The Queen 'humbled and deeply touched' as she closes Jubilee festivities with balcony appearance
Her Majesty said she hoped the historic Platinum Jubilee weekend would lead to a "renewed sense of coming together," as ITV News Royal Editor Chris Ship reports
The Queen said she is "humbled and deeply touched" by the public's response to her Platinum Jubilee after delighting royal fans by closing the historic celebrations by appearing on the Buckingham Palace balcony with the future kings.
In a written message, Her Majesty said she remained “committed to serving you to the best of my ability, supported by my family” and that her "heart has been with you all” when she missed parts of festivities.
“When it comes to how to mark 70 years as your Queen, there is no guidebook to follow. It really is a first. But I have been humbled and deeply touched that so many people have taken to the streets to celebrate my Platinum Jubilee," continued the message, signed Elizabeth R.
The monarch, dressed in green, was joined by three generations of her family with the Prince of Wales, the Duchess of Cornwall, and the Cambridge family by her side waving to the crowds.
Their appearance came shortly after the Royal Standard was raised above the residence just after 4.30pm, signalling the 96-year-old monarch had arrived at the Palace from Windsor Castle and prompting many to cram into The Mall in anticipation.
The royals' appearance lasted less than three minutes, during which thousands of people on The Mall sang the National Anthem.
Moments before, Ed Sheeran sang his hit song Perfect as moving footage of the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh through the years played in the background.
The Queen has not been seen in public since Thursday, the first day of the celebrations.
Her second balcony appearance of the weekend rounded off an afternoon of pomp and pageantry with the £15 million star-studded Platinum Jubilee Pageant kicking off the fourth and final day of festivities.
The Queen's final appearance with Charles, Camilla, and the Cambridge family suggests duties will increasingly be passed on to them going forward, as Chris Ship explains live from Buckingham Palace
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex were absent for a second day running from the celebrations, but Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis joined their parents, Kate and William along with Prince Charles, Camilla and and Princess Anne in the royal box to watch the street carnival extravaganza.
Festivities were kick-started with the Gold State Coach - the 260-year-old carriage which carried the Queen to her coronation - travelling along the pageant route at the Horse Guards Parade.
Watch the Gold State Coach with archive footage of the Queen projected onto the windows travel through central London
Her Majesty was not inside and instead, a hologram of the young monarch waving to crowds played on the carriage's window, as it led the parade of military units.
A host of famous faces were seen travelling in decorated open top double decker buses for the decade-by-decade celebrations, with fashion royalty Kate Moss and Naomi Campbell leading stars on the 1990s pageant bus, while the 'Dame' section featured appearances from Bake Off's Prue Leith, Twiggy and Joan Collins.
Sunday's appearance from the monarch, who has ongoing mobility issues, was not certain after she pulled out of attending the Epsom Derby, on Saturday, and was not in physical attendance for the Platinum Jubilee concert later that night either.
More than 22,000 ticketholders packed out The Mall for the Party at the Palace on Saturday night which opened with a surprise comic sketch of the Queen's tea with Paddington Bear, before the likes of Queen, Sir Elton John and Alicia Keys performed live.
On Sunday, millions gathered for patriotic street parties, picnics and barbecues, with more than 85,000 Big Jubilee Lunches being held across the UK.
For even the youngest, the Jubilee weekend has been a once-in-a-lifetime event that will live long in the memory, as ITV News Correspondent Ben Chapman reports
Before attending the pageant, Charles spoke about the camaraderie the Jubilee celebrations have fostered - but revellers at The Big Lunch’s flagship event in London he hoped “bickering” does not return following the feeling of “togetherness” across the nation.
Close to 200 national treasures will take to the stage to serenade the Queen by singing the national anthem at the grand finale of the Platinum Jubilee festivities.
Stars including Sir David Jason, Harry Redknapp, Sir Cliff Richard, Sandie Shaw, Felicity Kendal, Joe Wicks and Holly Willoughby will join Ed Sheeran in a mass rendition of God Save The Queen outside Buckingham Palace at the end of the pageant.
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Some 10,000 people including a cast of 6,000 performers were involved in staging Sunday's 3km carnival procession from Horse Guards, along Whitehall to Admiralty Arch and down The Mall to Buckingham Palace.
The ambitious £15 million pageant was split into four acts: For Queen and Country with a military parade; The Time of Our Lives progressing through seven decades of culture, music and fashion; Let’s Celebrate telling the story of the Queen’s life in 12 chapters with corgi puppets and carnival creations; and the Happy and Glorious musical spectacle.
A peloton of 300 cyclists, rode vintage bikes from across the seven decades of the Queen’s reign, travelled down The Mall led by Sir Chris Hoy and cycling golden couple Dame Laura and Sir Jason Kenny.