Chimpanzees chomp on special Platinum Jubilee 'cake' at Twycross Zoo
Chimpanzees at Twycross Zoo have been amongst the many thousands across the Midlands enjoying the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee royal celebrations.
The chimps were served a royal teat by keepers to “mark the historic occasion.”
The chimpanzees at the conservation charity were given colourful ice cubes packed with fruit juices and veggies, as well as a giant Union Jack ‘cake’ made up of soaked pellets and porridge.
39-year-old chimpanzee William was pictured tucking into his tasty treat while chimpanzees Tommy and Peter enjoyed their specially-made ice snack in their enclosures.
The zoo is open for the entire Bank Holiday weekend for those wishing to mark the special Royal occasion.
What royal events can I go to?
The Queen’s Birthday Parade (Trooping the Colour) - Thursday, June 2
More than 1,400 parading soldiers, 200 horses and 400 musicians will come together on June 2. You can watch the parade from 10am as it moves from Buckingham Palace, down the Mall to Horse Guard’s Parade, joined by members of the Royal Family on horseback and in carriages.
The RAF flypast
The Parade will close with the traditional RAF flypast, watched by the Queen and members of the Royal Family from the Buckingham Palace balcony.
The full flypast will see 70 aircraft - more than three times the number of aircraft which took part in the Queen’s last birthday parade flypast in central London in 2019.
The formation will include the iconic Red Arrows and the historic Battle of Britain Memorial Flight.
The display will feature helicopters from the Royal Navy and the Army and RAF aircraft recently seen responding to events in Kabul and Ukraine and the coronavirus pandemic.
The fly-past by the Royal Air Force takes place at 1pm and can be watched from The Mall. If you can not get there in person, it will be broadcast on BBC One.
Royals join in the Big Lunches
Members of the royal family are to share friendship, food and fun at special lunches to celebrate the Queen’s 70-year reign.
The Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall will meet guests at a feast at The Oval cricket ground in south London, while the Earl and Countess of Wessex will join members of the local community in Windsor.
The Platinum Pudding, Scotch eggs and fruit platters will feature on a six-metre felt creation by artist Lucy Sparrow which is to be viewed by Charles and Camilla at The Oval.
The royal couple will also present the Platinum Champions with certificates and pins, before cutting a Big Jubilee Lunch cake.
Three C-130 Hercules are seen overhead as the Royal Navy, British Army and Royal Air Force rehearse for the Queen's Birthday Parade.Credit: PA
Platinum Jubilee Pageant - Sunday, June 5
The Pageant on Sunday will combine street arts, theatre, music, circus, carnival and costume. The ambitious £15 million pageant is 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.
Forming an important part of the pageant is the ‘River of Hope’ procession where secondary school pupils from across the UK will carry aloft 200 silk flags featuring artwork from children of their hopes and aspirations for the planet over the next 70 years.
The effect is intended to emulate a moving river.
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