British pop, from Duran Duran to George Ezra, organizes a great concert on Saturday for the “platinum jubilee” of Elizabeth II who, exhausted for the celebrations at his 96 years, he will have to miss what he loves most: horse racing.
On the esplanade in front of Buckingham Palace in central London, three stages have been installed linked by walkways to provide a 360-degree experience and 70 columns of light, representing the 70 years spent on the throne by a queen crowned with only 25 years in 1952.
Some 22,000 people will attend a major concert organized by BBC radio and television in the evening. Almost 8,000 will be workers from key sectors during the pandemic, members of the armed forces and volunteers from charities, invited in gratitude for their services.
The poster announces a shower of stars and the organizers promised some surprises.
Members of the royal family, including Prince Charles, 73-year-old heir to the throne, and his eldest son William, 39, will represent the queen, who, in increasingly fragile health, will follow the event on television.
Passionate about equestrian, the queen had to attend the 243rd edition of the most prestigious race in the country on Saturday, the Derby held at Epsom Downs, about 30 km from London, which she has missed on very few occasions.
But, after appearing standing on the balcony of the palace on Thursday to inaugurate the four days of celebrations for her jubilee, she felt “a certain discomfort”, which on Friday led her to cancel her presence at a massive thanksgiving mass.
Still tired, she will not attend the races either, the royal house later confirmed, which on Saturday released a photo of the monarch, wearing a flowered dress, a pearl necklace and a big smile, participating in a virtual meeting with prize winners in Australia.
Elizabeth II’s health has raised concern since doctors ordered her to rest in October and she spent a night hospitalized to undergo medical “tests.” Since then, she canceled her presence in numerous official acts and began to walk with a cane. She also contracted the coronavirus in February, which in her own words left her “very tired”.
Lilibet’s Birthday
Saturday was also the first birthday of Lilibet, the youngest daughter of the prince Enrique and Meghan Markle, who traveled with their two children to London from California, where they have lived since they distanced themselves from the British monarchy in 2020, shocking the country.
Leaving aside the tension caused after they came to accuse a member of the monarchy they did not name of racism, the couple ate according to the press on Thursday with the royal family and on Saturday the queen, Carlos, Guillermo and their wives Camila and Catalina wished on Twitter a “very happy first birthday” to the little girl, born in the United States.
During the day, hundreds of thousands of people were to celebrate the reign of the longest-serving monarch in British history with endless street parties.
Before nightfall, the concert in front of Buckingham was supposed to start with a performance by the remaining members of Queen, together with the American singer Adam Lambert, who promised to be remembered, such as the historic appearance of his guitarist Brian May on the roof of the Palace of Buckingham for the “golden jubilee” concert in 2002.
After being invited, “at one point I wondered what can be done behind the roof of Buckingham Palace? Well… you’ll see!” May launched.
The concert will be closed by the legendary Diana Ross, with her first live performance in the UK in 15 years.
Between the two, iconic figures of British pop and rock will perform for two and a half hours, from Duran Duran to Rod Stewart, passing through Elton John, who will do it by video because he is currently on tour.
The tennis player Emma Raducanu, the former soccer player David Beckham, the actors Stephen Fry and Julie Andrews will also appear in this rain of stars, where the British singer of the last Eurovision, Sam Ryder, will not be missing.
The jubilee celebrations, which began on Thursday with a large military march, will end on Sunday with another parade, this one more festive, to stage the 70-year reign of Elizabeth II with music and dance. And dozens of picnics and meals in the open air if the expected rain that day does not prevent it.
