Queen Elizabeth II ends historic jubilee with vow to carry on

Ed Sheeran performed on the final day of celebrations

Queen Elizabeth II on Sunday brought the curtain down on her historic Platinum Jubilee celebrations, making another public appearance on the last of four days of festivities and vowing to maintain her record-breaking reign.

The 96-year-old monarch, who has been troubled by mobility problems, appeared for the first time in person since Thursday on the Buckingham Palace balcony after the Trooping the Colour military parade.

Huge crowds stretching hundreds of metres down The Mall outside the palace cheered as she re-emerged onto the balcony briefly on Sunday afternoon.

Dressed in green with a matching hat, her white gloved hand clutching a walking stick, she was flanked by the three future kings: princes Charles, William and George.

Britain's longest-serving sovereign added: "While I may not have attended every event in person, my heart has been with you all; and I remain committed to serving you to the best of my ability, supported by my family." 

Sunday's £15-million ($18.7-million, 17.5-million-euro) "Platinum Jubilee Pageant", featuring some 10,000 people, began with a parade of armed forces from the UK and the Commonwealth she heads.

Some 6,000 disabled and non-disabled performers joined in to celebrate the queen's life and reign.

A carnival included a giant oak tree flanked with maypole dancers, a huge moving wedding cake, bangra drummers, steel bands, African-Caribbean carnival animals and a towering dancing dragon.

Singer-songwriter Ed Sheeran wrapped up the pageant with a rendition of his 2017 hit "Perfect", and the national anthem "God Save the Queen".

- End of era -

Many saw it as a once-in-a-generation event to mark the closing of an extraordinary chapter in British life and to recognise its most famous national symbol.

During the celebrations, the queen put in a surprise on-screen appearance, taking tea with the beloved children's book and film character Paddington Bear, in a pre-recorded sequence that had been kept a carefully guarded secret.

A running theme has been the dramatic social, political and technological changes in Britain and the world since the queen came to the throne -- and her constant presence through it all.

"She's been the queen my whole life," said visiting American John Barli, 66.

But there was also acknowledgement the second Elizabethan era -- five centuries after the first -- is nearly over.

A spectacular light show illuminated the palace and the night sky above it on Saturday, including images of a corgi, a handbag and a teapot.

"Inevitably, this celebration had a valedictory feel," the Sunday Telegraph said of Saturday's concert.

"It won't be the same without our queen," Julie Blewitt, 56, from Manchester, told AFP outside St Paul's Cathedral on Friday. 

The queen has gradually been preparing the public for the familiar figure of Charles to take over as king.

Then, Britain was still a major colonial power but republican movements are gathering pace in the 14 Commonwealth countries where the queen is also head of state, including Australia and in the Caribbean.

That hope seems unlikely to be realised.

He could face a no-confidence motion to topple him as soon as this week, according to some parliamentary observers.

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