The Queen's Platinum Jubilee 2022: What you need to know about this milestone celebration

The Queen's Platinum Jubilee 2022 will be marked with with a packed schedule of events taking place over a special four-day bank holiday weekend.

• Her Majesty's milestone 70 year reign will be marked officially with a full schedule of events throughout the first weekend of June 2022. 
• The four day bank holiday will see everything from a Platinum Jubilee Concert to a traditional Trooping the Color parade take place. 
• This royal news comes as we revealed everything we know about Frogmore Cottage in Windsor, including details on its stylish interiors and who lives there now.
  

The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee bank holiday celebrations are almost upon us in honor of the monarch’s extraordinary 70 year reign. Having become the first British monarch to have marked a rare Platinum Jubilee year, Queen Elizabeth II’s major milestone will see multiple days of events take place across the UK. From the traditional Buckingham Palace balcony appearance from members of the extended Royal Family to the lighting of beacons, there’s plenty going on to mark the occasion. 

And whether you’re planning to head out to enjoy street parties near you, travel to London to try and get a glimpse of the Queen herself or simply watch the Platinum Jubilee on TV, the weekend is a huge part of the Queen's Jubilee history.

Here we reveal what day the Queen's Platinum Jubilee is, what events are taking place and what a Jubilee is...

What day is the Platinum Jubilee? 

After so many months of excitement building surrounding the Queen's milestone, it's perhaps no surprise that many might be wondering what day the Platinum Jubilee is on. Ultimately, there is not one single day of celebrations for the Jubilee, with events taking place across a four-day bank holiday weekend from Thursday, June 2nd until Sunday, June 5th. 

However, if there was a central day for fans to focus on then it could perhaps be Thursday, June 2nd. This is the date that the schedule of Jubilee events kicks off and it's also the anniversary of the Queen's coronation back in 1953, which took place over a year after she officially became monarch in February 1952. 

Thursday June 2nd is also the day which will see the annual (and highly-anticipated) Trooping the Color parade. Anyone who already knows why the Queen has two birthdays might already be very familiar with the history of the parade, which is generally held every year to mark Her Majesty's official birthday. 

For the last two years, Trooping the Color has been a scaled-back affair due to the pandemic, though it's now set to be back and just as majestic as we've come to expect. Although the Queen's next official birthday isn't until June 11th 2022, the decision to hold the Trooping the Color parade early on the first day of the Jubilee weekend makes it all the more special this year and it's set to be televised for fans to enjoy at home, just as the coronation was.

Sadly, for royal fans living elsewhere in the world, the four day bank holiday is only in place in the UK and so Thursday's events will be taking place whilst many people are working. But with so many brilliant events taking place on the Saturday and Sunday and coverage expected on TV, there'll still be so much to enjoy before the Platinum Jubilee weekend is out!

What is the Queen's Platinum Jubilee 2022? 

The Queen's Platinum Jubilee 2022 celebrations will mark the monarch's 70th year on the throne - and in case you weren't already aware, it's a pretty big deal! Queen Elizabeth II, who's already celebrated her Silver, Golden, and Diamond Jubilees, is the first ever British monarch to reach the impressive milestone. 

She ascended to the throne when she was just 25 years old in 1952 and is now 96 years old as she recently celebrated her birthday on 21st April. 

Her Majesty will also be celebrating her official birthday on Saturday, June 12th, just a week after the Platinum Jubilee weekend. Already the Platinum Jubilee Pudding has been determined and as fans bring out their Jubilee decorations, more details about the events have been announced as the world prepares to celebrate the monarch's milestone reign.

When is Trooping the Colour 2022? 

With Trooping the Color so closely associated with the Queen's official birthday, which is always marked on the second weekend of June, it's perhaps come as a surprise to some that Trooping the Color 2022 is earlier than usual. Instead of being held to celebrate Her Majesty's birthday, this year's parade will instead honor her over the Queen's Platinum Jubilee weekend. 

As we've come to expect, Trooping the Color 2022 will feature another iconic Buckingham Palace balcony appearance from the Royal Family. Though not everyone will be joining the monarch there due to recent decision. 

Earlier this year it was confirmed that the Queen had decided only royals who are currently undertaking public duties on her behalf would make an appearance on the balcony. This means that everyone from Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, to Prince Andrew and Princesses Eugenie and Beatrice won't be part of this tradition in 2022. 

Instead, it's currently believed that three of the Queen's children - Prince Charles, Princess Anne and Prince Edward - as well as the Duchess of Cornwall, Countess of Wessex, Prince William and Kate Middleton, Duchess of Cambridge will be there. 

It's also been said that as children of working royals, Lady Louise Windsor and James, Viscount Severn as well as three of the Queen's great-grandchildren, Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis could join them. 

Whilst the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester, the Duke of Kent, Princess Alexandra and the Princess Royal's husband Sir Timothy Laurence are also supposedly set to appear on the balcony. Those who do come together for this much-talked-about moment are expected to watch a Royal Air Forces flypast as in previous years as the crowds below look on excitedly.

What are the Queen's Platinum Jubilee events? 

Thursday, June 2nd 2022

If you’re looking to plan out what you’ll be doing over the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee 2022 bank holiday then the official Royal Family website has revealed what will be unfolding over the central weekend. The Jubilee celebrations start on Thursday, June 2nd with Trooping the Color and the color will be trooped by the 1st Battalion, Irish Guards. There will reportedly be over 1,200 officers and soldiers from the Household Division, as well as hundreds of Army musicians and horses. 

A Royal Gun Salute will be fired and once the Royal Procession returns to Buckingham Palace, fans can expect to see the Royal Family make an appearance on the balcony. A Flypast will coincide with their appearance and there will also be the traditional lighting of the beacons on Thursday. 

The Principal beacon is set to be lit at 9pm at the palace in a special ceremony and Platinum Jubilee beacons will also be lit by communities, charities and groups across the UK, Isle of Man, Channel Islands and UK Overseas Territories. The capitals of each of the 54 Commonwealth countries will also light beacons in honor of the Queen's Platinum Jubilee 2022.

Friday, June 3rd 2022

The celebrations continue on Friday when there’ll be a Service of Thanksgiving held for the Queen’s reign at St Paul’s Cathedral. Here Great Paul, the largest church bell in the UK will be rung and according to the Royal Family website it is the first time this will happen for a royal occasion since it was restored in 2021. 

It’s not known whether or not Her Majesty will be attending the service, though there’ll no doubt be many hoping they might catch a glimpse of her there! 

Saturday, June 4th 2022

If you love horses just like the Queen then it’s Saturday you need to mark in your calendar during the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee 2022 weekend. It’s understood that there will be a royal presence at the Derby at Epsom Downs, though recent reports have suggested that Her Majesty might not be there herself. 

Instead, it's been claimed by some royal insiders that the Queen could meet Lilibet on this day as Prince Harry and Meghan's daughter turns one. Meanwhile, Prince William and Kate Middleton could miss Lilibet's birthday as they are scheduled to travel to Wales for a special Jubilee visit on Saturday, perhaps making a Derby visit from them also unlikely. 

Following the Derby at Epsom, Saturday evening will see the Platinum Party at the Palace take place hosted by Roman Kemp and Kirsty Young, with coverage on BBC, BBC iPlayer and across the BBC network. Entertainment icons from around the world will be coming together to perform in a night of musical tributes to mark the Queen’s Jubilee as we've seen with previous Jubilees. 

The full line-up of the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Concert has now been released and even if you sadly missed the Jubilee Concert Ballot and the chance to attend in person, we are all in for a treat. As revealed by the BBC, the likes of Diana Ross, Queen and Adam Lambert, Duran Duran, Sir Elton John and Sir Rod Stewart will perform on the day. 

They will also be joined by composer Hans Zimmer, Mabel, Alicia Keys and even Eurovision 2022 runner up (and UK entry) Sam Ryder at the palace, as well as many other big names. The Jubilee Concert will be watched live by a staggering 22,000 people as well as being broadcast, giving everyone an opportunity to enjoy the Queen's Platinum Jubilee performances in some way.

Sunday, June 5th 2022

On the final day of the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee 2022 celebrations people will be encouraged to join the Big Jubilee Lunch and a lunchtime picnic, The Windsor Big Lunch. According to The Telegraph, this aspect of the weekend allegedly has a privately-funded budget of between £10 million and £15 million. 

Over 10 million people across the UK are predicted to be joining in the celebrations, sharing food and friendship at Big Jubilee Lunches. Over 600 Big Jubilee Lunches are reportedly being planned across the world in countries that include South Africa, Brazil and Japan. 

The Platinum Jubilee Pageant will also be held on this final day of celebrations. The Gold State Carriage will lead the pageant and although the Queen won’t be traveling in it, there is reportedly set to be a “fabulous surprise” in store, according to the royals’ website.  According to the government website, the pageant will see 150 national treasures, including Ed Sheeran, paying tribute to Her Majesty.

The event is also set to end with the National Anthem being sung and it will bring to life major moments from throughout the Queen’s reign and reflect how much society has changed over the last 70 years.

The pageant will see key figures from the film, sport, music and arts industries involved, as well as military personnel, key workers and volunteers.

For anyone watching in London, Edinburgh and Cardiff, big screens are reportedly set to broadcast the events in The Mall, Princes Street Gardens and Bute Park. And at home there will be various broadcasts of the events going on as fans enjoy all that the Queen's Platinum Jubilee weekend has to offer.