At the beginning of June 2022, Her Majesty the Queen is set to celebrate her platinum jubilee, which is 70 years on the throne. This jubilee is extremely significant as it celebrates Her Majesty as the longest-standing monarch in British history. For many, this will probably be the only time you will ever get to celebrate a platinum jubilee, and with a 4-day weekend to commemorate it, here are some ways you can join in the fun. <br> <br> There is an official government website with a countdown to the day so you can know exactly how much time you have to prep! <br> <br>
A bit of history
Queen Elizabeth II was born in 1926, whilst her paternal grandfather King George V was on the throne. Elizabeth was not likely to take the throne as she had her uncle, Edward VIII, and her father, George VI, ahead of her in succession. After the passing of her grandfather King George V, her uncle took the throne, however, in 1936 when Edward VIII proposed his marriage to the divorced socialite Wallis Simpson, he was removed from the throne and her father George VI took to the throne. As Elizabeth was the older sibling and had no brothers, she became the heir apparent. <br> <br> In 1951, George VI’s health had begun to decline, and in early 1952 he passed away whilst Elizabeth and Phillip were on tour in Kenya. She immediately ascended to the throne and became Elizabeth II. <br> <br> On June 2nd 1953 the Queen’s coronation took place and was televised for all to watch. Fast forward through her 70-year reign which has seen hundreds of global tours and events and you get to the platinum jubilee weekend. <br> <br> <br> <br>
Ways to Celebrate
Now you’ve read the history a bit more of how Queen Elizabeth II came to the throne, you’ll want to make sure that you celebrate this monumental achievement in a memorable way. We’ve come up with some ideas of ways you can make it a weekend to remember, with ideas suitable for the whole family to enjoy. <br> <br>
Street Parties
The concept of a street party is rooted in British culture, with us Brits using any significant event to whip out the Union Jack bunting and a table and set up in the middle of our street. <br> <br> Fortunately, you don’t have to rely on word-of-mouth and a million group chats to organise or attend a street party for this jubilee, as there is a website where you can register your party, or find a local party to you that you can attend! <br> <br> As of writing this, there are over two-thousand street parties registered to go ahead to commemorate this moment of history, so I’m sure there is a celebration near you that you can attend. <br> <br> <br> <br>
Plant some trees
This may not sound like an obvious way to celebrate, but with the climate crisis being an extraordinarily large problem, why not? There has been a scheme set up called The Queen’s Green Canopy that allows you to plant a tree for the jubilee! <br> <br> Everyone can get involved, and it means that in years to come there will be jubilee trees scattered across the country to remember Her Majesty the Queen. <br> <br>
Trooping of the Colours
If you fancy a trip out to London, on the 2nd of June there will be the traditional parade to celebrate Her Majesty the Queen’s birthday. It is free to watch, you just have to get yourself set up in a good spot. <br> <br> Please note though if you are going to London for the jubilee, expect busy transport throughout as there will be an increased number of people travelling, and there are also talks about potential Tube strikes, though TfL’s website doesn’t have any information on this currently. <br> <br> To keep up-to-date with all London travel links we’d recommend downloading the TfL Go app. <br> <br> <br> <br>
Go for a day out
This jubilee is all about making memories since it is an achievement that most of us won’t get to celebrate again in our lifetimes. You can tailor the day to suit your budget and location, but why not go to the beach for the day? Or go out for a walk and a picnic? <br> <br> Use this 4-day weekend as an excuse to get out of the house and away from work for a bit. <br> <br>
Throw a party
Don’t just invite a few people around and call it a day, set a theme, dress up, decorate the house, go wild with it! <br> <br> If you want to invite everyone round for a British themed party and dress up like Geri Halliwell in the Union Jack dress then do it! Theme the food around pub staples or crack the BBQ out if the weather is good and have a buffet that you and your guests can help themselves to. <br> <br> Or maybe you want to do a less direct theme, perhaps Bridgerton or Downton Abbey themed and everyone has to dress up like royalty. With canapés and glasses of champagne (or prosecco to be a bit more bank-friendly), you could feel like you and your friends are a part of the royal family and celebrate alongside them. <br> <br>
We’ve given you a few different ways to celebrate and enjoy the super-long weekend, but whatever you decide to do, we hope you enjoy it and fingers crossed the weather is on our side! Did you know that you can use your Caxton currency card in the UK? Perfect for stocking up on all your jubilee celebration goodies. Head over to our website and sign up today.