The queen's Platinum Jubilee celebration included everything from Trooping the Color to a National Service of Thanksgiving, a star-studded concert led by Diana Ross, thousands of lunches and street parties across the country and a final appearance by the queen herself.
Here is how the news developed. All times Eastern.
Jun 02, 2022, 8:55 AM EDT
Queen Elizabeth II shares adorable moment with great-grandson
They are 92 years apart in age, but Queen Elizabeth, 96, and her great-grandson, Prince Louis, 4, appear to share a close bond.
The queen was seen answering Louis’s questions and pointing things out to him while the two watched military jets fly overhead on the balcony of Buckingham Palace at the end of Trooping the Color.
Prince George of Cambridge, Prince Louis of Cambridge and Princess Charlotte of Cambridge travel in a horse-drawn carriage during the Queen's Birthday Parade, the Trooping the Color, as part of Queen Elizabeth II's platinum jubilee celebrations, in London, June 2, 2022.
Aaron Chown/POOL/AFP via Getty Images
Louis, one of the queen’s nine great-grandchildren, is the youngest child of Prince William and Kate, Duchess of Cambridge.
Queen Elizabeth II, Kate, Duchess of Cambridge, Prince Louis, Princess Charlotte watch from the balcony of Buckingham Place after the Trooping the Color ceremony in London, June 2, 2022.
Aaron Chown/AP
Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, Prince Charles, Queen Elizabeth II, Prince Louis, Kate, Duchess of Cambridge, Princess Charlotte, Prince George and Prince William on the balcony of Buckingham Palace, London, June 2, 2022.
Alastair Grant/AP
He joined his siblings, Prince George and Princess Charlotte, on the balcony and, earlier, in a carriage to travel to Buckingham Palace.
Queen Elizabeth, Prince Charles and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, along with Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis appear on the balcony of Buckingham Palace as part of Trooping the Color parade during the Queen's Platinum Jubilee celebrations in London, June 2, 2022.
Hannah Mckay/Reuters
Jun 02, 2022, 8:01 AM EDT
Royal family watches military jets fly over Buckingham Palace
Britain’s royal family, led by Queen Elizabeth II, gathered on the balcony of Buckingham Palace to watch a traditional military flypast at the end of Trooping the Color.
Thanks in part to a weather-cooperating, beautiful sunny day in London, aircraft from the Royal Navy, British Army and Royal Air Force were able to fly directly down the length of the Mall and over the palace.
The queen, wearing sunglasses, watched the flypast with other members of the royal family, including Prince William and Kate’s children, Prince Louis, Prince George and Princess Charlotte, who were seen talking with the queen.
Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, Prince Charles, Queen Elizabeth II, Prince Louis, Kate, Duchess of Cambridge, Princess Charlotte, Prince George and Prince William on the balcony of Buckingham Palace, London, June 2, 2022.
Alastair Grant/AP
Down below the balcony, outside the palace gates, thousands of members of the public gathered to see the queen and watch the flypast, which is so fierce and low that onlookers say they can feel the ground rumble.
Members of the public fill The Mall ahead of a fly-past over Buckingham Palace, during the Queen's Birthday Parade, the Trooping the Colour, as part of Queen Elizabeth II's Platinum Jubilee celebrations, in London on June 2, 2022.
Paul Ellis/POOL/AFP via Getty Images
The Red Arrows perform after the Trooping the Color parade in celebration of Britain's Queen Elizabeth's Platinum Jubilee, in London, June 2, 2022.
Henry Nicholls/Reuters
Jun 02, 2022, 7:55 AM EDT
Who’s who on the balcony of Buckingham Palace
Queen Elizabeth II is holding court on the balcony of Buckingham Palace, where the royal family gathers to watch the military flypast at the end of Trooping the Color.
This year, the queen decided only royal family members who are “undertaking official public duties” on her behalf would appear on the balcony.
The Royal family on the balcony of Buckingham Palace watch the RAF flypast during the Trooping the Color parade on June 2, 2022 in London.
Chris Jackson/Getty Images
Those family members include:
Prince Charles and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall. Prince William and Kate, Duchess of Cambridge, and their children, George, Charlotte and Louis. Prince Edward and Sophie, Countess of Wessex, and their children, Louise and James. Princess Anne and Admiral Sir Timothy Laurence. Prince Richard and Birgitte, Duchess of Gloucester. Prince Edward, Duke of Kent. Princess Alexandra.
Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, Prince Charles, Queen Elizabeth II, Prince Louis, Kate, Duchess of Cambridge, Princess Charlotte, Prince George and Prince William on the balcony of Buckingham Palace, London, June 2, 2022.
Alastair Grant/AP
Noticeably absent from the balcony this year because they are no longer senior working royals are the queen’s son, Prince Andrew, and her grandson, Prince Harry, and his wife Meghan, Duchess of Sussex.
Jun 02, 2022, 7:30 AM EDT
Queen Elizabeth II makes 1st Platinum Jubilee appearance
The woman of the hour, Queen Elizabeth II, made her first appearance of her Platinum Jubilee celebrations during Trooping the Color.
The queen, holding onto a cane, arrived on the balcony of Buckingham Palace alongside her cousin, the Duke of Kent.
Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Kent watch from the balcony during the Trooping the Color ceremony at Horse Guards Parade in London, June 2, 2022, on the first of four days of celebrations to mark the Platinum Jubilee.
Jonathan Brady/Pool Photo via AP
The queen wore a blue coat and hat designed by Angela Kelly, her personal stylist of more than 20 years. The outfit is the same one the queen wore for her official jubilee portraited, released Wednesday.
For the first time in her 70-year reign, Elizabeth did not take part in the parade and instead took a salute from the cavalry on the balcony.
Queen Elizabeth II during the Trooping the Colour on the first day of the Platinum Jubilee celebrations in London, June 2, 2022.
Stephen Lock/i-Images/Polaris
She will soon be joined on the balcony by other royal family members to watch the traditional military fly-past.
The queen took part in her first Trooping the Color parade as Princess Elizabeth in 1947.