The Golden Jubilee Weekend

The focus of the celebrations, the Golden Jubilee weekend in London is an event not to be missed. Highlights of the weekend include concerts in the gardens of Buckingham Palace and a colourful pageant and fireworks in the Mall.

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Travel In London over the Jubilee Weekend

Shop opening times over the Jubilee Weekend

Your step-by-step guide to the Golden Jubilee Weekend in London:

Saturday 1 June

Prom at the Palace - classical concert in the grounds of Buckingham Palace at 8pm. This is the first time HM The Queen has invited people from across the UK to a concert at Buckingham Palace. Artists performing include soprano Dame Kiri Te Kanawa and Russian cellist Mstislav Rostropovich. Invitations have already been issued to 12,000 people across the UK. If you weren’t lucky enough to get one, you can catch all the action on BBC television or one of the giant screens in Green Park, St James’s Park, The Mall and Horseguards.
Information: 0845 000 2002

Purple in the Park – London’s Gay and Lesbian Music and Dance Festival featuring clubs acts: Atelier, Bootylicious, Candy Bar and Coco Latté plus Boy George. The biggest and newest Gay and Lesbian event in London, marking the Queen’s Golden Jubilee.
London Venue: Brockwell Park, SE24
Tickets: £15
Box Office: 0115 912 9170
Nearest Station: Brixton Tube

Jubilee Weekend at Covent Garden Market
An enormous stage in the West Piazza sets the scene for the celebrations across the weekend. Punch and Judy, a Forties singalong, swing bands on Monday night, and the cast of My Fair Lady leading the audience in a rendition of All You Need Is Love (part of Monday's Music Live festivities) are just some of the things you can look forward to.
London Venue: Covent Garden Piazza
Information: 020 7836 9136

Celebratory Concert by the choirs of St-Martin-in-the-Fields and the Belmont Ensemble. Pieces to be performed include Handel’s Coronation Anthems and Vivaldi’s Four Seasons.
London Venue: St-Martin-in-the-Fields Church, St Martins Place, WC2
Tickets: £8-£18.00
Box Office: 020 7839 8362
Nearest Station: Charing Cross Tube

Sunday 2 June

HM The Queen and HRH Duke of Edinburgh attend Jubilee Church Service at St George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle at 11:15am.
Information: 0845 000 2002

A Royal Celebration – concert in the presence of TRH The Duke and Duchess of Gloucester in celebration of the Golden Jubilee. The Belmont Ensemble and St Bartholomew's Hospital Choral Society present a programme of pieces written for royal and celebratory occasions, including Mozart's Coronation Mass and Exsultate Jubilate and Handel's rousing Royal Fireworks Music.
London Venue: Queen Elizabeth Hall, South Bank, SE1
Tickets: £10-£20.00
Box Office: 020 7960 4242
Nearest Station: Waterloo Tube

Golden Jubilee Interfaith Service - 2002 doves of peace will be released at the start of this service where representatives from 8 different religions will each say a brief prayer. There will be gospel singers, choirs, a freefall parachute display, a picnic, street theatre entertainment and food on sale.
London Venue: Battersea Park, Albert Bridge Road
Tickets: FREE
Time: 15:00-16:00
Information: 020 8871 7534
Nearest Station: Battersea Park Rail

Monday 3 June

Party at the Palace - pop concert in the grounds of Buckingham Palace at 7.30pm. This is the first time HM The Queen has invited people from across the UK to a concert at Buckingham Palace. Artists performing include Atomic Kitten, Tom Jones, Elton John, Will Young and S Club 7. Invitations have already been issued to 12,000 people across the UK. If you weren’t lucky enough to get one, you can catch all the action on BBC television or one of the giant screens in Green Park, St James’s Park, The Mall and Horseguards.
Information: 0845 000 2002

At 22:45, HM The Queen lights the Jubilee National Beacon on the Queen Victoria Memorial. Spectacular fireworks display, with music and projections, on the façade of Buckingham Palace follows.
Information: 0845 000 2002

BBC Music Live – Festival in Hyde Park

A free Commonwealth Music Live festival will take place in Hyde Park between 11:00 and 19:00. The five continents will be created around the Serpentine with costumes, music and street theatre. BBC London 94.9 will be broadcasting from the event. Artists include Rita Ray (Africa), Courtney Pine (Europe) and La Bottine Souriante (The Americas). Between 13:00-13:30 thousands of musicians around the UK will join together via BBC TV and radio to perform the Beatles’ classic All You Need is Love.
Information: 0845 000 2002

Golden Jubilee Bartholomew Fair & Street Party at Smithfield Market - 1950s style London street party, with fairground rides, side shows, street entertainers, food and refreshments, swing bands to get you into party mood and pearly Kings and Queens for that traditional touch! On Monday evening enjoy Big Band entertainment. Action happens between 5:00pm-11:00pm.
London Venue: Smithfield Market, West Smithfield, EC1A
Admission: FREE
Information: 0207 814 5777
Nearest Station: Farringdon, Barbican or St Paul’s Tube

Tuesday 4 June

At 10:40 the Ceremonial Royal Procession leaves Buckingham Palace for Temple Bar. It is due to arrive at Temple Bar at 11:10, when the Temple Bar ceremony will take place. This ceremony dates back to the thirteenth-century and occurs when the Sovereign enters the City of London. The Lord Mayor will offer the hilt of the sixteenth-century Pearl Sword to the Queen, in recognition of her sovereignty.

The procession then leaves for St Paul’s Cathedral where the National Service of Thanksgiving will take place at 11:30am. Over 20,000 singers, musicians and soldiers will accompany HM The Queen and HRH The Duke of Edinburgh in the procession when seven new fanfares composed by Elgar Howarth will be played.
Information: 0845 000 2002

HM The Queen and HRH The Duke of Edinburgh return to the Mall at 15:30 to attend the Golden Jubilee Festival. The procession includes the Armed Services, a Commonwealth Procession, a Notting Hill Carnival procession and a procession reflecting 50 years of The Queen’s reign.
Information: 0845 000 2002

HM The Queen and HRH The Duke of Edinburgh make a balcony appearance at Buckingham Palace to watch the RAF Fly Past at 5:40pm.
Information: 0845 000 2002

Golden Jubilee Bartholomew Fair & Street Party at Smithfield Market - 1950s style London street party, with fairground rides, side shows, street entertainers, food and refreshments, swing bands to get you into party mood and pearly Kings and Queens for that traditional touch! Get there between 11:00am and 5:00pm.
London Venue: Smithfield Market, West Smithfield, EC1A
Admission: FREE
Information: 0207 814 5777
Nearest Station: Farringdon, Barbican or St Paul’s Tube

Travel over the Jubilee Weekend

London Underground

Saturday 1 June: Normal Saturday service
Sunday 2 June: Normal Sunday service
Monday 3 June: Adapted Saturday service with a skeleton all-night service of approximately four trains per hour from 02:00 until 07:30 Tuesday morning.
Tuesday 4 June: A special Saturday service following all-night running on Monday from 07:30

Docklands Light Railway will also run to the services detailed above.

Stations affected by the celebrations
During periods of heavy demand, restricted access to some Underground and National Rail stations will occur to help staff safely manage the crowds. The key stations likely to be affected are:
Victoria, Embankment, Charing Cross, Waterloo, Waterloo East, London Bridge, Green Park, Hyde Park Corner, Marble Arch and Westminster.

London Buses

Saturday 1 June: Normal Saturday service. Bus services in and around Victoria area will be subject to diversions and delays.

Sunday 2 June: Normal Sunday service. Between 03:00-09:00 buses in the Trafalgar Square, Strand and Fleet Street areas will be subject to diversions whilst rehearsals for Tuesday's procession take place.

Monday 3 June: Operating a Saturday service. From 17:00 buses in the Westminster, Victoria, Trafalgar Square and Piccadilly Circus areas may be subject to delays as people gather for the fireworks.

Changed pick up points: From 22:00 day and night buses serving these areas will start from the following points:
Lambeth North Station: for south, south east or south west London
Victoria: for south or south west London
Hyde Park Corner: for west or south west London
Oxford Circus: for west or north west London
Warren Street Station: for north, north east or north west London
Holborn (Red Lion Square): for east or north east London

Night Buses: A Saturday/Sunday morning night bus service will operate on the night of 3/4 June from the points listed above.

Tuesday 4 June: Operating a Saturday service. From first thing, day buses serving Westminster, Victoria, Trafalgar Square, Piccadilly Circus, Strand, Fleet Street and City areas will be subject to diversions and curtailments.

Changed pick up points: Until 15:00 buses normally picking up from these areas will be starting from the following points:
Liverpool Street Station: for east or north east London
Aldgate: for east or north east London
Lambeth North Station: for south, south east or south west London
Victoria: for south or south west London
Hyde Park Corner: for west or south west London
Oxford Circus: for west or north west London
Tottenham Court Road Station: for north, north east or north west London

After 15:00 roads in the City will be re-opened and buses will operate from the following points:
Aldwych: for east, south, south east or south west London
Victoria: for south, south west London
Hyde Park Corner: for west or south west London
Oxford Circus: for west or north west London
Tottenham Court Road Station: for east, north, north east or north west London

Night Buses: A normal Tuesday night/Wednesday morning night bus service will operate on the night of 4/5 June.

Shop Opening Times

Fortnum & Mason
Sat 1 June: 10:00-18:30
Sun 2 June: CLOSED
Mon 3 June: 10.00-18:30
Tues 4 June:10:00-18:30

Hamleys
Sat 1 June: 09:30-20:00
Sun 2 June: 12:00-18:00
Mon 3 June: 10:00-20:00
Tues 4 June: 10:00-20:00

Harrods
Sat 1 June: 10:00-19:00
Sun 2 June: CLOSED
Mon 3 June: 10:00-19:00
Tues 4 June: 10:00-19:00

Harvey Nichols
Sat 1 June: 10:00-19:00
Sun 2 June: 12:00-18:00
Mon 3 June: 10:00-18:00
Tues 4 June: 10:00-18:00