A delighted Queen has taken centre stage at her historic Platinum Jubilee celebrations as she greeted crowds from the Buckingham Palace balcony, surrounded by her family.
Huge cheers erupted from the thousands of well-wishers packed onto The Mall in central London as the monarch emerged for the special flypast after Trooping the Colour.
Wearing sunglasses, the 96-year-old sovereign looked joyful as she surveyed the patriotic scenes, giving broad smiles as she enjoyed the aircraft display.
It was the second of two appearances from the monarch on the balcony on Thursday – the start of the special extended Jubilee weekend marking her 70-year-reign.
The six-minute flypast of more than 70 aircraft, including Apache helicopters, Typhoons and The Red Arrows, flew over the Palace.
Fifteen RAF Typhoons paid a special tribute to the monarch’s record-breaking reign, flying in the formation of the number 70, prompting smiles from the Queen.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex were among the guests who earlier watched Trooping the Colour at Horse Guards from inside the Duke of Wellington’s former office, overlooking the parade ground.
They joined a host of more than 30 royals including Camilla and Kate and the Queen’s extended family including all of her grandchildren.
The crowds were earlier treated to the sight of George, Charlotte and Louis with proud parent Kate and their step-grandmother Camilla in a carriage procession.
As the spectators waved at the young royals the trio waved back in their first major public outing for a Jubilee and first carriage procession.
The nation is embracing the special extended bank holiday weekend of pomp, pageantry and star-studded festivities, which will see celebrities and the public gather in their millions in tribute to the monarch.
Thousands of wellwishers draped in Union flags, party hats and plastic tiaras flocked to London for the spectacle.
The Queen limited those on the balcony for the flypast to working members of her family, her Cambridge great-grandchildren and two youngest grandchildren – a move she took after “careful consideration” the Palace said.
On the balcony with the Queen were: The Duke and Duchess of Gloucester, Princess Alexandra, the Duke of Kent, Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence, the Princess Royal, Charles and Camilla, William, Kate, George, Charlotte and Louis, the Earl and Countess of Wessex and their children Viscount Severn, and Lady Louise Windsor.
On Thursday evening, the Queen will lead the lighting of the principal Jubilee beacon in a special dual ceremony, with the monarch at Windsor Castle and her grandson William at the Palace.
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