The 4-day Platinum Jubilee celebrations for Queen Elizabeth’s 70th anniversary on the throne started today at Buckingham Palace. The military parade of more than 1,200 officers, soldiers, hundreds of army musicians and 240 horses began. Soldiers marched to the Mounted Troops Parade area on The Mall, located between Buckingham Palace and Tralfagar Square. The soldiers then continued a 260-year-old tradition of military ceremony called Trooping the Color. Thousands of Londoners watched the military parade in Tralfagar Square and the areas around Buckingham Palace. More than 1,500 lights will be lit across the UK and overseas as part of the events to be held today to celebrate Queen Elizabeth’s Platinum Jubilee.
Queen Elizabeth has become the first monarch in British history to receive the Platinum Jubilee. Reign of the British monarchy between 1760 and 1801, III. George received a Golden Jubilee for his 50th anniversary. Queen Victoria, who was the monarch of the United Kingdom from 1837 to 1901, received the Golden Jubilee for its 50th anniversary and the Diamond Jubilee for its 60th anniversary.