Queen Elizabeth

Platinum Jubilee festivities for Britain's longest-serving monarch, 96, are taking place over four days, with parades, street parties and a service in St.

The traditional Derby Stakes, known as the Epsom Derby — one of Britain’s best-known horse races — will be held in the afternoon. Emerging from Tube stations surrounding the park, people held Union Jack flags and lawnchairs as they headed toward the palace for the start of the long weekend of Jubilee festivities. Men and women with military medals polished to a high shine streamed into the parks around Buckingham Palace in the early morning hours before a parade to mark Queen Elizabeth’s official birthday. A new official portrait of the queen was also released to mark the Platinum Jubilee. The photograph was taken at Windsor Castle on May 25, 2022. The queen is expected to take part in a select number of public events during the four day festivities. Despite chilly and rainy weather, the queen and Prince Philip waved to crowds from the deck of the royal barge for hours as it made its way down a seven-mile stretch of the river. Queen Victoria, Queen Elizabeth II’s great-great-grandmother, was also the first British monarch to celebrate 60 years on the throne with her Diamond jubilee. The queen also celebrated her Ruby Jubilee at 40 years of service and Sapphire Jubilee at 65 years, though neither included official national celebrations. Among them was a group of women from the United States, Britain and France who were deep in discussion about the truthfulness of the Netflix series “The Crown” when I met them. “We should see this really exciting boost for tourism — and, frankly, we all need a holiday,” said Allen Simpson, the managing director of London & Partners, the promotional arm for the city. It is not clear how much the queen will take part in the jubilee celebrations, given her frail condition and the problems she has had walking recently. That link has been sacred to her since she served in the auxiliary service as a driver and truck mechanic during World War II, when she was a young princess.