QUEEN ELIZABETH will attend the Epsom Races for the Investec Derby Festival tomorrow; the derby is one of Britain’s richest races, with winnings of £1.25 million.
On Sunday hundreds of thousands of people throughout the UK are expected to take part in The Big Lunch, the centre-piece of street parties up and down the country. Up to 8,000 streets are to be closed to traffic.
A thousand boats of all shapes and sizes are to join the largest flotilla on the river Thames since Tudor times, with the queen and Prince Philip travelling in the royal barge.
Monday will see a Diamond Jubilee Concert in front of Buckingham Palace in London, which will feature artists including Sir Paul McCartney and Elton John. Three thousand beacons will be lit across the United Kingdom, the Isle of Man and throughout the Commonwealth.
On Tuesday a service of thanksgiving will be held at St Paul’s Cathedral, followed by a lunch for VIP guests at Westminster Hall and a carriage procession to Buckingham Palace.
Hundreds of thousands are expected to gather outside the palace in the evening for a balcony appearance by the queen.
The emphasis will be on royalty to come, with Prince William and the Duchess of Cambridge taking centre stage. – (PA)