Why Queen Elizabeth II May Not Attend Any of Her Platinum Jubilee Celebrations
Queen Elizabeth II is the longest-serving monarch in British history. She celebrated her Silver Jubilee in 1975, her golden in 2002, and her Diamond Jubilee in 2012. This year marks her platinum jubilee and plans for that celebration have been underway for some time. However, there is news now that the royal family matriarch may not attend the events to commemorate her 70-year reign.
Read on to find out why, plus which superstars are taking part in the festivities.
When is Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee celebrated publicly?
The royal family’s website has laid out some key dates to celebrate the queen’s historic reign.
It notes there will be an extended bank holiday from Thursday, June 2 to Sunday, June 5 “to provide an opportunity for communities and people throughout the United Kingdom to come together to celebrate the historic milestone. The four days of celebrations will include public events and community activities, as well as national moments of reflection on the queen’s 70 years of service.”
The monarch’s birthday parade, known as Trooping the Colour, will be held on June 2. That day is when the royal family is expected to gather and join in the celebrations. But will the queen be there?
The queen may not attend the celebrations
Queen Elizabeth will most likely be seen during the Trooping the Colour parade to wave to fans and well-wishers alongside her family but she won’t be present for all the other different events unless otherwise announced.
According to The Telegraph, the palace has insisted that the queen will try to attend as many engagements as possible for her Platinum Jubilee but should not be expected to be present. A palace source told the publication: “The assumption must now be that the queen will not be present at events. If Her Majesty does attend, it will be decided on the day, and she will be accompanied by another member of the royal family.”
This has to do with the monarch’s advanced age of 96 and the mobility issues she has talked about. Most recently, she pulled out of the annual Maundy Thursday and the Easter Mattins service which she had always attended in the past.
Celebrities who are set to join a televised event
Some of the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations will be televised in the U.K. and a number of superstars will be featured.
Variety reported that on May 15, 1,300 performers and 500 horses will be at the Windsor Castle along with four acts hosted by Tom Cruise and Damian Lewis. Helen Mirren, who played the monarch in the 2006 film titled The Queen, will also be part of the affair.
ITV Entertainment Commissioning Head Katie Rawcliffe said: “We’re thrilled to be broadcasting the first televised event for the queen’s Platinum Jubilee here on ITV. To mark this momentous occasion, we’ll be bringing the nation a celebratory, star-studded show, complete with show-stopping performances and an epic journey through history, told by some of the most well-renowned and respected names in film and television.”
