Everything You Need To Know About The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee

Longevity is often celebrated in many cultures. Longevity in monarchy is even better celebrated. To commemorate longevity, special celebrations are held on many occasions. To many people, this comes in the form of anniversaries, like a wedding anniversary or a birthday. Monarchy is no exception. Important dates include the accession, the coronation, and of course, the matter of debate, Jubilees.

2022 marks an incredible milestone for the Queen: it marks her 70 years of service. The four-day festival will be grand and vast, spanning across the country boasting a bevy of exciting activities. If you still haven’t updated yourself on the news, let us bear the duty of the newsbringer and elaborate the events for you in detail.

What is a Jubilee? What is a Platinum Jubilee?

A jubilee is a special event that celebrates the reign of a monarch. Unlike yearly celebrations in the form of anniversaries, Jubilees are held to commemorate significant milestones that are uncommon elsewhere. Each Jubilee is given a name:

• Silver Jubilee: celebrates 25 years of reign
• Ruby Jubilee: 40 years
• Golden Jubilee: 50 years
• Diamond Jubilee: 60 years
• Sapphire Jubilee: 65 years
• Platinum Jubilee: 70 years

The history of British monarchy witnesses no shortage of such extravagant longevity. More than 200 years ago, George III celebrated his 50-year reign in 1809 with special activities such as fete and fireworks.

Queen Victoria was the first Monarch to hold a Diamond Jubilee of enthronement in 1897, marking 60 years on the throne. Needless to say, the celebration was glorious. There was a special service of Thanksgiving at St Paul’s Cathedral, and a march through London in the welcome of well-wishers. The Queen later disclosed in her journal, expressing her joy: “No one ever, I believe, has met with such an ovation as was given to me, passing through those 6 miles of streets … The cheering was quite deafening & every face seemed to be filled with real joy. I was much moved and gratified.”

Queen Elizabeth has had the pleasure of experiencing both the Golden Jubilee (2002) and the Diamond Jubilee (2012) herself. Now, in 2022, Queen Elizabeth II will be the first royalty in history to celebrate a Platinum Jubilee to mark the 70 years of her reign. Celebrations will be held aplenty, namely an extended bank holiday weekend, lighting of beacons, services, pageants, public events, as well as many others special events for this unprecedented celebration.

History of Queen II’s Reign and Important events

Personal life

Queen Elizabeth II was born into a lineage of royalty on 21 April 1926. She was the daughter of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth. The Queen has a sister, Princess Margaret, who was born in 1930. Both princesses were home-schooled under the close supervision of their mother and their governess, Marion Crawford. She was reported to have taught many areas of social sciences and humanities such as history, literature, language, music, etc. In a biography of Elizabeth’s formative years, Crawford denoted the queen’s orderliness and attitude of responsibility.

Queen Elizabeth met her would-be husband, Prince Philip of Greece and Denmark, in 1934 and 1937. Although she was 13 at the time when she met the prince, the queen fell in love with him and both of them began exchanging letters. Their engagement was announced in 1947 when she was 21.

The news was met with controversy. The prince had no financial stature, was of foreign origin, and had family ties with a German with Nazi links. Despite his service in the Royal Navy throughout the Second World War, many of the King’s advisors didn’t think of Philip as a man deserving of the queen, according to Crawford’s biography.

Regardless, the marriage ceremony of the queen and the prince was conducted on November 20, 1947, with 2,500 gifts from all over the world. They later gave birth to a boy, Prince Charles, and a girl, Princess Anne.

Her Majesty’s Reign

Accession and Coronation

In 1951, the reigning George VI was experiencing health issues, and Elizabeth was frequently seen standing in for him. On February 6, 1952, the news of King George VI’s passing came, and her accession to the throne took immediate effect.

The coronation ceremony of Queen Elizabeth II was held in Westminster Abbey on June 2, 1953. It was the first coronation ceremony to be televised nationally.

Previous Jubilees

In 1977, Queen Elizabeth II celebrated the Silver Jubilee of her reign. There was celebration throughout the Commonwealth.

In 1992, the year that marked 40 years of her accession, a celebration was not held. On November 24, 1992, the queen gave a speech that marked her Ruby Jubilee, calling the year her “annus horribilis” (a Latin phrase, meaning "horrible year”) as she as well as the royal family was going through a tempestuous time.

In 2002, the queen marked 50 years of her accession with the Golden Jubilee. Unfortunately, the queen’s mother and sister passed away in the same year, and the Jubilee was met with doubts if it would turn out to be successful. The queen, however, toured her realm extensively. Much like the Silver Jubilee in 1977, the Golden Jubilee in 2002 was met with excitement by the general public. One million reportedly joined the three-day celebration.

In 2012, the Queen celebrated the Diamond Jubilee which marked 60 years of reign. The Queen and her husband took extensive tours throughout the UK, whereas her child and grandchildren attended ceremonies throughout the Commonwealth. On June 4, Jubilee beacons were lit worldwide in celebration of the Diamond Jubilee.

And soon enough, this year we are celebrating the Platinum Jubilee that marks the Queen’s 70 years since her reign in 2022. Let’s see how you can join the celebration yourself!

Platinum Jubilee Events Galore

The Queen’s Birthday Parade – Thursday, June 2

On June 6, the public will witness a grand parade with the participation of 1,400 soldiers, 200 horses, and 400 musicians. The palace starts at 10am, beginning from Buckingham Palace, down the mall to Horse Guards Parade. Members of the Royal Family will be attending the events on horsebacks and carriages, while the Queen and other Royal Family members will be watching from the balcony of Buckingham Palace. There will also be a Royal Air Force fly-past that starts at 1pm.

There will also be great feasts where royal family members will be attending. The Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall will be greeting guests at a feast at The Oval cricket ground, while the Earl and Countess of Wessex will be joining the community in Windsor.

Platinum Jubilee Pageant - Sunday, June 5

The Pageant held on Sunday will display the artistic soul where street arts, theatre, music, circus, carnival, and costume are combined into glorious performances. The grand £15 million pageant is divided into four parts: a military parade for the Queen and the people; a performance called The Time of Our Lives which will go through the seven-decade long reign of the queen with culture, music, and fashion; a performance called Let’s Celebrate which reiterates the life of the Queen in 12 chapters with corgi puppets and carnival creations; and the Happy and Glorious musical spectacle.

An important part of the celebration involves the student, actually. The “River of Hope” process will be held in which students carry 200 flags featuring children’s hope for the planet in 70 years.

Platinum Party at the Palace - Saturday, June 4

Platinum Party at The Palace concert will take place at Buckingham Palace, which will welcome the presence of the Queen as well as other celebrities such as Adam Lambert, Alicia Keys, Hans Zimmer, Ella Eyre, Craig David, Mabel, Elbow, George Ezra, etc.

The event will be broadcast live on national television.

A Great Feast – Sunday, June 3

The grand finale of the Platinum Jubilee celebration will see up to 200 national treasures taken to stage to commemorate the Queen by singing the national anthem. Big names including Sir David Jason, Harry Redknapp, Sir Cliff Richard, Sandie Shaw, Felicity Kendal, Joe Wicks, Holly Willoughby, and Ed Sheeran will come together in a massive performance of God Save The Queen outside Buckingham Palace to close out the pageant on Sunday.

The Queen is expected to attend the performance from the balcony of her palace.

How to Celebrate the Platinum Jubilee at Home?

If you’re an expat, or for some reason you cannot partake in the festivals, here’s a few things you could do to celebrate the event in your own house.

Traditional English Tea

Tea connoisseurs see this as an absolutely golden opportunity to immerse in quite possibly the most British experience there is. We recommend Fortnum & Mason, a brand to be loved by the Royal Family. The brand is known to create special blends for special occasions, such as The Royal Blend (blended to commemorate King Edward VII in 1902), Wedding Breakfast Tea (blended for the marriage of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge in 2011). They are advertising the Platinum Jubilee Collection to commemorate the titular events.

Pimm’s No 1

Pimm’s No 1 is a quintessential British beverage. A refreshing mix of fruit and gin that originated in 1840. Mix this with some fresh strawberries, mint, and cucumber, and you have yourself one blast of a drink for an unforgettable Jubilee.

Union Jack Decorations

How can one throw a proper celebration without decorations? from pennants to flags to bigger kits with flag coverings for your front door, your house should be adorned to the teeth to bathe itself in the glorious British commemoration event.

Khoa Pham