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Photos: Britain celebrates Queen Elizabeth's Platinum Jubilee

WHRO
Published June 2, 2022 at 1:26 PM EDT
Hannah McKay/Reuters
Britain's Queen Elizabeth II, Prince Charles and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, along with Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis appear on the balcony of Buckingham Palace as part of the Trooping the Color parade during the queen's Platinum Jubilee celebrations.

Huge crowds converged on central London on Thursday for the start of four days of public events to mark Queen Elizabeth II's historic Platinum Jubilee.

Jonathan Brady/AP
(From left to right) Prince Charles, Queen Elizabeth II, Prince Louis, Kate, Duchess of Cambridge, Princess Charlotte, Prince George and Prince William gather on the balcony of Buckingham Palace, London, as they watch a flypast of Royal Air Force aircraft pass over, on the first of four days of celebrations to mark the Platinum Jubilee.

At 96, the queen is celebrating 70 years on the throne — the most of any British royal, including her great-great-grandmother, Queen Victoria.

Jonathan Brady/AP
Queen Elizabeth II smiles as she watches from the balcony of Buckingham Palace after the Trooping the Color ceremony.

On Thursday afternoon, Queen Elizabeth appeared with family members on the balcony of Buckingham Palace during the Trooping the Color ceremony, and waved to enormous crowds of well-wishers.

Aaron Chown/AP
People pack the Mall as the British Royal family appears on the balcony of Buckingham Palace after the Trooping the Color ceremony in London.

Here are some scenes from the day.

Ben Stansall/AFP via Getty Images
Fighter jets from Britain's Royal Air Force fly in formation to form the number 70 over a Buckingham Palace balcony following the Trooping the Color parade, as part of Queen Elizabeth II's Platinum Jubilee celebrations.

Glyn Kirk/AFP via Getty Images
The 124 Gun Salute at Tower of London takes place as part of the Queen Elizabeth's Birthday Parade, the Trooping the Color.

Matt Dunham/AP
Members of the British Army's Household Division take part in the Trooping the Color parade in London.

Richard Pohle/AP
The red arrows fly over the crowd as they wait for the royal family to appear on a Buckingham Palace balcony.

Ben Stansall/AFP via Getty Images
Spectators line the Mall as they wait for the Trooping the Color ceremony.

Daniel Leal /AFP via Getty Images
A portrait of Queen Elizabeth II hangs in a shop window in Colchester, England.

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