Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II will miss a service of thanksgiving at St. Paul’s Cathedral for her 70-year reign on Friday (today), after experiencing “some discomfort” during the first day of her Platinum Jubilee celebration.
CNN reported on Thursday that the Queen appeared at Buckingham Palace on Thursday during the festivities and was still expected to participate in a beacon lighting ceremony from Windsor Castle in the evening.
“The Queen greatly enjoyed today’s Birthday Parade and Flypast but did experience some discomfort,” Buckingham Palace said in a statement.
“Taking into account the journey and activity required to participate in tomorrow’s (today’s) National Service of Thanksgiving at St Paul’s Cathedral, Her Majesty with great reluctance has concluded that she will not attend,” it continued.
Earlier Thursday, the 96-year-old Queen looked on from the palace’s famous balcony at a sea of red, white and blue as huge, flag-waving crowds flocked to the Mall to see the monarch and her family.
Queen Elizabeth II, 96, has made history as the first British monarch to mark 70 years on the throne.
She was 25 years old when her reign began on February 6,1952.
To mark the unprecedented platinum jubilee celebration, an 82-gun salute was fired on Thursday, followed by a flypast over Buckingham Palace by the Royal Air Force, among other public events and community activities.
The King’s Troop Royal Horse Artillery began firing the gun salute in London’s Hyde Park at around 12.52pm local time.
The display was followed by a second 124-gun salute from the Tower of London, with an extra 42 for the city of London.
A gun salute is typically used to mark special occasions, including royal celebrations. A 21-gun salute is most common.
However, additional guns are added when the salute is given from a royal park and from a royal fortress, such as the Tower of London, where additional shots are also added, representing the loyalty of residents of the city of London, according to Britain’s Ministry of Defence.
The festivities began with the Queen’s birthday parade, which is also known as Trooping the Colour.
The Queen and members of the royal family made their customary balcony appearance before the event ended with the flypast.
NBC reports that Queen Elizabeth II’s face was full of smiles during the Royal Air Force flypast, the centrepiece of Thursday’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations.
Prince Louis, the youngest child of Prince William and his wife, Kate, the Duchess of Cambridge, stood next to the queen throughout the ceremony on Buckingham Palace’s balcony.
United States President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden wished the Queen a “joyful Platinum Jubilee celebration,” crediting the monarch for her role in deepening the relationship between the two countries throughout her reign.”
Also, the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), on Thursday congratulated the Queen.
His congratulatory message was contained in a statement by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, titled ‘President Buhari salutes Queen Elizabeth II on platinum jubilee.’
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