By James V. Ruocco
It's the celebration of the year.
Puddings.
Parties.
Concerts.
Parades.
Picnics.
Pageants,
Tributes.
Remembrances.
Exhibits.
Grand lunches.
Church services.
On February 6, 2022, Queen Elizabeth II will become the very first British monarch in history to celebrate a Platinum Jubilee. Prior to 2015, Queen Victoria, who died on January 22, 1901, held the title of the longest official ruling monarch on the throne of England for 63 years and seven months. She was also the first monarch to live in Buckingham Palace.
To date, seven decades have passed since Elizabeth II acceded to the throne at the age of 25 following the death of her father, King George VI on February 6, 1952 of lung cancer at the age of 56. As Queen of England, she has advised 14 prime ministers including Sir Winston Churchill, Anthony Eden, Margaret Thatcher and David Cameron and met with 13 U.S. presidents from Harry Truman and John F. Kennedy to George W. Bush, Barack Obama and Donald Trump.
As Queen, she has supported the nation as ruler and figurehead through many crises - The Gulf War, the mining disaster in Wales, the death of Diana, the Princess of Wales and the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
She will be 96 when the main Jubilee celebration begins this June.
More than 10 million people are expected to participate in the event - a first for the monarchy as The Platinum Jubilee has never been celebrated before.
The Platinum Jubilee will honor Queen Elizabeth II through various tributes and celebrations throughout the year, culminating in a gala four-day national bank holiday weekend of public events from Thursday, June 2 until Sunday, June 5, known as "The Queen's Jubilee Weekend." These "national moments of reflection," as dictated by Buckingham Palace, will pay homage to the Queen's 70 years of service. The upcoming celebrations - themed events at Sandringham House and Balmoral Castle - plus specially organized community activities throughout the United Kingdom will mark the first Jubilee event without her husband Prince Philip, who died April 9, 2021 at the age of 99.
Senior members of the royal family expected to attend are Prince Charles, the Duke of Cornwall, Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall, Anne, the Princess Royal and Prince William and Kate, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.
To kick things off, a nationwide baking contest has been launched to find a brand new dessert dedicated to the Queen's Jubilee. Titled "The Platinum Pudding Competition," this nationwide event, a collaboration with Fortnum & Mason, is open to UK residents only, ages 8 and over. All competitors are asked to create a unique and delicious original recipe designed to honor Queen Elizabeth II.
All entries must be submitted by February 4. Following three rounds of judging, the five best entrants will be invited to attend a live final bake-off competition before a specially selected panel that includes Mary Berry, Monica Galetti and Mark Flanagan, the head chef at Buckingham Palace. The winning recipe will be made available to the general public in June to be enjoyed during the nation's street parties and Jubilee celebrations honoring the Queen.
The Platinum Jubilee Events
The BBC Platinum Party at the Palace - As with both "The Golden Jubilee" and "The Diamond Jubilee," this LIVE concert event, scheduled for Saturday June 4, will bring together a variety of the world's biggest entertainers from around the globe to honor and celebrate the Queen's reign of 70 years.
It has yet to be confirmed who will perform, but Elton John, Stevie Wonder, Sir Paul McCartney, Ed Sheeran and Sir Cliff Richard are among those rumored to be performing at the concert, which will also be broadcast on BBC One.
The Beacon Lighting - More than 1,500 towns, villages and cities throughout the United Kingdom including London, Liverpool, Edinburgh, Leeds and Windsor will light a specially designed beacon to mark the Jubilee celebration on Thursday, June 2. The capitals of the Commonwealth countries will also participate in the event.
The Principle Beacon will be lit on the same day during a special ceremony at Buckingham Palace. The lighting of the Sandringham Beacon will also take place on June 2 in the Royal Parkland, accompanied by live music from the Norwich Pipe Band and the Hunstanton Band.
The Big Jubilee Lunches - Specially designed and catered lunches will take place across Britain on June 5, including flagship events in both London and at Cornwall, where the idea for the afternoon lunch celebration began, honoring the Queen. As before, these "Big Lunches" often feature some of the Queen's favorite foods including smoked salmon, grilled steak and chicken, chocolate sponge cake, Gleneagles pate, Morney-sauced spinach and fresh peaches and strawberries. Shepard's pie, banger's and mash and fish and chips are also part of the menu depending on the culinary tastes and budgets of the participants.
Large or small, these lunches bring everyone together in the spirit of fun and friendship to not only honor the reigning Queen, but share a cuppa, a cake, a biscuit, a meal, a drink and a hearty conversation or two.
The Platinum Jubilee Celebration: A Gallop Through History - A 90-minute tribute to the Queen, this show will take place on the grounds of Windsor Castle between May 12 and May 15. It will feature more than 1,000 performers and 500 horses in a specially designed event that will take its audience from the days of Elizabeth I to the present day monarchy of Queen Elizabeth II.
The Platinum Jubilee Pageant - Scheduled for Sunday, June 5, this pageant will tell the story of the Queen's 70-year reign on the throne utilizing the talents of a variety of performers including dancers, musicians, key workers, volunteers and military personnel. It will take place in London and feature street arts, costuming, banners, circus attractions, theater, music, dance and visual technology as its primary focus.
The Queen's Birthday Parade: Trooping the Colour - On Thursday, June 2, the United Kingdom will celebrate the Queen's birthday with a Parade through the streets of London featuring the traditional trooping of colours with over 1,400 participating parading soldiers.
Beginning at Buckingham Palace, the celebratory procession will move down The Mall to the Horse Guard's Parade, joined by members of the royal family on horseback and in carriages. It will end with a RAF fly-past, viewed by the Queen and select royals from the balcony of Buckingham Palace.
The practice of Trooping the Colour was introduced in 1805 and has been a highlight of the royal ceremonial calendar annually except in bad weather or periods of mourning.
The Queen's Mass - A special church service of thanksgiving with be held on Friday, June 3 at London's St. Paul's Cathedral honoring the Queen's longtime reign on the throne.
After the Platinum Jubilee - In July, the Jubilee celebration will continue with three specially designed displays commemorating the most significant and important moments of Queen Elizabeth II's reign - accession, coronation, past jubilees. These events will be staged at her royal residences.
The state rooms of Buckingham Palace will also be open during the summer months. Early portraits of the Queen will be on display alongside the jewels she wore for these sittings. At Windsor Castle, the Queen's coronation dress and robe of estate worn in 1953 at Westminster Abbey will be showcased. The Palace of Holyroodhouse will exhibit the Queen's outfits from the Silver, Golden and Diamond Jubilee.
Until then...
(This column is dedicated to the memory of longtime best friend Darren J. McKenty)
