During a long weekend of celebrations devoted to Queen Elizabeth II’s 70 years on the throne, Commonwealth communities will pay tribute during the Jubilee Pageant to showcase and promote diversity across member states.
The event on the Mall – the iconic long avenue leading up to Buckingham Palace – will feature performances highlighting the changes in British society during the Sovereign’s long reign. More than 10,000 performers, including schoolchildren, community groups, and military bands, are expected to troop towards the Palace on 5 June, marking the final day of celebrations for the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee.
The Jubilee Pageant will commence with the ringing of Westminster Abbey’s bells, as an homage to Queen Elizabeth II’s coronation day. A military showcase opens the spectacle, featuring service personnel from the UK and Commonwealth nations – including Canada, New Zealand, Australia, Pakistan, Ghana, Belize, Jamaica, and Sri Lanka. The act will be followed by some 2,500 volunteers presenting a vibrant display of British life since 1952, coming to the third and final section which celebrates the Queen’s reign and personal interests.
Dancers from the London’s African-Caribbean community will take part in the procession to showcase and promote diversity across member states. The performers will display costumes inspired by the African wildlife as a tribute to Princess Elizabeth’s trip to Kenya in 1952 – when she discovered she had become Queen following the death of her father, King George VI.
The Indian Nutkhut performance company led by Ajay Chhabra will pay homage to the Queen’s 1947 marriage to the late Prince Philip with a special Bollywood style performance. The event is designed to celebrate the universal and intergenerational joy of families and communities uniting through the coming together of two people.
The pageant will travel a nearly two-mile route and end in front of Buckingham Palace, where crowds will sing “God Save the Queen.” Singers Ed Sheeran, Shirley Bassey, and Cliff Richard will be among the celebrities paying tribute.
Commonwealth Business Communications is pleased to present our latest publication in recognition of Her Majesty The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee and her role as Head of the Commonwealth over the last 70 years.
Download the publication for free here: Queen & Commonwealth: Celebrating Her Majesty’s Platinum Jubilee.