A ONCE-IN-A-GENERATION EVENT: PREPARING FOR THE PLATINUM JUBILEE

A huge amount of work went into the advance planning of the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee weekend, and a lot of money too, but we can all agree it was money and time well spent…

As we write these words, the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations have come to an end, but they proved to be an spectacular success, hugely popular worldwide and uniting the British nation in these recessionary times when a bit of cheer is much needed and appreciated.

The four-day national event from Thursday 2nd June to Sunday 5th June marked the historical milestone of Her Majesty’s 70 years on the throne, and in this special issue of Royal Life we are proud to bring you all the pomp and splendour of this once-in-a-lifetime event, which included street parties, a parade, a star-studded concert and so much more.

A slight blight on the proceedings was the fact that Her Majesty herself chose not to attend some of the events due to mobility issues, even missing her beloved Epsom Derby on June 4th. Some consolation for her would have been a brief visit from Prince Harry and Meghan who introduced her to one-yearold Lilibet Diana at Windsor Castle, the first time the two had ever met, and the first time Her Majesty had seen great-grandson Archie in person since the Sussexes stepped back from life as working Royals in January 2020.

Leading up to the Platinum Jubilee weekend, a “once-in-a-generation show” was promised by the British government that would mix “the best of British ceremonial splendour and pageantry with cutting-edge artistic and technological displays.”

It’s estimated that £28 million of taxpayer money was spent over the four days, with £12 million spent on a free book about the Queen’s 70-year reign sent to every primary school pupil. But the event is reported to have been a boon for the British economy – up to £1.2 billion according to VisitEngland.