The Queen's Historic Platinum Jubilee Celebration Kicks Off Tomorrow, June 2, 2022

The world is raising a toast to Queen Elizabeth II's historic Platinum Jubilee celebration this week, which begins tomorrow, June 2, 2022. The four-day event kicks off with The Trooping the Colour, which traditionally marks Her Majesty's official birthday celebration.

Royal fans will see another moment of pomp and pageantry as the kingdom marks the celebration with parades, concerts, and appearances of the members of the royal family. 

The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh following the Queen's coronation on June 2, 1953

Queen Elizabeth II marks her 70 years on the throne, the first British monarch to ever reach such a historic milestone. As of today, The Queen is also the longest-sitting head of state in the world.

Official coronation portrait of The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex and their children, Archie and Lili, have confirmed their attendance and are expected to arrive in London today. The royal family will finally meet Prince Harry's youngest child, Lilibet Diana.

Here's what to expect in the four-day event:

1. Trooping the Colour, June 2. Also known as The Queen's birthday parade, it is an annual public event to mark the official birthday celebration of Her Majesty. More than 1,500 military personnel and close to 400 horses will participate in a splendid street parade throughout London. 

This event will be highlighted by the appearance of the members of the family, riding on horse-drawn carriages. Prince William will be expected to mount the horse as his regiment, the Irish Guards, will troop the colour. 

Following the parade, working members of the royal family will step out in the palace's balcony to watch a fly-past presentation of the Royal Air Force.

Trooping the Colour, 2011

The Queen has decided that only working members of her family will make a balcony appearance this year: The Prince of Wales, The Duchess of Cornwall, The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and their three children, The Princess Royal and her husband, Sir Timothy Laurence, The Earl and Countess of Wessex and their two children, The Duke and Duchess of Gloucester, The Duke of Kent, and Princess Alexandra. 

Map location of the Queen's Birthday Parade, June 2

Trooping the Colour is one of the most ancient military ceremonies in the United Kingdom organized to allow the soldiers to get familiar with their regiment's flag. 

This year also marks the rarest time the Queen's Birthday Parade is scheduled on weekdays rather than the traditional Saturday. 

The Duke of Cambridge had a full dress rehearsal with his troop on May 28, 2022

The Irish Guards, where Prince William, The Duke of Cambridge, is the Colonel-in-Chief, since 2011, will troop their Colour this year. 

The last full ceremony of Trooping the Colour in London happened in 2019, and after two years (due to the pandemic), the traditional event will be conducted the way it is always celebrated. 

Prince William during the full dress rehearsal of his troop, May 28, 2022

It will take place at the Horse Guards Parade in London. The King's Troop Royal Horse Artillery will also take part and will fire a 41-gun salute at Green Park. 

There will also be lighting beacons, and more than 3,000 beacons will be set ablaze across the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth, at different sites - Tower of London, Windsor Great Park, Hillsborough Castle, Sandringham, and Balmoral estates.

2. Service of Thanksgiving, June 3. There will be a Service of Thanksgiving at St. Paul's Cathedral and all members of the royal family will be in attendance. 

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex, who are excluded from the balcony appearance because they're no longer working royals, are expected to join the royal family at the Service of Thanksgiving.

The Duke of York is also expected to attend the Service of Thanksgiving. He is also excluded from appearing with the royal family on the palace's balcony after he fell from grace due to the Epstein scandal he got involved in. He is the only child of Her Majesty who would not be seen on the balcony

The Queen at the State Opening of Parliament

3. The Derby at Epsom Downs, June 4. The Queen is known for her love for horse racing and has been a horse breeder since becoming a monarch. No doubt a racing event becomes part of the Platinum Jubilee calendar. 

Guests and royal family members are expected to get dressed up in their best race day wear. The Queen will have a horse running at the Epsom Downs Derby Day. 

There will be a concert on Saturday night at the palace, with popular singers like Diana Ross, Queen + Adam Lambert, Alicia Keys, and some musicians, are set to perform.

June 4 is also the date set for the baptism of Lilibet Diana Mountbatten-Windsor, the daughter of The Duke and Duchess of Sussex. She will also celebrate her first birthday that day. 

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex, and their children, Archie and Lilibet, Holiday Card 2021

Lili was born on June 4, 2021, at Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital in Santa Barbara, California, where the Sussexes are currently residing. 

They did not come home for Prince Philip's memorial service in March this year due to issues of security. Prince Harry reportedly had a rift with the Home Office for refusing him to have an additional Police Protection for his family's safety.

4. Big Jubilee Lunch and Platinum Pageant, June 5. The Jubilee week will wrap up with big events on Sunday, June 5. Beginning with the Jubilee Lunch at The Oval in London to be attended by The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall. 

The Big Jubilee Lunch is a street party around the United Kingdom, sharing food and fun with neighbors to foster friendship. And everyone is invited. "It's the party right up your doorstep, in the streets, and gardens, for everyone to have fun", according to the event's website.

The highlight of the day is a parade down The Mall to the palace, a procession through the streets of London which will showcase the iconic moments of the Queen's reign. 

The parade will be led by the Gold State Carriage (however, the Queen would not ride in the historic coach), and culminate with a performance by Ed Sheeran. 

It will also include an aerial artist, a giant oak tree flanked with maypole dancers, a huge moving wedding cake, and a towering dragon with three-story-high beasts.

Trivia:

The royal family's customary appearance on the palace's balcony began in 1851 during the reign of Queen Victoria when she opened the celebration of the Great Exhibition. Since then. she would step out on the balcony to acknowledge the cheering crowd below.

Balcony appearance of the royal family in 2016

It began the enduring tradition of the royal family stepping out in the palace's balcony to greet the crowd during special occasions like the Queen's birthday, coronations, jubilees, and royal weddings.

There's no specific rule on who would appear on the palace's balcony, but there would always be the monarch and his or her spouse. The first and second-in-line to the throne would always stand in front, together with their legal spouses - yes, they must be married, no ring, no entry. 

This year, however, the Queen specified that only working royals would appear on the balcony during the Trooping the Colour. 

Balcony appearance of the royal family in 2019

It means that the usual figures we often saw in the past balcony appearances would not be there - Prince and Princess Michael of Kent and their children (Lady Gabriella and Lord Frederick), The Duke and Duchess of Sussex, The Duke of York, Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie, and Princess Anne's children - Zara and Peter.