Celebrating the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee in London

In 2012 Queen Elizabeth II celebrates the 60^th year of her reign, which is known as a Diamond Jubilee (see Britannica’s special report here). To commemorate this occasion there will be celebrations all over the UK and especially in the capital city of London. The celebrations will culminate on a long weekend at the very beginning of June and there will be many festivals, events, and more planning for this special weekend.

The May bank holiday has been changed and will occur on Monday June 4^th this year, and an additional holiday has been declared for the Jubilee, creating a four-day weekend from June 2-5^th.

Diamond Jubilee Events in London

London will be one of the best places to celebrate the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee, as there are plenty of excellent events planned for the city. The Diamond Jubilee Pageant will be held on the private grounds of historical London landmark Windsor Castle on the 10, 11, and 13^th of May. This exciting event is a lavish display of musicians, dancers, and live bands, as well as equestrian shows from all over the world.

On Saturday May 19^th the Royal Navy, Army, and Air Force will parade their troops through Windsor Castle and the town for an official Jubilee muster. It is estimated that at least 2,500 troops will be involved in this event.

The BBC will be organizing a huge concert at Buckingham Palace on Monday June 4^th, which will be attended by the Queen herself as well as other members of the Royal Family. However, the tickets for this event have already been made available through a national ballot and have been allocated, so they will be difficult to come by.

Museums and Galleries Join In the Fun

The excellent museums and art galleries of London will also be celebrating the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee with special exhibits and offers. The Royal Collection will be exhibited at Buckingham Palace, the Palace of Holyroodhouse, and Windsor Castle, showcasing some of the art and artifacts owned by the Royal Family.

There is also an interesting exhibit at the National Maritime Museum, which opened in April. It is called “Royal River: Power, Pageantry and the Thames,” and it informs viewers about the relationship between the Royal Family and the River Thames.

If you are interested in seeing even more royal-family related artwork, The National Portrait Gallery in London will be showcasing an exhibition of portraits of Her Majesty, and the Victoria and Albert Museum will be displaying a show of photographs of the Queen by renowned photographer Cecil Beaton.

This article was produced during research for Door2Tour, which has co-coordinated a range of tour packages for the Diamond Jubilee celebrations.

These are just a few of the great events, exhibitions, and celebrations that will be happening in London this summer to celebrate the Queen’s 60-year reign. Why not come to the vibrant capital and take part in the festivities?