The Queen's Diamond Jubilee
To mark 60 years of The Queen's reign the Diamond Jubilee will take place in 2012 and celebrations will centre around an extended weekend on across the 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th June.
The 2012 late May bank holiday will be moved to Monday 4th June 2012 and an additional Jubilee bank holiday will be on Tuesday 5th June 2012.
The Queen came to the throne on 6 February 1952 and her coronation took place on 2 June 1953. She celebrated her Silver Jubilee (25 years) in 1977 and her Golden Jubilee (50 years) in 2002.
The only other British monarch to celebrate a Diamond Jubilee was Queen Victoria in 1897.
www.direct.gov.uk/diamondjubilee
The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Weekend 2012
Buckingham Palace announced plans for the central weekend to celebrate The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee in 2012.
The main programme will take place from Saturday 2nd June to Tuesday 5th June with celebratory activities throughout the United Kingdom and across the Commonwealth.
Saturday 2nd June, 2012
The Queen will attend the Epsom Derby.
Sunday 3rd June, 2012
The Big Jubilee Lunch: Building on the already popular Big Lunch initiative, people will be encouraged to share lunch with neighbours and friends as part of the Diamond Jubilee celebrations. This may take the form of a traditional street party or a picnic lunch in small or larger groups. This event is being organised by The Big Lunch
The Thames Diamond Jubilee Pageant: This event will take place on the Thames and consist of up to 1,000 boats assembled from across the UK, the Commonwealth and around the world. The Queen will travel in the Royal Barge which will lead the flotilla. This event is being organised by the Thames Diamond Jubilee Foundation.
Monday 4th June, 2012
BBC Concert at Buckingham Palace: There will be a televised Diamond Jubilee Concert at Buckingham Palace with tickets being available to UK residents by public ballot. The musical programme for the concert is still being planned and is expected to feature British and Commonwealth musicians. Details on how to apply for the concert will be available in due course. This event is being organised by the BBC.
The Queen's Diamond Jubilee Beacons: A network of 2,012 Beacons will be lit by communities and individuals throughout the United Kingdom, as well as the Channel Islands, the Isle of Man and the Commonwealth. As in 2002, The Queen will light the National Beacon. The beacons project is being organised by Diamond Jubilee Beacons Ltd.
Tuesday 5th June, 2012
Service of Thanksgiving and Carriage Procession: There will be a Service of Thanksgiving at St Paul's Cathedral and a formal carriage Procession by The Queen.
Commonwealth Realms and other Commonwealth nations will be creating their own events in celebration of the Diamond Jubilee. In addition, they will be represented at, and involved with, the events taking place over the central weekend, including the Thames Diamond Jubilee Pageant on 3rd June and the Service of Thanksgiving on 5th June.
Further details for all Diamond Jubilee events will be released early this year. The Government has today launched its dedicated Diamond Jubilee Directgov website which will feature regularly updated public information about the Diamond Jubilee.
New bank holiday for Diamond Jubilee 2012
There will be a special bank holiday for the Diamond Jubilee. The 2012 late May bank holiday will be moved to Monday 4th June 2012 and an additional Jubilee bank holiday will be on Tuesday 5th June 2012. The extra bank holiday and extended bank holiday weekend will also apply to Scotland.
The Queen is Head of State of the UK and 15 other Commonwealth realms.
The elder daughter of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth, she was born in 1926 and became Queen at the age of 25, and has reigned through more than five decades of enormous social change and development.
www.royal.gov.uk