What You Need to Know About the Celebrations
“Look to the future with confidence and enthusiasm.” the Queen said last week on the eve of her Platinum Jubilee celebrations, and it remained a constant theme throughout the events commemorating the monarch's record-breaking reign.
The Queen's message was clear, with her two heirs standing in for her at Trooping the Color and another future king, Prince George, also front and center over the weekend – the monarch's family, like her, will continue to be a bedrock of stability for a nation that has experienced pandemic and seismic political upheaval in recent years.
We haven't seen as much of the Queen as some of us would have liked, but I have a feeling that's precisely what she had in mind all along.
On day one, dazzle the spectators with beaming smiles, royal waving, and a passionate great-grandson from the Buckingham Palace balcony, and then, knowing they have an impossible act to follow in the future, let the spotlight shift to the Prince of Wales and Duke of Cambridge.
As the Queen said in her 2002 Golden Jubilee speech to the Houses of Parliament:
“If a jubilee becomes a moment to define an age, then for me, we must speak of change – its breadth and accelerating pace over these years … Change has become a constant; managing it has become an expanding discipline. The way we embrace it defines our future … the monarchy and parliament … must continue to evolve if they are to provide effective beacons of trust and unity to succeeding generations.”
The Queen's Platinum Jubilee Party at the Palace concert
Day three of Queen Elizabeth II's Platinum Jubilee celebrations has closed with quite a show in front of Buckingham Palace.
The Party at the Palace concert kicked off at 8 pm local time, with the line-up including Elton John, Ed Sheeran, Diana Ross, Alicia Keys, and Hans Zimmer.
Paddington Bear met the Queen
The concert opened with a skit of the Queen sitting down to tea with fellow British icon Paddington Bear.
Despite being characteristically polite and well-meaning, poor Paddington made a bit of a mess of the spread.
The ever-prepared bear offered the Queen an emergency marmalade sandwich — something he keeps stashed in his hat — but it turned out that was unnecessary.
That's because the Queen, too, maintains such necessities on hand at all times.
We now understand why she always carries a handbag, even when she has people holding her belongings for her.
Lee Mack cracked a joke on Partygate
A damning investigation concerning a series of parties conducted at British Prime Minister Boris Johnson's official residence when the UK was under COVID-19 lockdown was released late last month.
The affair, nicknamed Partygate, drew widespread condemnation and calls for Prime Minister David Cameron to resign. On Friday, when Mr Johnson arrived for the Platinum Jubilee thanksgiving service, he was booed.
Onstage, comedian Lee Mack alluded to the Partygate scandal. Here's what he had to say:
"Welcome to the Platinum Party at the Palace!
"We are here right outside the gates of Buckingham Palace for the party of a lifetime.
"And I tell you what, finally we can say the words "party" and "gate" and it's a positive.
"That wasn't in the autocue …"
A few Queen references were made
The first was a performance by Queen (the band), which featured Adam Lambert on vocals.
They performed We Will Rock You and Don't Stop Me Now, with military drummers bringing a special touch to the show.
Brian May, the guitarist, emphasized the "queen" metaphor by appearing above the stage in front of the Queen Victoria statue:
Sam Ryder sang Space Man later in the show, the song that gained him second place in the Eurovision Song Contest.
However, as a gesture to the Queen, he changed the words slightly, singing "space ma'am."
The sky was lit up by drones
It wasn't only about what happened on the stage.
Some carefully synchronized drones went to the skies above Buckingham Palace, producing some quite regal photographs.
'Mummy' and 'Papa' were honored by Prince Charles
As photos of the queen were displayed on the walls of Buckingham Palace, the Queen's son and future ruler Prince Charles walked to the stage to pay respect to his mother.
The prince spoke about the monarch's "strong and stay" on stage with his wife Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, and that his "Papa," Prince Philip, was greatly missed.
"But I'm sure he's here in spirit," he said.
Prince William called for climate action
Prince William, the Queen's grandson, also addressed the crowd.
The Duke of Cambridge, as the second successor to the throne, used his time on stage to express his confidence in the future.
Here's what he had to say:
''When humankind focuses its minds, anything is possible. It's my firm hope that my grandmother's words are as true in 70 years' time as they are tonight.
"That as nations, we come together in common cause. Because then there is always room for hope.
"Tonight has been full of such optimism and joy. And there is hope together if we harness the very best of humankind and restore our planet, we will protect it for our children, our grandchildren, and for future generations to come.
"They will be able to say with pride at what's been achieved, 'What a wonderful world.”