Platinum Jubilee celebrations in the United Kingdom have officially begun, as the nation pays tribute to longtime monarch Queen Elizabeth II's record-breaking 70 years on the throne.
Thousands of Brits gathered in central London on Thursday for a gun salute, as well as the Trooping the Colour military parade marking the queen's official birthday. Around 1 p.m. local time, the 96-year-old monarch herself made an appearance on the balcony of Buckingham Palace, surrounded by members of the royal family, including her son Prince Charles and his son Prince William. Notably absent were both Prince Harry — the queen's grandson, who stepped back from royal duties in 2020 — and Prince Andrew — the queen's second son, whose association with disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein has essentially banished him from the spotlight.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
-
Say Nothing: 'sensational' dramatisation of Patrick Radden Keefe's bestselling bookThe Week Recommends The series is a 'powerful reminder' of the Troubles
-
Joy: fertility film starring Bill Nighy offers 'dose of seasonal cheer'The Week Recommends The film about the invention of the fertility treatment is 'unassuming' but may 'sneak up on you'
-
The problem with 'Cool Girl Lit'Talking Point Has the ultra-popular book genre gone too far in 'commodifying' women's vulnerability?
-
'Manipulated' photo of UK's Princess Kate spikedspeed read The first official image of Kate Middleton since January has been retracted
-
King Charles diagnosed with cancerSpeed Read Monarch 'remains wholly positive about his treatment', during which senior royals are expected to stand in for him
-
Princess of Wales to remain in hospital for two weeks as King prepares for prostate treatmentSpeed Read The timing of the two royal medical announcements was said to be an 'unavoidable coincidence'
-
King laughs about his 'sausage fingers' in new documentarySpeed Read Charles's ample digits have long attracted 'attention and concern' but he is often the 'first to poke fun'
-
Prince Harry: judge rules 'extensive' phone hacking carried out by Mirror Group papersSpeed Read High Court rules in Duke's favour as he urges police investigation, claiming editors lied under oath at Leveson Inquiry
-
King Charles at 75: how the monarch has made his markTalking Point 'Modernising monarch' puts change on hold in first year in favour of stability and continuity
-
Royal family website attacked by Russian hackersSpeed Read Pro-Kremlin group claim responsibility just two weeks after King Charles condemns invasion of Ukraine
-
What have we learned in King Charles’s first year?Today's Big Question The monarch is ‘stamping his personality’ on the role and is definitely not a ‘caretaker’, says Palace source
