The Platinum Jubilee Pageant concluded with a rendition of the National Anthem and a surprise appearance from The Queen. (PA)
Nationwide celebrations of The Queen's historic Platinum Jubilee closed with a spectacular Platinum Pageant in London - along with an appearance from the monarch herself.
Tens of thousands of people gathered on The Mall hoping to see the Queen as four days of festivities drew to a close following the pageant.
The pageant was split into four acts, telling the story of the Queen's life, and included a feast for the eyes from the Gold State Coach with archive footage of the Queen projected onto the windows to a peloton of 300 cyclists led by Sir Chris Joy and Dame Laura and Sir Jason Kenny.
The colourful carnival-style event culminated with a surprise appearance from The Queen on the Buckingham Palace balcony alongside other senior royals.
During her brief appearance, a choir of close to 200 national treasures including Sir David Jason, Harry Redknapp, Sir Cliff Richard, Sandie Shaw and Felicity Kendal serenaded the monarch by singing the national anthem at the grand finale of the Platinum Jubilee festivities.
The spectacle marked the closing of four days of Bank Holiday celebrations across the country to mark the 70-year reign of the country’s longest-serving monarch which the Prince of Wales said had fostered a spirit of camaraderie and "togetherness".
The Queen had made an appearance on the first day of the national celebrations but later withdrew from some others, with the Duchess of Cambridge later revealing she had found it enjoyable but tiring.
Her surprise appearance thrilled crowds who packed onto The Mall for the historic occasion, with many saying it was the highlight of a weekend that included a RAF flypast as well as a pop concert outside Buckingham Palace featuring some of the UK's biggest stars.
Spectators wait on The Mall ahead of the start of the Platinum Jubilee pageant. (PA)
The Platinum Jubilee Pageant featured a carnival-like atmosphere as it closed the celebrations. (PA)
People pose for selfies on The Mall ahead of the start of the Platinum Jubilee pageant. (PA)
Boris Johnson and Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer among the guests at the Platinum Jubilee pageant in front of Buckingham Palace. (PA)
Baga Chipz was among those to appear at the Platinum Jubilee Pageant. (PA)
Prince George and the Duke of Cambridge during the Platinum Jubilee pageant. (PA)
Scenes on The Mall during the Platinum Jubilee pageant in front of Buckingham Palace. (PA)
The Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Louis join Mike Tindall and Mia Tindall during the Platinum Jubilee pageant. (PA)
Soldiers parade during the pageant in front of Buckingham Palace. (PA)
The Prince of Wales watches on during the Platinum Jubilee pageant. (PA)
Drivers with Morris Minors during the Platinum Jubilee pageant. (PA)
The pageant featured impressive floats inspired by moments during the Queen's reign. (PA)
Crowds were thrilled by the surprise appearance of the Queen alongside other royals. (PA)
Among the pageant were 80's decade dancers. (PA)
Shirley Ballas and Patrick Mower during the Platinum Jubilee Pageant in front of Buckingham Palace. (PA)
The pageant included a giant balloon featuring the Queen's image. (PA)
Naomi Campbell was among the national treasures at the Platinum Jubilee Pageant. (PA)
Athlete Mo Farah joined guests at the Pageant to mark the Queen's reign. (PA)
Vintage cars during the Platinum Jubilee Pageant on day four of the celebrations. (PA)
Basil Brush, Anthea Turner, Peter Duncan, Valerie Singleton and Peter Purves boarded a double decker bus for the pageant. (PA)
A sculpture of Queen Elizabeth II during the Platinum Jubilee Pageant. (PA)
Ed Sheeran performed in front of Buckingham Palace during the Platinum Jubilee Pageant. (PA)
The punk era was represented during the pageant. (PA)
Riders with bicycles during the pageant. (PA)
Katherine Jenkins, Chris Eubank and Sir Cliff Richard during the Platinum Jubilee pageant. (PA)
Children's TV characters from shows such as Teletubbies and Peppa Pig formed part of the pageant. (PA)
Front row left to right, the Prince of Wales; Princess Royal; and Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence and second row, Autumn Kelly; Peter Phillips; and Savannah Phillips wave during the pageant. (PA)
The Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Louis - who was up to mischief again - during the pageant as Boris Johnson and Mike Tindall watch on. (PA)
Kate Moss and Patsy Kensit take part in the Platinum Jubilee pageant in front of Buckingham Palace. (PA)
Soldiers parade down The Mall.
A car carrying Bake Off judge Prue Leith is pushed after it broke down during the pageant. (PA)
Dancers during the Platinum Jubilee pageant. (PA)
Chris Tarrant, Angela Rippon and Noddy Holder during the Platinum Jubilee pageant. (PA)
Members of the public watch as the Queen's Platinum Jubilee pageant passes through Westminster. (PA)
Prince Louis sat on the knee of his grandfather the Prince of Wales during the Platinum Jubilee pageant. (PA)
Crowds line The Mall during the Platinum Jubilee pageant. (PA)
Watch: Queen Elizabeth appears on balcony at Platinum Jubilee Pageant finale
Our goal is to create a safe and engaging place for users to connect over interests and passions. In order to improve our community experience, we are temporarily suspending article commenting
Belarusian dictator Alexander Lukashenko has used a speech to threaten military retaliation against anybody who attacked his country, as tensions over the war in neighbouring Ukraine remained high.Speaking on Saturday on the eve of the country's Independence Day, Lukashenko said he had ordered his armed forces to target "the decision-making centres" of Western capitals in the event of an attack on Belarus, adding: "Don't touch us - and we won't touch you," according to state news agency Belta.
More than a million have spilled onto the streets of London to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the UK's first Pride parade, festooning the British capital with a spectacle of rainbow flags, glitter and sequins.After two years of cancellations because of the coronavirus pandemic, the parade came half a century after Britain's first march to celebrate Pride in 1972 in London.
The South Australian Liberals are set to retain the prized state seat of Bragg in a by-election forced by the resignation of former deputy premier Vickie Chapman, but not before being pushed to the wire.With only postal and pre-poll votes to count this week, Liberal Jack Batty is clinging to a narrow lead over Labor's Alice Rolls after another big swing to the ALP.
Fighting has intensified for Lysychansk, Ukraine's last big bastion in the strategic eastern province of Luhansk, and an adviser to President Volodymyr Zelenskiy concedes the city could fall.Russian forces seized Lysychansk's sister city Sievierodonetsk on the opposite side of the Siverskiy Donets river last month, after some of the heaviest fighting of the war.
Western Australia's government has introduced a package of reforms to crack down on councillors behaving badly.The changes to the Local Government Act will be the most significant in its more than 25-year-history, the state government says.
Tasmania has launched a review into how a pedophile nurse had worked in a children's ward of Launceston General Hospital amid harrowing evidence from victims at an inquiry.Premier Jeremy Rockliff on Sunday said the state government will establish a Child Safe Governance Review of the hospital and its human resources, to focus on the handling of serious misconduct such as institutional child sexual abuse.
Independent ACT senator David Pocock is open to backing Labor's 43 per cent emissions reduction by 2030 target if it has "integrity".While Senator Pocock wants to see a higher target, he would welcome the less ambitious goal to ensure action started on combating climate change.
Retired tennis player Ash Barty has been named person of the year at the 2022 NAIDOC Awards.Barty, a proud Ngaragu woman, was the first Australian woman since Evonne Goolagong Cawley to hold the no.
Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong says the government is committed to the "highest" nuclear non-proliferation standards when it comes to securing new nuclear submarines.Her comments come ahead of her visit with the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency on Monday.
Anti-terrorism powers available to NSW Police should be wound back because they aren't able to use them correctly, the law enforcement watchdog says.The Law Enforcement Conduct Commission's (LECC) latest tri-annual report on NSW Police's use of anti-terror powers has given a bruising assessment of the force's use of legislation.
Eating disorder recovery advocates are hopeful an initiative to offer a suite of treatment options in a single register will boost support, particularly in regional areas.A national directory of eating disorder clinicians called connect*ed has been launched to help Australians who struggle with conditions like anorexia to get treatment faster.
Fabio Jakobsen has won stage two of the Tour de France in a reduced sprint finish after a late crash split the peloton in Nyborg, Denmark.Jakobsen, making his Tour debut less than two years after suffering life-threatening injuries in a crash at the Tour of Poland, delivered Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl's second stage win in as many days as he beat Wout van Aert and Mads Pedersen to the line.
Former Australian prime minister Kevin Rudd has joined an international advisory group set up by the president of Ukraine to look at ways to prevent future Russian aggression.The 'who's who' group of ex-government foreign policy specialists held its first meeting earlier this month after being established by Ukraine's leader Volodymyr Zelenskiy in May.
Border restrictions enforced in response to COVID-19 will be dropped this coming week, with arriving passengers no longer required to declare their vaccination status or obtain a travel exemption.Changes to the Biosecurity Act coming into effect on Wednesday were made following advice from the Chief Medical Officer Paul Kelly that it was no longer necessary for travellers to declare their vaccination status.
