Jubilee - live: Platinum Party at the Palace begins with surprise sketch of the Queen and Paddington
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and their two eldest children arrive at Cardiff Castle
The Platinum Party of the Palace has begun with a surprise pre-recorded sketch featuring the Queen and Paddington bear.
Kicking off the performances is Queen + Adam Lambert with a rousing renditon of “We Will Rock You” - with the Queen joining in via teacup.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex will miss the BBC’s Platinum Party at the Palace concert on Saturday evening, as they celebrate their daughter Lilibet’s first birthday “privately” in Windsor.
Other royal family members are attendance of the star-studded performance include the Prince of Wales, the Duchess of Cornwall, and the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. The Earl and Countess of Wessex and their children, Lady Louise Windsor and Viscount Severn, the Princess Royal, and others will also be there.
Amongst this weekend’s celebrations, the Queen did not attend the Epsom Derby today after also missing the platinum jubilee thanksgiving service at St Paul’s Cathedral on Friday.
Buckingham Palace confirmed that her Majesty watched the major sporting event on television at Windsor Castle, after experiencing “discomfort” following a busy first day of festivities on Thursday.
Queen receives standing ovation at Platinum Jubilee show as the nation salutes her 70 years of service
What’s on the schedule for the platinum jubilee today?
Queen Elizabeth II: What does it mean to be both a human and a national symbol?
What time does the Platinum Jubilee concert start and how can I watch it? 
The longer the Queen lives, the higher the stakes rise on one key question
Where will Prince Harry and Meghan stay during the Jubilee?
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have confirmed they will be attending Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations along with their two children next month.
The scheduled June visit to the UK, which comes after the Duke and Duchess of Sussex made a secret visit to the Queen last month before travelling to The Hague, Netherlands for the Invictus Games, will mark the first time the 96-year-old monarch has met the couple’s daughter, Lilibet Diana, 11 months.
But where will the family stay? Chelsea Ritschel has the low-down here:
Where will Prince Harry and Meghan Markle stay during Queen’s Platinum Jubilee?
The eight key bombshell claims from the Palace Papers
In case you missed it, author Tina Brown recounted scandals, love affairs and betrayals that have plagued royal family over past three decades in her recently-released book, The Palace Papers.
Packed with eye-opening details, the author of The Diana Chronicles picks up from where she left off in her last book - the death of the People’s Princess - and documents the next 25 years of the Firm’s history.
Covering all the senior royals in equal measure, Brown leaves no stone unturned and has interviewed over 120 sources for the project.
Here are the key claims:
The eight key bombshell claims in The Palace Papers
Check back in tomorrow
That’s a wrap of our royal coverage today, check back in tomorrow for the latest stories from the royal family.
Good morning and welcome to today’s liveblog covering the latest Queen and royal family-related news.
Queen + Adam Lambert to open Platinum Jubilee concert
Queen + Adam Lambert will open the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee concert 20 years after Brian May performed “God Save the Queen” on Buckingham Palace’s roof to mark the Golden Jubilee.
The Queen is celebrating 70 years on the throne in June, with a whole line-up of events taking place across the country to celebrate her reign.
One of the most star-studded events taking place over the bank holiday weekend is the Platinum Party at the Palace, which will be broadcast live on the BBC on Saturday 4 June.
Isobel Lewis has the full story here:
Full line-up for Platinum Party at the Palace concert for Queen’s jubilee announced
Everything the Queen eats in a day, according to royal chefs
With a team of world-class chefs, access to the best food that money can buy, and dining rooms at palaces across the UK, you would have thought meal times are always prestigious in the Windsor household.
Yet, as the Queen’s former chef Darren McGrady previously revealed, the Queen sticks to a pretty rigid schedule about what she eats and drinks.
Read the full story here:
Everything the Queen eats in a day, according to royal chefs
Over 2,800 beacons will be lit to celebrate Queen’s platinum jubilee
More than 2,800 Platinum Jubilee beacons will be lit across the globe in honour of the Queen’s 70-year reign, organisers have revealed as the two-week countdown to the national celebrations begins.
Read the full report here:
Over 2,800 beacons will be lit to celebrate Queen’s platinum jubilee
William and Kate to attend Top Gun: Maverick premiere in London
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge will make an appearance at the UK premiere of the highly anticipated Top Gun sequel, Maverick.
The couple will join Tom Cruise for the London event on Thursday, which is taking place as a Royal Film Performance.
The fundraising event is held in aid of The Film and TV Charity, which supports people working behind the scenes in the UK’s screen sector.
Read the full report here:
William and Kate to attend Top Gun: Maverick premiere in London
What is operation London Bridge?
The day that Queen Elizabeth II dies will elicit a series of carefully constructed plans that have been in place since the 1960s in a process dubbed “Operation London Bridge”.
Oivia Petter has the complete run-down on the process here:
The secret plan for after the Queen dies has been updated
First Nations leader calls for Queen’s apology over indigenous children scandal
The Prince of Wales has not apologised on behalf of the Queen for the “assimilation and genocide” of Canada’s indigenous residential school children but instead “acknowledged” the nation’s dark past, First Nations leaders have said.
RoseAnne Archibald, national chief of the Assembly of First Nations, appealed directly to Charles for an apology from the monarch during a reception in the Canadian capital where many leading figures from the country’s indigenous community were invited, along with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and other prominent individuals.
You can read the full story here:
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments