This year, the Queen of England, Elizabeth II, broke all records for holding the longest reign in the history of her country, 70 years!
And at the beginning of next month, the entire country is watching and honoring her with a grand Jubilee. Along with the rest of the world.
As Americans, we might not know that much about Queen Elizabeth II, so this article will dive into the history of this queen, and why talk about her? She’s been a total boss lady for over 70 years, assuming the crown when she was just 21, and we love women making a difference in the world!
And not only that, you might remember that us at Jubilance named our blog The Jubilee, a play on words from our PMS supplement Jubilance, but also because like the name implies, our blog gives you a bit a happiness, some cheer, and celebrates womanhood.
What is a Jubilee?
A Jubilee is a celebration of an event, especially one that commemorates a particular span of years.
The word evolved from the hebrew word “yobel,” which translated to a “ram’s horn trumpet,” this was the instrument used to pronounce the Jubilee year, and so the word continued to transfigure to jubilaeus annus in latin meaning “year of jubilee” and then into French with “jubile.” It finally moved into the English Jubilee.
A Jubilee in royal terminology is a celebration to honor the reign of a monarch. They don’t happen every year, they are just for marking big dates like 25 or 50 years of reign. For Queen Elizabeth II, her reign is now at 70 years, so this is her Platinum Jubilee.
When is the Platinum Jubilee?
The Platinum Jubilee is being celebrated in the United Kingdom from June 2nd till June 5th across a series of four days with all kinds of events observing Queen Elizabeth II’s seven decades of service to the crown.
What Will Happen at the Queen’s Jubilee?
The Jubilee celebration will stretch over four days from Thursday June 2nd till Sunday, June 4th, and people of the United Kingdom have bank holidays on Thursday and Friday in order to celebrate.
There are a number of different events to watch out for, here are the top ones you might want to tune in to see.
Trooping the Color – Thursday June 2nd
This is the Official parade for the Queen’s birthday which kicks off all of the Jubilee events. It is all about the military pageantry with 1200 officers and 240 horses participating, along with hundreds of army musicians.
The parade starts at Buckingham Palace and moves down the mall, where members of the Royal Family will ride on horseback and in carriages.
The Parade will end with the traditional Royal Airforce flying overhead and the Queen and the members of the royal family watching from the balcony of Buckingham Palace.
Platinum Jubilee Beacons – Thursday June 2nd
A tradition upheld during Royal marriages, coronations, and Jubilees is to light beacons throughout the United Kingdom, Isle of Man, Channel Islands, and the overseas territories to mark the starting of the Jubilee.
These beacons are large fires on top of churches, cathedrals, castles, parks, beaches, and mountains.
Thanksgiving Service – Friday June 3rd
There will be a service for thanking the queen for her long reign at St. Paul’s Cathedral in London. It will be broadcast, but is mostly a private ceremony.
Derby Day at Epsom Downs – Saturday June 4th
It’s time to break out the crazy hats, the Queen and the Royal Family will attend the horse races in Surrey. Watch to see all the garden party outfits you need for the summer.
Concert at Buckingham Palace – Saturday June 4th
There will be a live concert at Buckingham Palace with all kinds of Musicians including Adam Lambert, Alicia Keys, Hans Zimmer, George Ezra, Duran Duran, and Andrea Bocceli. Also included in the lineup are stars like Dame Julie Andrews, David Beckham, and Sir David Attenborough.
Jubilee Lunch – Sunday June 5th
The Big Lunch is a way to celebrate as a community, they are street parties hosted by members of the public where you can go party as neighbors. This is something you can’t watch in the USA, but maybe we should start organizing our own!
Jubilee Pageant – Sunday June 5th
Buckingham Palace will host a pageant featuring 5000 street performers, actors, musicians, circus people, and designers to honor the Queen and the arts of the UK.
How to Watch the Queen’s Jubilee Celebration
If you have access to BritBox or the BBC, you can watch the whole Platinum Jubilee at home on your couch. If you don’t have BritBox yet, you can get a free trial with your Amazon account, or just a free trial directly through their website for seven days.
