What exactly is the Platinum Jubilee?
This year, Queen Elizabeth II becomes the longest serving monarch Britain has ever had, marking 70 years since she acceded to the throne on 6 February 1952 at the age of 25. That 70th anniversary is known as the Platinum Jubilee, and will be celebrated throughout the year in the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth with a variety of events, culminating with the focal point of the Platinum Jubilee Weekend.
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When is the Platinum Jubilee Weekend?
It will take place over an extended Bank Holiday weekend, from Thursday 2 to Sunday 5 June.
What will happen over the Platinum Jubilee Weekend?
As well as national moments of reflections on The Queen’s 70 years of service, celebrations will include public events and community activities. Among them will be the Queen's Birthday Parade, the lighting of Platinum Jubilee Beacons, the Service of Thanksgiving, the Derby at Epsom Downs, the Platinum Party at the Palace, the Big Jubilee Lunch and the Platinum Jubilee Pageant.
When is the Platinum Jubilee Party at the Palace?
This will happen on Saturday 4 June in front of the Queen at Buckingham Palace.
What format will it take?
As well actors from film, TV and the stage celebrating the significant cultural moments from The Queen’s seven decade reign, the event will feature a huge range of music stars with a full, live orchestra.
Will it be open to the public?
10,000 tickets were made available via a ballot system. The event will also be broadcast on BBC One.
What music will be played at the Platinum Jubilee party?
The evening will be centred around global themes that have been born, or evolved, during the breadth of the Queen's reign – and one of these is 70 Years of Pop Music and Musicals, curated by the composer Andrew Lloyd Webber, and featuring a special appearance by Lloyd Webber and Lin-Manuel Miranda.
Queen + Adam Lambert will open the concert with a special one-off production, while Diana Ross closes the show with her first UK live performance in 15 years. In between, Alicia Keys, Ella Eyre, Craig David, Mabel, Elbow and George Ezra will share the three-stage set up with stars including Duran Duran, Mimi Webb, Sam Ryder, Jax Jones, Celeste, Nile Rodgers, Sigala and Diversity.
As for the musicals: there will be performances featuring casts and special guests from The Phantom Of The Opera, Hamilton, Six, The Lion King and Joseph And The Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat.
Photo: Jamael Westman with the West End cast of Hamilton © Matthew Murphy
