Royal Navy and Royal Marine personnel ‘proud’ at pageant rehearsal at HMS Collingwood ahead of Platinum Jubilee parade

After several days of ceremonial training at HMS Collingwood, sailors and Royal Marines took part in their final rehearsal for The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Pageant before they take part in the historic celebration on Sunday.

Alongside personnel from the Royal Air Force and British Army, the personnel will form the first section of the pageant, titled ‘Queen and Country’.

Jack Knight, a 22-year-old Marine from Leeds, said: ‘I just passed out of training last week.

‘I’m feeling pretty proud to be here, for this to be the first thing we’re going to do.’

Hefin Jones, a 21-year-old Marine from Denbigh, added: ‘It’s a great experience. I didn’t think I’d be doing this after I’d passed out.’

AB Kayla Haskell, 21, from South Africa, said: ‘I’m feeling very good, very excited - a little bit anxious as there will be a lot of eyes on us.

‘But I’m feeling very proud.’

The personnel taking part in the rehearsal wore Royal Navy and Royal Marines uniform, but did not wear the ceremonial outfits that will be used at the pageant itself.

Proud to carry on his family’s tradition of service, 35-year-old Londoner AB Chris Bennett said: ‘It’s such a big event - a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. It’s something to say to my kids that I was there.’

Sergeant David Meadows added: ‘I feel privileged and honoured because it is only going to happen once. Nothing like this will happen again.

‘This is the biggest and most important parade that we have ever been involved in.

‘We do drill but we do not do it on a regular basis so it is just a case of just brushing up.’

The pageant will tell the story of the Queen’s remarkable 70-year reign, including her enduring and close bond with the armed forces.

Act One, ‘Queen and Country’, will be a military spectacle celebrating the UK armed forces from all three services, along with military personnel from across the Commonwealth including Canada, New Zealand, Australia, Pakistan, Ghana, Belize, Jamaica, Sri Lanka and beyond.

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Chief Petty Officer Martin Joubert said: ‘I’m excited and very honoured to do this, mostly so because my grandfather was in the jubilee parade originally, 70 years ago.

‘I remember him talking about it and saying it absolutely poured down and I am hoping we have good weather for it.’

State ceremonial training officer Warrant Officer Darren Wearing said: ‘A lot of effort has gone into the preparation and quite rightly so because we need to make sure everything is perfect.

‘The challenge is we just want to do it justice, we want to make sure everyone is immaculate and gives a good account of themselves.

‘In 1,000 years of monarchy we have never had a Platinum Jubilee and it's potentially going to be the last so it's exceptionally important.’

First Drill, Warrant Officer Steve Payne, who is responsible for the Royal Marines ceremonial guard, said: ‘I am fortunate in that all my Royal Marines do drill in their basic syllabus so time has been short as training time is valuable.

‘They are now together as one and producing the goods.