With this year marking the 69th year of Queen Elizabeth’s reign, the nation’s already warming up for some exciting 2022 celebrations of Her Majesty’s Platinum Jubilee. Come February next year, the UK’s favourite public figure will become the first UK monarch ever to celebrate a platinum Jubilee - and here’s the lowdown on how the nation traditionally celebrates!
There’s good news for all of us looking forward to a packed calendar of Royal festivities! Her Majesty’s Sapphire and Diamond celebrations were fun, lively affairs peppered with Jubilee Weekends and Lunches, and we can expect all the pageantry, national pride, and ceremonial splendour for next year’s, too.
While dates are yet to be announced for signature events such as the Thames Pageant, public hopes are high. Historically, this big event has seen over 1000 boats on full display down the nation’s iconic river, decked out with classic Union Jack standards and Great Britain’s Royal Coat Of Arms. While the last Diamond Jubilee Thames pageant was a rather wet affair, it’s always an exciting, colourful event to watch from the banks, as those attending can usually expect to catch a glimpse of The Queen herself and other Royal Family members on the Royal Navy’s fully-decorated vessels.
For those a little further from the Thames, a Jubilee Lunch is the traditional way to celebrate. As with many of Great Britain’s monarchs before, a time-honoured weekend meal marking Her Majesty’s ascension to the throne often sees many towns and communities coming together in local streets, lined with Union Jack and Great British Bunting. Last Jubilee, as many as 9,500 road closure applications were made for our nation’s famous street parties, with over 10,000 attendees at the largest Jubilee lunch in Greenwich. Whether you’re up for beating this record next year, or you’d just like to be one of the 8.5+ million to take part, expect a peppering of Union Jack Table Flags, finger sandwiches, and good old-fashioned British cheer!
Community Big Jubilee Lunches are also a popular way to celebrate internationally, across the British Isles and throughout the English Counties, being easy to organise for those keen to avoid big crowds. If you’re keen to join the party, we recommend theming your at-home or backyard event with Union Jack Crest Table Flags, for a themed event on your own premises. For the real flavour of a Royal Jubilee Lunch, however, why not take inspiration from the family themselves. According to reliable sources, some sample menu items from Westminster’s Diamond Jubilee Lunch included Marinated Uist Island Salmon, Grilled Isle of Wight Asparagus, Jersey Royal Potatoes, and Bread and Butter Pudding. Of course, all finished with petit fours and Ceylon tea. Dine like a royal with Satin Union Jack Crest Table Flags, too, for an elegant touch!
With Her Majesty having planted over 1,500 trees worldwide throughout her reign, next year’s celebrations will doubtless be another great opportunity for communities to get involved in Jubilee tree planting - so look out for St George’s Cross Flags and Union Jack at your local park! Attendees across the nation will be invited to plant a tree for the Platinum Jubilee as part of “The Queen’s Green Canopy”, an official event to launch in May, but of course, any chance to join in with your own eco-friendly tribute is doubtless welcome.
Wherever you are in the UK, perhaps the most important thing to know is that next year’s Jubilee celebrations will be taking place over a four-day weekend in June - not, unexpectedly, in February. We’re sure you won’t miss the UK Union Jack Hand Flags in the streets as the nation warms up, but with a flurry of excitement already building, it’s probably best to get ready now. You might be far from the Union Jack Car Flags of a Royal motorcade, but there’s no excuse not to start planning your local celebrations with Wales Bunting, Northern Ireland Bunting, British Isles Bunting, UK Counties Bunting, Scotland Bunting of your own. However you plan your long weekend, the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee will be a celebration of national pride. If last Jubilee’s archetypally British celebrations were anything to go by, it may be a good idea to bring your brollies!