Her Majesty approves! Queen Elizabeth II kicked off the start of her Platinum Jubilee celebration with the annual Trooping the Colour Parade ceremony — and it was only the beginning.
The 96 year-old monarch was smiling as she watched the festivities with her loved ones to celebrate her 70 years on British throne.
Prince CharlesHis mother, who is the next in line for the crown was there to join him on the balcony at Buckingham Palace to enjoy the grander moments of the day. His wife, Camilla, DuchessHe was right next to him, wearing a blue-hued ensemble that looked similar to the queen.
Prince WilliamHe and his wife. Duchess KateThey were joined by their three children: Prince George (8 years old), Princess Charlotte (7 years) and Prince Louis (4 years). (Louis, who wore his dad’s childhood sailor suit, caught fans’ attention with his silly faces and dramatic reaction to the planes overhead.)
The traditional march, which happens every June to toast the queen’s birthday, is doubly special this year as it marks the beginning of a four-day bank holiday for Her Majesty’s service milestone.
Elizabeth is the longest-reigning monarch of British history. She took over the duties in 1952 after the death of her father King George VI.
The people of the United Kingdom, the Realms and the Commonwealth will celebrate the queen through Sunday, June 5 — with many of her family members joining her for the multi-day event schedule.
The palace confirmed previously that Prince HarryAnd Meghan Markle would not be on the balcony during Thursday’s event, which featured a gun salute and military flyover. A palace spokesperson announced in a statement last month that “after careful consideration,” Elizabeth opted to limit the balcony guests to “those members of the Royal Family who are currently undertaking official public duties on behalf of the Queen.”
The couple, however, are in town to pay tribute to Harry’s grandmother. “Prince Harry and Meghan, The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are excited and honored to attend The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations this June with their children,” a spokesperson for Harry, 37, and Meghan, 40, told Us WeeklyIn May. (The pair were spotted on Thursday taking in the parade from the Major General’s Office.)
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex, who tied the knot in May 2018, have yet to introduce the queen and the rest of Harry’s family to their youngest child, daughter Lili, whom they welcomed in June 2021. The couple, who moved to America in 2020 after taking a break from their senior royal duties, share a 3-year-old son Archie.
The queen’s second oldest son, Prince AndrewThe kickoff event on Thursday was also without him. Since he was accused of assaulting a woman in October 2019, the 62-year old royal has remained somewhat hidden from the public eye. Virginia Roberts GiuffreHe continues to deny it.
Andrew was stripped from his military affiliations, royal patronages, and royal patronages in January. This happened one month before he had reached a settlement with his alleged victim outside of court. In March, the Duke and Duchess of York made an unusual public appearance. He was there to accompany his mother at a funeral service for Prince Philip, his late father.
It was later confirmed that Andrew, who was planning to attend the Friday, June 3, Service of Thanksgiving at St Paul’s Cathedral, would skip the event after testing positive for COVID-19. Buckingham Palace issued a statement confirming the news. Use on Thursday that Elizabeth also pulled out of the service after experiencing “some discomfort” during her birthday parade.
Scroll down to see highlights from the four-day Platinum Jubilee celebration
