Diamond Jubilee Weekend: a guide to the 2nd-5th June celebrations

The official Diamond Jubilee portrait of the Queen taken in the Centre Room in Buckingham Palace in December 2011 Credit: Royal Household/John Swannell

The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee main celebrations will centre around an extended weekend that takes place from Saturday 2 June to Tuesday 5 June.

There is an extra Bank Holiday for the Diamond Jubilee, Tuesday 5th June, and the late May bank holiday will be moved to Monday 4 June.

ITV News presenter Mary Nightingale talks you through the weekend's events:

Saturday 2 June

Epsom

The Queen will attend the Epsom Derby which has had a long history, having first been run in 1780 and is flat racing's equivalent to the Aintree Grand National.

Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II has had 10 runners in The Derby, the first in 1953 and the latest was in 2011 when Carlton House finished 3rd.

Katherine Jenkins will sing the National Anthem and the main race will take place at 16:00.

Sunday 3nd June

The Big Lunch

People are being encouraged to share lunch with neighbours and friends as part of the Diamond Jubilee celebrations. This may take the form of a traditional street party or a picnic lunch in small or larger groups. The Big Lunch event is being organised by the Eden Project.

The Thames Diamond Jubilee Pageant

The pageant will take place on the Thames and will consist of a flotilla of a 1,000 boats assembled from across the UK, the Commonwealth and around the world.

The official route is about seven miles, starting at Battersea Bridge and finishing at Tower Bridge. The pageant will be between 2pm and 6pm and the Queen will board the Royal Barge at 2:30pm.

The star attraction will be the Gloriana, a new hand-built, 94-foot rowbarge which is ornately carved and covered in gold leaf.

More event information and a full breakdown of the Pageant order and timings, can be found here.

Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh visit Gloriana, the new Royal Row Barge for the first time Credit: Jamie Wiseman/PA Wire

Weekend Festivals

Hyde Park Jubilee Family Festival: 2- 3 June

This two-day event is hosted by Myleene Klass and Jon Culshaw and features live music and entertainment. There will also be performances of the Magic of Disney in Concert, BBC One's Strictly Come Dancing, The National Theatre's War Horse.

Tickets are still available and you can find more information on the Sainsbury's website.

Battersea Park Festival : 2 June

Ticket are sold out for this event. Ticket holders can see the Jubilee pageant from the river bank or big screens in Battersea Park at this festival that celebrates all things British.

Monday 4 June

BBC Concert at Buckingham Palace

Tickets for this televised Diamond Jubilee Concert have been allocated to UK residents by public ballot.

The BBC and Gary Barlow are bringing together the likes of Dame Shirley Bassey, Robbie Williams, Alfie Boe, Kylie Minogue, and Jessie J and a host of others.

It will be broadcast on BBC1, from 19:45-22:45.

An artist's impression of the Queen's Diamond Jubilee Concert Credit: BBC/Mark Fisher

The Queen's Diamond Jubilee Beacons

A network of 2,012 Beacons will be lit by communities and individuals throughout the United Kingdom, as well as the Channel Islands, the Isle of Man and the Commonwealth.

The Beacon lighting will start at 10pm.

Key Beacon events include:

  • 10:00 - The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors Beacons.

  • 10:12 - The Beacons along Hadrians Wall

  • 10:29 - The Four Peaks, Ben Nevis (Scotland), Mount Snowden(Wales), Scafell Pike (England), Slieve Donard (Northern Ireland)

  • 10:30 - The Queen will light the National Beacon at 10.30pm in central London after the BBC Concert. This will be followed by a fireworks display

You can search for your local beacon event with the official 'Beacon Locator'. An interactive map can also be found here.

The Queen lighting the Golden Jubilee Beacon in London in 2002 Credit: 2012 Diamond Jubilee Beacons Ltd

Tuesday 5th June

The National Service of Thanksgiving

The Queen, The Duke of Edinburgh, and many Members of The Royal Family, will attend the National Service of Thanksgiving to celebrate Her Majesty’s Diamond Jubilee at St Paul's Cathedral

The Service will be conducted by the Dean of St Paul’s, The Very Reverend Dr David Ison, and the Archbishop of Canterbury will preach.

A special prayer for the Diamond Jubilee willl be included in the service.

A National Service of Thanksgiving to celebrate the Queen's Diamond Jubilee will be held at St Paul's Cathedral Credit: REUTERS/Paul Hackett

Mansion House: 11:30am

The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh will then attend a short reception at Mansion House. Other members of The Royal Family will attend a reception at nearby Guildhall.

Diamond Jubilee Lunch: 12:40pm

The Queen will have a Diamond Jubilee lunch at Westminster Hall. The Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall, The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Henry of Wales will also attend.

The guest list will feature about 700 people. The National Children's Orchestra of Great Britain will perform at the lunch.

Processional Route by Carriage: 14:30pm

After lunch, it's time for some traditional pomp and pageantry! The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh will head back to Buckingham Palace along a Processional Route in the 1902 State Landau carriage.

The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall, The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry will follow behind in two other carriages.

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge travelled in the 1902 State Landau carriage on their wedding day Credit: Reuters/Andrew Winning

The three carriages will leave New Palace Yard and process up Whitehall, to Trafalgar Square, through Admiralty Arch and down the Mall, through the Centre Gates at Buckingham Palace.

Here is a 3D Google Map of the procession route:

Balcony and Gunfire: 15:30pm

Shortly after their arrival, The Queen, The Duke of Edinburgh, and other Members of The Royal Family will appear on the Balcony of Buckingham Palace.

There will be an RAF Flypast and Feu de Joie (“Fire of Joy” ) which has been described as a cascade of rifle fire given as a salute by The Queen's Guard from the Forecourt.

RAF Tornados fly in formation Credit: PA

Getting Around

  • If you attending an event, set off early, central London will be extremely busy. So try to get a headstart

  • There will be many road closures so people are being advised that where possible to leave cars at home

  • Plan your journey to view the celebrations in advance. You can check transport updates on the Transport for London website or if you travelling in or out of London by train on visit National Rail

  • Take a stroll. TFL are encouraging people to take a walk along the new Jubilee Greenway which is 60km long, one kilometre for each year

  • If you plan to use Barclays Cycle Hire, check the status of docking stations before you travel