How to Celebrate the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee in London

Photo: London Eye

In honour of Her Majesty’s 70th year on the throne, the iconic attraction is throwing it back to where it all began in the 1950s: Coronation Day. This Jubilee season, the Eye will transform one of its pods into a 1950s time capsule. Built in the form of a classic British pub, ‘The Queen’s Head’ will offer guests the unique chance to celebrate HRH above the London skyline, stepping back to Coronation Day amidst authentic memorabilia from the occasion, a photo gallery of the Queen’s years in service, vintage bunting and furniture and a glass of the Queen’s favourite tipple, Gin and Dubonnet, for the adults.Date: May 27-September 4Time: 11am-6pmTickets: From £29.50 adult, family tickets availableAddress: Riverside Building, County Hall SE1 7PBWebsite: londoneye.com

The pageant tells the story of The Queen’s 70-year reign and the evolution of Britain under her rule. Artists and communities have been commissioned to tell chapters of this elaborate parade, which is set to enthral and entertain. It is a once-in-a-lifetime event which brings to life iconic moments of The Queen’s reign and features more than 10,000 people including military, volunteers, key workers and the general public, as well as national treasures and iconic figures from the arts and sport.Date: Sunday, June 5Time: TBCTickets: Free, unticketedAddress: Buckingham Palace, SW1A 1AAWebsite: platinumpageant.com

A cavalcade of more than 1,400 soldiers, 200 horse and 400 musicians come together to mark The Queen’s official birthday. The procession begins at Buckingham Palace and moves down The Mall to Horse Guard’s parade where it is joining by members of the royal family on horseback and in carriages. The ceremony finishes with the RAF fly past watched by The Queen and her family (but not Prince Andrew, Harry or Meghan) on Buckingham Palace’s balcony. There’s a dress code for this, so look sharp.Date: Thursday, June 2Time: TBCTickets: Free, unticketed,Address: Buckingham Palace, SW1A 1AAWebsite: qbp.army.mod.uk

This majestic concert features the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra as well as the magnificent Royal Choral Society and The Bach Choir along with a distinguished line-up of soloists including Christopher Warren-Green conducting, Fflur Wyn soprano and Crispian Steele-Perkins trumpet. The concert will be presented by the broadcaster Katie Derham, who is currently fronts In Tune on BBC Radio 3.Date: Saturday, June 4Time: 2.30pmTickets: From £19.50Address: Southbank Centre, Belvedere Road SE1 8XXWebsite: southbankcentre.co.uk

Petersham Nurseries transforms into a summer fête for the Jubilee weekend, filled with street food, picnicking and performances, giving guests the chance to commemorate the special occasion together. Upon arriving at the nurseries, visitors will be greeted by a grand installation of seasonal plants and flowers in the colours of red, white and blue. Taking its cues from the endless jubilee street parties, stalls will serve finger food classics such as coronation chicken sandwiches, Scotch eggs, and sausage rolls, as well as home-made piadine – grilled flatbreads, barbecue favourites and cream teas.Date: Friday & Saturday, June 3-4Time: 10am-5pmTickets: No bookings requiredAddress: Off Church Lane, Petersham Road, Richmond, TW10 7ABWebsite: petershamnurseries.com

The Southbank Centre presents an exclusive live screening of Oscar-winning Danny Boyle’s new six-episode limited series Pistol, based on the legendary sex Pistols guitarist Steve Jones (Lonely Boy: Tales from a sex Pistol, who was at the heart of the punk explosion in 1977 – Her Majesty’s Silver Jubilee year. The series is written by Moulin Rouge! writer Craig Pearce and stars Toby Wallace, Talulah Riley, Maisie Williams and Louis Partridge.Date: Sunday, June 5Time: 1pm-6pmTickets: Free, but ticketedAddress: Purcell Room, Southbank Centre, Belvedere Road SE1Website: southbankcentre.co.uk

In time for half-term fun as well as for jubilee celebrations, London Zoo’s Zoobilee Festival is a wildlife-themed celebration that pays tribute to the zoo’s Royal Patron, The Queen. A new outdoor gallery charts the zoo’s royal history and there’s a series of regal activities to entertain you. This includes children story-time sessions, face-painting, lawn games, and visits from four-legged friends including the zoo’s alpacas and pygmy goats. Adults can relax on deckchairs or picnic under festive bunting, and kids and bring their teddy bear to one wild teddy bear’s picnic.Date: May 28-June 5Time: 10am-5pmTickets: From £28.50/£18.55 adult/childAddress: The Regent’s Park, NW1 4RYWebsite: zsl.org

LGBTQI + club Duckie, co-founded by London’s first Night Csar Amy Lamé, is hosting a right royal knees-up from London’s most glamorous nightclub in the daytime, The Posh Club. The Posh Club is a performance, dance and social club for older people held weekly, and styled as a tongue-in-cheek ‘posh’ vintage afternoon tea with an emphasis on dressing up, dancing and having meeting new people. For The Queen’s Jubilee, drag queens Prince Azara and Lady in Waiting Rhys’ Pieces will host an aristocratic afternoon tea featuring fanfares, formalities, court jesters and royal command performances from Black Elvis, TBone, Kate Conway and Posh Club Dance Club.Date: Friday, June 3Time: 12-3pmTickets: £5Address: The Clore Ballroom, Southbank Centre, Belvedere Road SE1Website: southbankcentre.co.uk

For the bank holiday weekend, West End district Seven Dials is putting on a host of festivities, from street entertainment, masterclasses, prices and discounts. This includes a 50s-themed stretch class, at Stretch Inc, flower crown-making workshop, English sparkling wine tasting and burlesque masterclasses. Seven Dials’ live acoustic series Unplugged is set to entertain across the bank holiday with jazz and music with a 50s twist. While you soak up the atmosphere, you can feast on themed cocktails, pizzas and dessert.Date: June 2-5Time: 12pm-6pmTickets: Prices for events are individually ticketed and pricedAddress: 45 Seven Dials,WC2H 9HDWebsite: sevendials.co.uk

One for the night owls, insurgents abolitionists, unpardonables and ne’er do wells, also hosted the Duckie collective. Duckie is a group of veteran queer club-runners that emerged out of the wasteland of south London’s Vauxhall a quarter of a century ago. Renowned for mixing progressive pub rock by DJs Readers Wifes with arty, provocative short stage shows currently hosted by Azara, it runs every Saturday night at Royal Vauxhall Tavern. Date: Friday, June 3Time: 10.30pm-2amTickets: £10Address: Queen Elizabeth Hall Foyer, Southbank Centre, Belvedere Road SE1Website: southbankcentre.co.uk

This will be one doozy of a street party. The Mayfair Jubilee Party close North Audley Street down to traffic and lines it with feasting and entertainment, flowing from Grosvenor Square to Oxford Street. The party’s theme, Let’s Go Fly a Kite draws on Mary Poppins and the nostalgia of summer fêtes. The set up includes a communal table for 300 people adorned with British spring flowers., and there will be plenty of dishes, cocktails and treats to sample from the neighbourhood’s dining spots. There will also be live sketching among other entertainment including live music and crafts for the kids.Date: Thursday & Friday, June 2-3Time: 12pm-7pmAddress: North Audley Street, W1K 6WLWebsite: mayfairldn.com

Another belter of a (kind of) street party, Roof East is hosting a party filled with cute picnic vibes, cake, bunting, corgis, themed cocktails, crowns, and a queen or two – drag queens that is, who will be bringing song and games and trashy vibes to the event. Tickets include a Naughty Burger burger, three drinks, and cake.Date: Friday, June 3Time: 2pm-5pmTickets: £38Address: 7 & 8 Stratford Multi Storey Car Park, Great Eastern Road, E15 1XEWebsite: eventbrite.co.uk; roofeast.com

Enjoy the college’s lovely riverside grounds which will be filled with lawn games, music, and food and drink stalls, as well as family events to celebrate the jubilee with. Programme events include a Nyetimber sparkling wine tasting, performances such as open-air interactive show A Midsummer Faery Den, afternoon teas, a royal exhibition, as well as bunting and crown making. You can also take a tour of the college itself.Date: Thursday -Sunday, June 2-5Time: 10am-5pmTickets: Entry to the ground free, some events individually ticketedAddress: Old Royal Naval College, King William Walk, Greenwich, SE10 9NNWebsite: ornc.org

Belgravia’s bar and restaurant Ganymede is hosting glamourous street party in collaboration with the Belgravia Traders Association (BTA). It takes place on Elizabeth Street, around the corner from Buckingham Palace, and will feature British activities and entertainment such as horse and carriage rides, a swing band (2pm & 3.30pm), the national anthem performed by Alicia Lowes (1.45pm) and Punch and Judy (1pm & 3pm), as well as British street party food – coronation chicken and lobster rolls for example.Date: Sunday, June 5Time: 12pm-6pmTickets: Free, unticketedAddress: Elizabeth Street SW1

For more information on Platinum Jubilee celebrations visit platinumjubilee.gov.uk