Gun salute planned in Portsmouth as Buckingham Palace reveal huge plans to mark Queen's platinum jubilee next year

The 21-gun toast will sound from midday as part of a nationwide tribute honouring Her Majesty today.

It comes as Buckingham Palace revealed its huge plan to Queen’s Platinum Jubilee next year, which will be celebrated with national events including a live concert featuring some of the the world’s biggest stars.

Buckingham Palace has announced further details of the plans to mark the monarch’s 70-year reign during a special four-day Bank Holiday weekend from Thursday June 2 to Sunday June 5 2022.

The Queen’s coronation was held on June 2, 1953 – just more than a year after the then 25-year-old ascended to the throne on February 6, 1952 following her father George VI's death. It was the first coronation ever to be televised, with 27million people in the UK tuning in.

Individual members of the royal family have yet to be named in the plans to mark the Queen’s platinum jubilee but it is likely the Prince of Wales, Duchess of Cornwall, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and other members of the monarchy will attend various events.

A live concert will be staged at Buckingham Palace – Platinum Party at the Palace – during the Saturday of the long weekend.

Performers have yet to be named but it is billed as bringing together some of the world’s biggest entertainment stars to celebrate the most significant and joyous moments from the Queen’s seven-decade reign.

Other highlights include a day at the races for the Queen – a keen horse breeder – and her family who will fill the royal box for the Derby, held at Epsom Downs, before the concert.

The four-day weekend will begin on Thursday with Trooping the Colour, which will be staged in full for the first time since the pandemic.

Platinum Jubilee Beacons will also be lit throughout the UK, Channel Islands, Isle of Man and UK overseas territories – a tradition used to celebrate royal jubilees, weddings and coronations.

For the first time the ceremonial bonfires will be ablaze in each of the capital cities of the Commonwealth countries to celebrate the Queen’s milestone.

A Service of Thanksgiving for the Queen’s reign will be held at St Paul’s Cathedral on the Saturday.

Communities across the country will sit down together for the Big Jubilee Lunch during the Sunday, the final day of the bank holiday weekend.

People will be invited to share friendship, food and fun with neighbours as part of the celebrations.

During Sunday a Platinum Jubilee Pageant will also be staged in the capital featuring more than 5,000 people from across the UK and Commonwealth.

The event will take place against the backdrop of Buckingham Palace and the surrounding streets and will combine street arts, theatre, music, circus, carnival and costume, and celebrate the service of the Queen as well as honouring the collective service of people and communities across the country.

A message from the Editor, Mark Waldron

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