Queen Elizabeth and Royals Kick Off Jubilee Celebrations With Lavish Pageantry — But No Harry and Meghan

variety.com:

Manori Ravindran International EditorThe Queen’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations kicked off on Thursday morning with a parade and flypast around Buckingham Palace, and the bittersweet acknowledgement that Britain is unlikely to experience anything quite like this ever again.The milestone marks 70 years on the throne for Queen Elizabeth II, who took the crown at just 25 years old in February 1952.

The U.K. has a special four-day bank holiday beginning Thursday to celebrate the 96 year old, who is the longest-serving monarch in British history.Although the Queen missed the Trooping the Color ceremony, she appeared on the Buckingham Palace balcony two hours into the festivities to “inspect” the troops, and was later joined by “working” members of the Royal Family (meaning no Prince Andrew or Prince Harry and Meghan Markle) for a Royal Air Force flypast that gave Tom Cruise a run for his money.

The monarch — who appeared to be on good form despite a spell of poor health in recent months — stood beside her son and heir to the throne, Prince Charles; her youngest grandson, an animated, four-year-old Prince Louis; and other senior members of the family that had been specially invited.