrationsare being held throughout the year and members of the royal family will be visiting various countries in the commonwealth. The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge (William and Kate) for example, will visit Malaysia, Singapore, Solomon Islands and Tuvalu and Prince Harry, Belize, Jamaica and the Bahamas. The Queen, Duke of Edinburgh and other members of the royal family are scheduled to visit places in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland from the 8th March to the 19th July.
Celebration Coins
In honor of the Queen, the Royal Mint has released a new £5 coin showing two new portraits of the Queen and they plan to issue twenty four coins that tell the story of her sixty year reign.
Diamond Jubilee Pageant
From the 10th to the 13th May, the Royal Windsor Horse Show and Pageant will be held at the Queen’s official residence, Winsor Castle in Berkshire. The celebration includes over five hundred horses and more than a thousand dancers, musicians and performers from various countries. Presentations will include performances by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, The Dancing Marwaris of India and Watoto Children's Choir from Uganda.
Main Celebrations
During the main celebrations from the 2nd to the 5th June 2012 there will be an extra Bank Holiday and all schools will be closed on the 5th June, providing people with a four day long weekend.
Saturday 2 June, 2012
The Queen has a passion for horses and she owns several thoroughbreds, therefore it is not surprising that the beginning of the celebrations for the jubilee weekend begins with her enjoying a day at the race course. The Queen and other members of the royal family will join a crowd of two hundred thousand people to watch the Epsom Derby, listen to singing from Katherine Jenkins and marvel at a Red Arrows air display.
Sunday 3 June, 2012
On the 3rd June the public are encouraged to get together with family, friends and neighbors to take part in The Big Lunch, either by holding a traditional street party or picnic lunch.
Later in the day the Thames Jubilee Pageant will take place where one thousand vessels from across the UK and around the world will assemble on the river. The Queen and her family will be met at Chelsea, London, by the Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall and they will walk past a Guard of Honor involving the Chelsea Pensioners. The party will then be joined by Kate, William and Harry on HMS President and with the crowds watch a sail past by the thousand brightly decorated sea vessels.
Monday 4 June, 2012
On Monday the 4th June there will be a concert adjacent to Buckingham Palace. The concert will feature performers from Britain and the Commonwealth including Shirley Bassey, Kylie Minogue, Cliff Richard, Paul McCartney, Stevie Wonder and Tom Jones.
During the evening over four thousand Beacons with be lit by communities and individuals throughout the UK, Chanel Islands, the Isle of Man and commonwealth countries.
Tuesday 5 June, 2012
On the morning of Tuesday 5th June the Queen and her family will attend a Service of Thanksgiving at St Paul’s Cathedral followed by lunch at Westminster Hall. She and family members will then join a carriage procession to Buckingham Palace. The procession will pass landmarks such as Big Ben, Trafalgar Square and Horse Guard and will include military bands and a sixty gun salute from the King’s Troop
The Queen and her family will then make a balcony appearance at Buckingham Palace and along with the crowds watch a RAF fly past and a Feu de Joio, a cascade of rifle fire given as a salute by the Queen’s Guard.
Alongside the formal celebrations, parties are being organized by neighborhoods throughout the UK with tens of thousands of events planned in gardens, parks, pubs and church halls.
