Queen’s Platinum Jubilee: Queen caught in mid-air flight drama
The Queen’s private jet has been forced to abort its landing as the monarch returns to London for the Platinum Jubilee celebrations.
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The Queen was caught in a mid-air flight drama when lightning forced her jet to abort its landing.
The 13-seater plane eventually touched down in London after leaving Aberdeen, The Sun reports.
An electrical storm, rain and hail meant the monarch’s plane had to return to the skies seconds before it was due to touch down, according to The Sun.
Her Majesty, who had been staying at Balmoral, was then whisked to Windsor Castle to prepare for her four days of Platinum Jubilee celebrations.
Loyal royal fans are already camping out in the Mall ahead of the celebrations, which begin on Thursday and mark the Queen’s historic milestone of 70 years on the throne.
The Queen is expected to appear at Thursday’s Trooping the Colour, but is no longer planning to attend the Epsom Derby during her Platinum Jubilee weekend.
The 96-year-old monarch is said to want to pace herself during her four-day festival of celebrations and will be represented at the racecourse by her daughter Princess Anne, The Sunday Times reported.
The Derby would be a personal highlight for the Queen, a passionate horse owner and breeder, during the Jubilee festivities.
The four-day festival is shaping up to be the biggest party that the UK and the Commonwealth have ever seen.
Here’s everything you need to know about the Platinum Jubilee weekend.
WHEN ARE THE MAIN PLATINUM JUBILEE CELEBRATIONS TAKING PLACE?
The Queen’s historic milestone — the first time a British monarch has marked 70 years on the throne — will be celebrated over four days from June 2 to June 3.
The UK’s bank holiday weekend has been specially extended for the four-day festival, which is called the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Central Weekend.
Featuring an unprecedented series of events, the Platinum Jubilee weekend has been described as the UK’s “biggest ever” celebration.
WHAT IS THE FIRST OFFICIAL EVENT?
Celebrations are UK-wide and London will be the centrepiece of the landmark holiday marking 70 years of the Queen’s reign.
The televised event kicks off on June 2 at 11am local time (Thursday, 8pm AEST) with the famed Trooping The Colour, a grand spectacle that has marked the official birthday of the British sovereign for over 260 years.
The 1st Battalion, Irish Guards, and more than 1200 officers and soldiers from the Household Division will troop the colour, the first time the event has been held in full since the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic.
In what will undoubtedly be a thrilling sight for royal fans, more than 1400 parading soldiers, 200 horses and 400 musicians will take part, beginning at Buckingham Palace before moving down The Mall to Horse Guard’s Parade.
The event is certain to be a stunning visual spectacle of pomp and ceremony, with members of the royal family joining the parade on horseback and in carriages.
Future king Prince Charles will stand in for the Queen inspecting troops on horseback.
Prince William will take part in the royal procession, riding by horse alongside his father Prince Charles and Princess Anne.
The parade will close with the traditional RAF fly-past, watched by the Queen and members of the royal family from the Buckingham Palace balcony.
WHO WILL BE ON THE BALCONY?
The Queen has decided that only working members of the royal family and their children will appear on the balcony for Trooping the Colour.
It is a move that aligns with Prince Charles’s vision of a slimmed-down monarchy made up of working royals at the core of the family.
The monarch’s ruling means that royal outsiders Prince Harry, Meghan Markle and Prince Andrew will be excluded from what will no doubt be one of the royal family’s most iconic photo opportunities.
It has been reported that Harry, Meghan and Andrew “are likely” to attend the Service of Thanksgiving at St Paul’s Cathedral on June 3.
The Queen will be joined on the balcony by future king Prince Charles and Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall, Prince William and the Duchess of Cambridge, the Earl and Countess of Wessex, Princess Anne, the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester, the Duke of Kent and Princess Alexandra.
The Cambridge and Wessex children are also expected to appear, as well as Sir Tim Laurence, the husband of Princess Anne.
WHEN WILL THE BEACONS BE LIT?
Beacons will be lit around sunset up and down the UK, as well as in Commonwealth nations, to mark the special occasion.
In Canberra, the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Beacon will be lit on June 2 to coincide with the 2,022 other beacon lightings throughout the United Kingdom and capital cities of the Commonwealth.
Between June 2 and June 5, iconic buildings and monuments around Australia will be illuminated in royal purple to mark The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations.
At 9.25pm on June 2 (Friday, June 3, 6.25am AEST), the royal family will gather at the centrepiece beacon, a spectacular Tree of Trees sculpture created by designer Thomas Heatherwick.
It will feature stunning lighting installations and projections on the front of Buckingham Palace.
WHAT ABOUT THE THANKSGIVING SERVICE?
On Friday, June 3, St Paul’s Cathedral will hold a historic Service of Thanksgiving for the Queen’s reign at 11.10am local time (Friday, 8.10pm AEST).
The service will feature bible readings, anthems, prayers and congregational hymns aimed at fostering unity, peace, and togetherness, including a new anthem by Judith Weir, the first woman to be appointed Master of The Queen’s Music.
The anthem sets to music words from the third Chapter of the Book Of Proverbs.
WHAT IS HAPPENING ON SATURDAY, JUNE 4?
The racing-mad Queen is expected to miss the Epsom Derby on Saturday, June 4, although this has not yet been confirmed.
Other members of the royal family, including Prince Harry are set to attend.
Later that day, the Platinum Party at the Palace — the event that has music fans excited — will kick off at 8pm (Sunday, 5am AEST).
The concert will feature stars such as Sir Rod Stewart, Diana Ross, Alicia Keys, Andrea Bocelli and Sir Elton John.
Rock band Queen and Adam Lambert will open the event, before Duran Duran, Hans Zimmer, Ella Eyre, Craig David and Elbow perform.
More than 22,000 people are expected to attend, including thousands of invited key workers and 10,000 members of the general public lucky enough to have secured tickets.
Non-musical guests – including Sir David Attenborough and Stephen Fry – will also take to the stage.
WHAT ABOUT SUNDAY’S EVENTS?
In a poignant nod to past times, people across the UK will throw street parties to mark the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee.
At 2.30pm London time (Sunday, 11.30pm AEST), the grand finale of the Platinum Jubilee Central Weekend will cap off the spectacular line-up of events.
The Platinum Jubilee Pageant will tell the story of the Queen’s 70-year reign and the UK’s changing social landscape in four radically different acts.
The first act, titled For Queen and Country, will be a military spectacle honouring the Queen’s role as Commander-in-Chief of the British Armed Forces.
Military personnel from Australia and New Zealand will join members of the UK Armed Forces from all three services for the event.
The second act, called The Time of Our Lives, will showcase British life from 1952, the beginning of the Queen’s reign, until the present day.
Thousands of performers will bring each decade to life through popular music and dance styles, fashion, youth culture and classic vehicles of the times.
The next act, Let’s Celebrate, will be a party-style mash of street theatre, urban dance and will feature the “very best” of iconic festivals such as the Notting Hill Carnival and Mardi Gras.
At the finale of the carnival procession through the streets of London, singer Ed Sheeran will perform his ballad Perfect as images of the Queen and her late husband Prince Philip adorn the giant screens around the stage.
Other performers set to appear at the Queen Victoria Memorial in front of Buckingham Palace include Sandie Shaw, Marc Almond, Tony Hadley, Lesley Garrett and Jools Holland.
WILL THE QUEEN’S HEALTH ISSUES AFFECT HER APPEARANCES?
The Queen, who has cancelled several recent high-profile engagements due to mobility issues, is said to be planning to take part in the celebrations, but it has not yet been confirmed which events she will attend.
Get an in-depth look at the Queen’s life and reign in the 124-page Platinum Jubilee commemorative keepsake magazine out now.
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