More than 70 aircraft will join a royal fly-past to celebrate the UK's Queen Elizabeth II’s platinum jubilee.
Aircraft from the Royal Navy, the Army and Royal Air Force will soar over Buckingham Palace on Thursday June 2, the Ministry of Defence said on Monday.
The display will feature the Red Arrows aerobatics team, Second World War planes and aircraft used by the British military on operations around the world.
“I'm proud that the armed forces are leading the nation in celebration with such a spectacular display,” said UK Defence Secretary Ben Wallace.
“Throughout the platinum jubilee celebrations, we will all enjoy the expertise, skill and talent of our armed forces as we celebrate Her Majesty's 70 years on the throne.”
The fly-past will take six minutes to fly over the crowds gathered outside the queen's London palace. It is expected to include more than three times the number of aircraft that took part in the monarch's last birthday parade fly-past in the UK capital in 2019.
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Queen Elizabeth II arrives for ‘A Gallop Through History’ performance. as part of the official celebrations for her platinum jubilee at the Royal Windsor Horse Show. Getty Images -
Queen Elizabeth II, with Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex, meets Alan Tichmarsh and Adjoa Andoh in Windsor. Getty Images -
A Gallop Through History was an equestrian event held in the grounds of Windsor Castle on four evenings from May 12 to May 15 May 2022, as part of the queen's platinum jubilee celebrations. Reuters -
Queen Elizabeth II looks pleased to be attending the event in Windsor. Getty Images -
Actor Tom Cruise speaks at A Gallop Through History. AP -
Gregory Porter performs at A Gallop Through History. PA -
Britain's queen the Royal Windsor Horse Show. Reuters -
Pritee Varsani performs at the event. PA -
Queen Elizabeth II arrives. The events were part of celebrations to mark her 70 years on the throne. Getty Images -
Lady Louise Windsor in action at A Gallop Through History at the Royal Windsor Horse Show. PA -
A colourful dance performance entertains the crowds. Reuters -
Katherine Jenkins performs at Windsor Castle. PA -
Dancers put on a show for the queen. Reuters -
The King's Troop fire cannon as part of the celebrations. PA -
A Gallop Through History Platinum Jubilee celebration at the Royal Windsor Horse Show at Windsor Castle. PA -
The Top Secret Drum Corps performs. PA -
A show by dancers from Trinidad and Tobago. PA -
Britain's Queen Elizabeth II watches on. Reuters -
Dame Helen Mirren, dressed as Queen Elizabeth I, performs during A Gallop Through History. AP -
Britain's Princess Anne meets Alan Titchmarsh and Omid Djalili. AP -
Performers from Azerbaijan put their horses through their paces. PA -
The Household Cavalry performs. PA -
The Earl and Countess of Wessex meet Alan Titchmarsh and Omid Djalili. PA -
Lady Louise Windsor drives a carriage once belonging to the Duke of Edinburgh at A Gallop Through History. PA -
Two King Charles spaniels take centre stage. PA -
Ship ahoy ... part of the show features a nautical theme. PA -
Performers put on a show for the queen. Reuters -
The cast conducts three cheers to Britain's Princess Beatrice. PA -
Princess Beatrice leaves the equestrian show. PA
The display will include helicopters from the Royal Navy and Army and RAF aircraft jubilee seen responding to events in Afghanistan and Ukraine and the coronavirus pandemic.
The fly-past will also include highlights from the history of the RAF, including aircraft from the Battle of Britain in the Second World War.
It will follow the queen's Trooping the Colour birthday parade — a display of military pageantry involving 1,500 soldiers and 250 horses from the Army's Household Division on Horse Guards Parade.
The monarch has limited the Trooping the Colour balcony appearance to working members of her family, with the Duke of York and Duke and Duchess of Sussex missing out.
Although they will not be on the balcony, Harry, Meghan and their children will attend the celebrations, but it is not known which elements of the four-day jubilee weekend they could make an appearance at.
Joining the Queen on the balcony for Trooping the Colour will be the Prince of Wales, the Duchess of Cornwall, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, the Earl and Countess of Wessex, the Princess Royal, the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester, the Duke of Kent, Princess Alexandra, and Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence.
Also set to appear for the historic occasion will be the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge's children Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis, and the Wessexes' children Lady Louise Windsor and James, Viscount Severn.
Platinum preparation photos
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Workers add the final parts to the Tree of Trees sculpture, part of the Queen's Green Canopy Project. The sculpture, which will stand outside Buckingham Palace for the duration of the queen's platinum jubilee celebrations, consists of 350 native British trees planted in aluminium pots. Getty Images -
Thomas Heatherwick, designer of the Tree of Trees sculpture, poses in front of Buckingham Palace. AFP -
Royal superfan John Loughrey jumps for joy on The Mall, near Buckingham Palace, London, where he is already camped out for a prime position to view the platinum jubilee celebrations. PA -
Model-maker Paula Young places a Lego replica of Queen Elizabeth II in a display replicating the royal balcony scene at Buckingham Palace for the Legoland platinum jubilee display in Windsor. PA -
British Union flags are on display at Kirby Estate in London. EPA -
The gold state coach passes the Houses of Parliament during an early morning rehearsal through London for Sunday's platinum jubilee pageant. PA -
Workers hang bunting outside a hotel in central London. Reuters -
Voyager and Rivet Joint aircraft perform in the sky for the queen's platinum jubilee fly-past rehearsal in Sleaford. EPA -
A view from a cockpit during the rehearsal. PA -
Royal Marines drummers play for residents of Church Hill near Birmingham. The nationwide celebrations will mark the 70th anniversary of the queen's accession to the throne. PA -
The 15-kilogram Queen's Platinum Jubilee coin, made with fine gold, is the largest coin made by the Royal Mint, produced in celebration of her 70-year milestone. PA -
Chelsea Pensioners Ted Fell, left, and George Reid pose as they view 'The Queen's Platinum Jubilee' display by Simon Lycett at Chelsea Flower Show in London. Reuters -
Union flags are displayed along The Mall in London. AP -
Fiona Baxter makes Union flags at the Flying Colours Flagmakers factory in Knaresborough. Getty Images -
People stand underneath Union Jack flags hanging in Covent Garden, London. Reuters -
Construction work at Buckingham Palace in London before Queen Elizabeth II's platinum jubilee. EPA -
A display paying homage to Queen Elizabeth II is shown outside the Sloane Club in London, as part of 'Chelsea in Bloom'. AP -
One of eight London buses given a purple makeover to celebrate the jubilee makes its way across central London. PA -
Jemma Melvin poses in Fortnum and Mason, central London, with her lemon Swiss roll trifle that beat 5,000 desserts to become the official pudding of the jubilee celebrations. PA -
A man has his photograph taken next to a life-size cardboard cut-out of Queen Elizabeth II displayed in a shop in Windsor. Getty Images -
Flags designed by British fashion illustrator Anjelica Roselyn on display across South Molton Street in Mayfair to celebrate the jubilee. PA -
People pass a shop window display commemorating the platinum jubilee in Windsor. Getty Images -
A knitted figure of the queen is displayed on top of a post box in Wallasey. Reuters -
Temporary structures are built around Buckingham Palace for the celebrations. Reuters -
Linda Bainbridge and Miyuki Griffin put finishing touches to The Crown, Orb and Sceptre exhibit as part of 'A Festival of Flowers' at Salisbury Cathedral. PA -
A glittering banner stretches across Carnaby Street shopping district in London. EPA -
Lewis Wilde from Selkirk tests a gas-fuelled beacon he has made to signal the start of the celebrations, which will culminate with a four-day bank holiday in June. PA -
The gold state coach stands in the Royal Mews at Buckingham Palace. The coach will be used as part of the jubilee celebrations. Getty Images -
Union flags decorate a street Mayfair, London. EPA -
Puppet-maker Louise Jones puts the finishing touches to her group of corgis, each based on past and present royal corgis, for the platinum jubilee pageant. AP Photo -
Grounds staff change bedding plants outside Buckingham Palace. Getty Images -
A member of the Royal Air Force Air Cadets holding the Commonwealth of Nations' Globe on its arrival at the Tower of London. It will be on display until June 2, when it will be used to light Buckingham Palace's principal beacon. PA -
Power stilt artist Bouncy Bruce performs at the final unveiling of the platinum jubilee pageant at Bafta in London's West End. Reuters -
Workers place a decorative crown at the top of a flag pole facing Buckingham Palace. Reuters -
Abbey Marshall Leticia Edwards looks out at the view from the Henry VII roof of Westminster Abbey, which will be open to the public for the first time for guided tours, as part of its plans to celebrate the jubilee. PA -
Members of the Household Cavalry during a musical ride rehearsal at Hyde Park in London for the Royal Windsor horse show, as part of the jubilee celebration. Reuters -
A gardener sows seeds into the moat surrounding the Tower of London that will grow into a 'superbloom' display to celebrate the jubilee later this year. Reuters -
Gilder Claire Wright applies gold paint by hand as she works to produce a platinum jubilee commemorative beaker for Goviers, as part of its Royal Commemoratives collection. AFP -
Members of the Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment take part in the Maj Gen's Inspection in Hyde Park. The ceremonial unit must pass the inspection to take part in state duties. EPA
