Thousands have traveled to London's Duke of York Steps and Trafalgar Square, hoping to catch a glimpse of Queen Elizabeth II during her royal procession. NBC's Al Roker and Stephanie Gosk report.
By msnbc.com staff and news services
Updated at 7:35 a.m. ET: LONDON - Crowds chanting "God save the queen" and a fanfare of trumpets greeted the British monarch on Tuesday as she arrived at a church service on the fourth day of celebrations marking her 60 years on the throne.?
But even though she was surrounded by family and greeted by thousands of her subjects, without her husband Prince Philip at her side?Queen Elizabeth II cut a lonely figure on the last day of her jubilee celebrations.?
Philip, 90, was taken to hospital?with a bladder infection?on the third day of jubilee celebrations that saw millions of people turn?out onto London's streets despite the cold and rain to honor 86-year-old British monarch.?Millions more attended street parties up and down the country.
The queen's husband of 64 years?will be kept under observation for a few days in a move the palace said was "precautionary," but it takes some of the gloss of what is widely seen as a triumphant jubilee that has cemented the queen's popularity in Britain.?
Prince Philip is in hospital with a bladder infection. NBC's Duncan Golestani reports on the Prince's condition.
Despite Philip's absence, Tuesday's events were set to be more typical of the formal displays of pomp and glittering ceremony for which British royalty is known across the globe.?
They began with the queen, head of state of 16 countries, attending a thanksgiving service in her honor at London's St Paul's Cathedral along with senior members of the royal family.?Prayers were said for Philip at the service.
The spiritual leader of the Anglican church, the Archbishop of Canterbury, delivered a sermon while Prime Minister David Cameron gave a reading to pay tribute to the queen who came to the throne aged 25 in 1952.?
Afterwards the royals were set to attend receptions at two of the City of London's grandest buildings, Mansion House and the Guildhall, before a diamond jubilee lunch at Westminster Hall, the oldest part of the Houses of Parliament.?
Video: Historic St. Paul?s Cathedral prepares for Jubilee
The queen will then lead a carriage procession back to Buckingham Palace in a 1902 State Landau as military bands play and a 60-gun salute is fired.?In a change of plans, heir-to-the-throne Prince Charles and his wife Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, will ride with the queen in her carriage.
Charles' two sons Prince Harry and Prince William with his wife Kate will follow behind in royal carriages.?
Queen Elizabeth II attended a service St. Paul's Cathedral in honor of her Diamond Jubilee and was later treated to a concert by music legends Elton John, Stevie Wonder and Paul McCartney. TODAY's Matt Lauer reports and reviews the festivities with royal expert Camilla Tominey, historian Andrew Roberts, and Christopher Dickey of Newsweek and The Daily Beast.
The jubilee celebrations end with the royal family making an appearance on the balcony of the palace, with a fly-past by modern and former Royal Air Force aircraft.?
A gloomy, gray - and great - day for the UK
Tuesday's pageantry follows?spectacular?events pitched to the queen's younger subjects, and others that evoked the queen's royal?predecessors. ?On Sunday, a million people gathered for a 1,000-vessel pageant on the River Thames and hundreds of thousands more packed the wide, red road leading to Buckingham Palace on Monday for a concert featuring musical royalty celebrated.?
Diamond Jubilee: From ska to pop, stars rock Buckingham Palace
In a tribute to his mother delivered from the concert stage late on Monday, Charles sought to sum up public affection for a monarch who is a symbol of stability at a time of economic gloom and political disillusionment.?
"As a nation this is our opportunity to thank you and my father for always being there for us, for inspiring us with your selfless duty and service and for making us proud to be British, proud at a time when I know how many of our fellow countrymen are suffering such hardship and difficulties."?
The crowd responded with a roar and chants of "Philip." ?Prince Charles'?speech was followed by the national anthem and a spectacular fireworks display in front of the sumptuous 775-room palace illuminated with a giant Union Jack flag.?
'I'm Still Standing'
At the concert on Monday night,?Elton John sang "I'm Still Standing," Stevie Wonder crooned "Isn't She Lovely," and Paul McCartney sent "All My Loving", although the joy was tempered by news of Prince Philip's health.
Photos: Britain honors Queen Elizabeth II with Diamond Jubilee
Despite Philip's illness, many members of the royal family, including Charles, Camilla, and Princes William and Harry sat in a royal box to watch the show, performed on a specially erected stage outside the palace.?
The queen was cheered as she arrived partway through the show, wearing a gold lame cocktail dress under a dark cape. It was decided before Philip's illness that she would watch only part of the concert.?
June 7, 1977: England marked the 25th anniversary of Queen Elizabeth II's ascension to the throne with pomp, circumstance and tradition. NBC's John Chancellor reports.
The queen is not a noted pop music fan, and appeared to be wearing yellow ear plugs as she observed the concert.
Some 12,000 contest winners watched the show from an enclosed area, while a huge crowd stretched down the Mall, the wide boulevard leading up to the palace.
Performers also included Cliff Richard, Tom Jones, Dame Shirley Bassey and younger artists including JLS and Kylie Minogue
Msnbc.com's F. Brinley Bruton, Reuters and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
More world news from msnbc.com and NBC News:
Follow us on Twitter: @msnbc_world
ok state ok state kurt budke regis philbin regis and kelly reno fire regis philbin last show
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.