BBC News - Diamond Jubilee: Explore the Pageant Print Diamond Jubilee: Explore the Pageant The Thames Diamond Jubilee Pageant promises to be the most spectacular nautical event seen in London for 350 years. On 3 June, more than 1,000 boats will celebrate the Queen's 60-year reign and Britain's maritime history by sailing down the River Thames. Use the navigation bar or drag your cursor around the image to see photos, video and a route map. little ships The flotilla of more than 1,000 boats grouped in sections sets off from Battersea Bridge at high water on 3 June. Drag the image or navigation bar and click on labels to get a sneak preview of some of the hundreds of vessels taking part in the biggest event of the Diamond Jubilee year. Gloriana Royal Jubilee Bells Eight specially cast Royal Jubilee bells will be housed in a floating bell tower on a belfry barge. The largest of the eight bells is called Elizabeth. It was donated by the Worshipful Company of Vintners, weighs half a ton and was cast at the Whitechapel Bell Foundry in east London.

The other bells will each be named after senior members of the Royal Family - Philip, Charles, Anne, Andrew, Edward, William and Henry. Eight change ringers, members of the Ancient Society of College Youths, will form the Royal Jubilee Bellringers. They will ring a quarter peal, with churches along the route and around the country providing an answering peal. After the Pageant, the Royal Jubilee Bells will be housed at the Church of St James Garlickhythe in the City of London. Water music Music is a key feature of the Diamond Jubilee Pageant. Musicians will perform specially commissioned pieces on 10 music herald barges separating each section of boats taking part. Aboard the final music herald barge will be the London Philharmonic Orchestra, performing pieces linked to buildings on the banks of the river, such as theme tunes to Bond movies as they pass the MI6 headquarters and The Dambusters theme tune near the RAF memorial. The Ancient Academy of Music will play Handel's Water Music on 18th century instruments - amplified by 21st century technology for the millions watching the spectacle.

Here, you can listen to Alla Hornpipe movement from Water Music Suite No 2 to get you in the mood for the big day. The Matthew of Bristol This replica of a Tudor merchant sailing ship represents vessels that plied the Thames during Henry VII's reign. The ship will be moored at Butler's Wharf on the Avenue of Sail with paying guests and other dignitaries on board enjoying the pageant festivities. In 1497, Italian-born explorer John Cabot left Bristol on this little boat hoping to find a new route to Asia. Three thousand miles later he landed at what he called New-Found-Land in what we now know as North America. The replica Matthew made the same journey in 1997. The Matthew is based in Bristol Harbour but frequently unfurls her sails for trips round the harbour as well as film projects. Avenue of Sail Tall ships unable to pass under London's bridges will be moored on both sides of the River Thames forming an Avenue of Sail, stretching from London Bridge to Cherry Garden Pier in Wapping.

As well as 56 sailing ships, you will see warships, Thames sailing barges, cocklers, oyster smackers, eel barges, herring drifters, fishing trawlers and tugs moored along the river. They include Amazon, a 127-year-old yacht present at Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee celebrations and the Suhaili, pictured here in 1969 when yachtsman Sir Robin Knox-Johnston became the first person to sail her solo non-stop around the world. More than 40 years on, he will be back on board the Suhaili for Sunday's pageant. Tenacious:'Everyone is equal' Tenacious is a tall ship built in 2000 by the Jubilee Sailing Trust charity and designed to be sailed by both able-bodied and disabled crew members. She will join the pageant just days after completing a 3,000-mile voyage across the Atlantic. Able-bodied and physically disabled crew members are paired off in in a "buddy" system and there are cabins designed for wheelchair users on board.

People who are visually impaired, amputees and those with other forms of physical disability can benefit from a sailing experience as well. "Someone who has had a disability for a long time may have been wrapped up by society in cotton wool and told, "You can't do this and you can't do that." But here that's all gone - everyone is equal," said ship's medical purser Carol Redgrave. Shropshire Lad: 'A path to recovery' The Shropshire Lad narrowboat is crewed by 12 military personnel, eight of whom were wounded in Afghanistan, Iraq and other theatres of war. They are travelling from North Shropshire to London along rivers and canals over a period of three weeks, canoeing, cycling and crewing the boat through more than 200 locks. A second narrowboat, the Shropshire Lass, will follow on, crewed by members of the Lyneal Trust which proves canal boat experiences for disabled people. "The ultimate prize is the Pageant," said Lt Col Guy Chambers, who is organising the trip. "We see this as a significant challenge and opportunity for our wounded and injured soldiers and a path to their recovery." Passenger boats: all aboard!

One of the 67 passenger boats you might see on the day of the pageant is the Clifton Castle, pictured. It took part in the D-Day landings and is joined by four other sightseeing vessels belonging to Thames River Boats. Also, look out for the amphibious DKUW from Duck Tours. Half boat, half truck, it was designed in the USA during World War II to unload cargo onto beaches where docks had been destroyed. In contrast, Thames Clippers will be sending out four sleek, super modern boats from its fleet - Cyclone, Aurora, Monsoon and Tornado. Narrowboats and barges: a proud history Sixty canal boats, once the only way to transport goods around the UK, will ply their way down the Thames on 3 June as part of the grand flotilla. In this video clip, the skipper of President, David Powell, talks about the history of one of the world's only surviving steam-powered narrowboats. Representing Staffordshire in the Diamond Jubilee Pageant, the narrowboat will have made a 336-mile (540km) journey from a West Midlands museum to London for the Pageant. The boat is owned by the Black Country Living Museum in Dudley.

A handful of restored Thames sail barges, once used to transfer cargo from large ships to shore, will be moored on the Avenue of Sail for the public to admire. Motorboats and pleasure craft Sixty motorboats from yacht clubs around the country have been chosen to join the River Thames pageant. They include: Shaken Not Stirred, aptly named for its part in the opening sequence of Bond film The World Is Not Enough; Siku Kuu, from Kenya with the Kenya High Commissioner on board; Wetwheels, skippered by a wheelchair user and with children from Naomi House Hospice aboard. Pictured here is Dandy Regent of the Association of Thames Yacht Clubs. The Solar 32 motor cruiser will be representing the Duke of Edinburgh Awards Scheme. The Alaska: royal connection Built in 1883, the Alaska is the oldest working vessel on the Thames. In 2009 the Alaska became a Royal Barge for the day when the Queen went aboard to watch a swan-upping ceremony. "The vessel will be decked out from stem to stern with red, white and blue bunting ...

with all brasswork polished and the skipper and engineer sporting their Victorian style boatmen's uniforms," owner and skipper Peter Green of Thames Steamers told the BBC. "Let's hope the weather behaves itself!" Fireboats: the Massey Shaw and more London Fire Brigade's most famous fireboat will be joining the flotilla on the day of the pageant. Now retired, the Massey Shaw, rescued about 500 soldiers from the shallow waters off Dunkirk and ferried them to larger ships off shore. The flag from the boat was used to bandage an injured soldier's arm. Here the Massey Shaw is pictured sailing up the River Thames in June 1941, being greeted after its heroic Dunkirk rescue. On June 3, the pageant will also see one of London Fire Brigade's two current fireboats the Fire Flash taking part, as well as the 1970s restored Fire Hawk, Gloucestershire Marine Rescue 1 and Merseyside Marine Rescue 1. Forces vessels: war heroes More than 140 historic boats will cruise down the Thames in honour of the Queen.

Vessels that played an important part in World War II will be represented by Air Sea Rescue, Air Force Rescue, the British Army, and the Royal Navy. RAF high-speed launches like the HSL-102, pictured, was one of 22 rescue boats based around the coast of Britain that saved the lives of more than 13,000 airmen from the seas. In 1941 the HSL-102 rescued 38 aircrew from the North Sea - including the crews of two German bombers. She was restored in 1993, re-launched by the Queen Mother in 1996 and has acted as a royal barge for the Duke of Edinburgh and the Duke of Kent. Tugs, steamers and lifeboats Various historic tug boats, steamers and lifeboats will be seen on the Thames honouring the Queen. RNLI lifeboats have rescued more than 177,000 people since the Queen came to the throne 60 years ago.

Taking part on June 3 is Eastbourne RNLI Lifeboat Station's new £2.7m Tamar lifeboat, named RNLI Diamond Jubilee in honour of the Queen who is an RNLI patron. The Duke and Duchess of Kent will be on board. Wheldale will be among the tugs in the flotilla. Built in 1959, it transported coal from Yorkshire mines via the Aire and Calder Navigation canal to Goole docks until 1986. It was bought by The Yorkshire Waterways Museum in 1997 and restored. The oldest working passenger vessel the steamer Alaska is in this category, along with Kariat, a launch representing the Lord Lieutenant of the Isle of Wight. Dunkirk Little Ships Forty-five Dunkirk Little Ships will be positioned just behind the Royal Section. These ships are just a few of the original 700 private vessels that took part in the evacuation of 385,000 British, French and Belgian troops from Dunkirk in 1940, as part of Operation Dynamo. Five more Little Ships will be moored on the Avenue of Sail.

Among them will be MTB102, which carried Churchill and Eisenhower to inspect the D-Day fleet on 3 June 1944, and the New Britannic which rescued the largest number of men - 3,000. "Members are very much looking forward to taking part in this spectacular celebration of her reign and the maritime history of Great Britain and the Commonwealth," said Commodore Richard Basey of the Association of Dunkirk Little Ships. Royal escort boats, heralds and fanfares Several boats will accompany the Royal Barge, The Spirit of Chartwell, including support vessels of the former Royal Yacht Britannia such as the Royal Yacht Britannia royal barge (pictured). They will be crewed by the Queen's former Royal yachtsmen, known as Yotties, dressed in ceremonial uniform. Trinity 500s boats rowed by the Marine Society and Sea Cadets will carry the 54 Commonwealth flags. Trinity House No 1 Boat will sail ahead of the Royal Barge, reflecting its traditional role of preceding the reigning monarch when at sea in British waters. On board will be Princess Anne and Vice-Admiral Sir Timothy Laurence.

As the Queen's barge approaches each bridge, a fanfare performed by members of the Band of her Majesty's Royal Marines will herald Her Majesty's arrival. The Pageant route Winston Churchill's Havengore Havengore will sail with the Royal squadron. On board will be the Duke of York, Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie, the Earl and Countess of Wessex, the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester, Prince and Princess Michael of Kent and London mayor Boris Johnson. The craft is most famous for bearing the coffin of former British Prime Minister Sir Winston Churchill up the Thames from Tower Pier to Festival Pier at his state funeral in 1965. His last journey was witnessed by hundreds of thousands of Londoners along the river bank and on bridges, as well as 350 million TV viewers around the world. BBC commentator Richard Dimbleby ended his commentary with the words: "And so Havengore sails into history - not even the Golden Hinde has borne so great a man." The Royal Barge: The Spirit of Chartwell The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh will travel on a gilded barge - The Spirit of Chartwell - specially decorated with flowers from the royal gardens and furnished in 17th century style.

They will be joined by Prince William and Catherine and Prince Harry. The royal couple will be seated on ornate chairs under a gold canopy as they cruise down the Thames. The sides of the craft will be decorated with red drapes, while the Queen's cipher and a crown will be displayed on the bow. The floral displays will feature a red, gold and purple colour scheme. In this clip, designer Joseph Bennett describes the highly skilled work carried out at the City and Guilds of London Art School on the 64-metre-long barge which was donated for the occasion by owner Philip Morrell. Kayaks and dragon boats: paddle power There will be 80 sea kayaks taking part representing canoe clubs from all over the country. The flotilla will include about 15 specially decorated dragon boats. These kind of boats originated in China some 2,500 years ago. Three of these will be crewed by breast cancer charities Paddlers for Life, Lake Windermere and Worcester Busters (pictured). In recent years, the upper body movements used to paddle dragon boats have been found to benefit those recovering from breast cancer surgery, and the clubs that run them provide a valued support network for survivors and their families.

Traditional and modern rowed boats More than 188 rowing boats will populate the River Thames in honour of the Queen. Cutters, Cornish pilot and racing gigs, skiffs, longboats, gondolas, lifeboats, kayaks, dragon boats and shallops - elegant pleasure barges used for transporting dignitaries in the 17th and 18th centuries. The Royal Shallop Jubilant (pictured) is a faithful replica of an 18th century barge presented to the Queen for her Golden Jubilee in 2002. Dim Riv, a half size replica of a Viking Longboat, will travel down to the Thames from the Shetland Islands. All rowed boats will "toss oars" in salute to The Queen as they pass her. Gloriana: Royal rowbarge At nearly 90 feet long, the royal rowbarge Gloriana is the largest rowed vessel in the UK. It has been specially built for the occasion and will lead the whole flotilla of more than 1,000 vessels. The gilded barge is made from wood from sweet chestnut trees grown on Prince Charles' own private estate.

Although it is called the royal rowbarge, the Queen will not be on board. Olympic gold-medal winner Sir Steve Redgrave and Sir Matthew Pinsent will be among the 18 oarsmen aboard. Lord Sterling who is behind the project said he was inspired by Canaletto's paintings of the Venetian barges of the 18th Century. Eyes of world on spectacular Thames royal pageant - CNN.com Eyes of world on spectacular Thames royal pageant By Bryony Jones and Laura Smith-Spark, CNN Updated 6:25 AM ET, Tue June 5, 2012 Chat with us in Facebook Messenger. Find out what's happening in the world as it unfolds. Photos: Diamond Jubilee: As it happens Gloriana leads the way – The queen's royal barge, Gloriana leads the way as the River Thames is awash with color from flotilla participants. Hide Caption 1 of 12 Photos: Diamond Jubilee: As it happens Queen on the water – Britain's Queen Elizabeth II waves to thousands along the Thames as the royal barge makes its way down the river.

Hide Caption 2 of 12 Photos: Diamond Jubilee: As it happens Heading to The Gloriana – The queen and the Duke of Edinburgh leave the docks and head out on to the water to the beginning of the Thames River Pageant. Hide Caption 3 of 12 Photos: Diamond Jubilee: As it happens William, Kate and Harry arrive – Prince William, his wife Catherine and Prince Harry prepare to board the royal barge "Spirit of Chartwell" during the Thames Diamond Jubilee Pageant on the River Thames in London on June 3, 2012. Hide Caption 4 of 12 Photos: Diamond Jubilee: As it happens Queen celebrates 60 years on the throne – Queen Elizabeth II is greeted by Chelsea pensioners at Chelsea Pier ahead of the Thames River Pageant. This is the second time in British history a monarch has reached a diamond jubilee milestone. Hide Caption 5 of 12 Photos: Diamond Jubilee: As it happens Row boats sit on the Thames – Participants sit in row boats in preparation for the start of the jubilee flotilla along the Thames for the queen's diamond jubilee.

Hide Caption 6 of 12 Photos: Diamond Jubilee: As it happens Rain, rain, go away... – Despite the rain, tens of thousands gathered to get a good spot in time for the 1000-boat flotilla in the celebration of the queen's 60th year on the throne. Hide Caption 7 of 12 Photos: Diamond Jubilee: As it happens Celebrating the queen's milestone – A woman flies a Union flag during the Thames Diamond Jubilee Pageant on the River Thames in London on June 3, 2012. Hide Caption 8 of 12 Photos: Diamond Jubilee: As it happens Dressing up for the occasion – Two pageant spectators dressed as the queen (complete with corgi) and a "coronation chicken" pose for a photograph along the River Thames.

Thousands are expected to turn out for the pageant to celebrate the queen's Diamond Jubilee Hide Caption 9 of 12 Photos: Diamond Jubilee: As it happens Anti-royalist protests – Anti-royalist protestors demonstrate beside the River Thames in London ahead of the 1,000 boat Diamond Jubilee River Pageant on June 3, 2012. Hide Caption 10 of 12 Photos: Diamond Jubilee: As it happens Royal guests at street party – Prince Charles, Prince of Wales and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall attend the "Big Jubilee Lunch'" in Piccadilly ahead of the Diamond Jubilee River Pageant. Hide Caption 11 of 12 Photos: Diamond Jubilee: As it happens Epsom Derby day – Britain's queen spends a day at the Epsom Derby marking the opening of her Diamond Jubilee weekend on June 2, 2012. Elizabeth II smiles from the royal balcony with Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex behind her.

Hide Caption Diamond Jubilee of Britain's Queen Elizabeth II marked with river pageant Tens of thousands celebrate along the banks of the Thames Royal family led flotilla of a thousand boats up river to Tower Bridge Music and fireworks, street parties and festivals to mark 60th anniversary The Thames became a sea of red, white and blue Sunday, as tens of thousands celebrated the diamond jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II -- so perhaps it was only fitting that alongside all the flags, another great British tradition was very much in evidence: Gray skies and rain. Some 20,000 people took to the water aboard 1,000 vessels for a river pageant featuring dragon boats, a floating belfry and the royal barge. The event -- inspired by regal riverside celebrations of the past -- was the largest such celebration on the Thames for hundreds of years. Around a million people were expected to line the route to cheer on the queen, at the head of a seven-mile long flotilla. But bad weather meant a planned fly-past was canceled. Follow CNN's live blog Isabella Hales and her family staked out their claim to a spot near Tower Bridge -- where the festivities reached a climax on Sunday evening.

"It's cold, but I don't mind," the 10 year old, wearing a cardboard Duchess of Cambridge mask that was rapidly dissolving in the drizzle, told CNN. "It was raining for the queen's coronation too. I'm just really excited, I can't wait." JUST WATCHED MUST WATCH The Queen begins the flotilla 03:05 "It's only the second time someone has reigned for 60 years," her aunt Laura Hales added. "It's a big accomplishment, and we wanted to celebrate that. "There are about 20 of us -- we've come well prepared," she said, pointing out picnic supplies, party masks of the royal family -- including a corgi -- and pink champagne, "And we don't care what the weatherman says. "Here's to Liz!" she toasted, raising her glass. iReporters celebrate Queen Elizabeth II Margaretta Soulsby, from Dorset, was the first to arrive at Tower Bridge on Saturday. She had planned to camp out, but when it began raining, stewards persuaded her to spend the night in a tent nearby.

Soulsby told CNN it was "well worth it -- I'm in the perfect position," and said such events made her very proud to be British. "In 1935, when I was 10, my father took the family to The Mall to watch the silver jubilee celebrations for King George V and Queen Mary, and I've been privileged to be present at all of the major royal events since then." After gathering upriver in west London, the flotilla made its way from Battersea Bridge to Tower Bridge, passing through the heart of Britain's capital city over the course of several hours. At the front were 300 man-powered boats, with thousands of volunteers propelling them down river, flags and streamers fluttering around them. A barge carrying the eight Royal Jubilee Bells -- the largest of which, at nearly half a ton, is named for the monarch -- led the way, with peals of bells ringing out from church towers along the river. Bumming a smoke from the queen: When the security bubble bursts Next came passenger boats, pleasure boats, historic wooden vessels -- the oldest built in 1740 -- and boats carrying members of the armed forces, police and fire services.

One of the boats taking part, the Amazon, also took part in the 1897 Diamond Jubilee celebrations for Queen Victoria, Britain's longest-serving monarch and the only other to reach the landmark 60 years on the throne. The biggest cheers were reserved for the present queen, who was carried aboard a specially-converted royal barge, opulently draped in red and gold. Sailing boats that were too tall to pass under the 14 bridges along the river pageant route lined the river from London Bridge to Wapping, in the east, creating an avenue of sails set against the Tower of London and the city's financial center. The queen disembarked at Tower Bridge and looked on as the remainder of the river pageant passed by in a riot of color and noise. Excitement grew as a gun salute rang out from the Tower of London. Nearby, those not lucky enough to get a riverside spot before the area was locked down, watched the pageant on a big screen. Cheers, whistles and the odd chorus of "God Save the Queen" rang out, and the crowd stayed jolly despite the rain.

Helen McKee, from Kent, said she bought her family along to enjoy a once-in-a-lifetime spectacle. "We're never going to see this sort of thing again. I've got a little boy and I thought it was important for him to see it. I still remember the Silver Jubilee in 1977. It's a great atmosphere here, everyone is so friendly." To Jamie Newell, from London, events on the river were just a forerunner of the main attraction of the day - the after party he was planning at home. Newell, decked out from head to toe in Union flags, and sporting red, white and blue contact lenses, said simply: "I love the queen." Not everyone was of the same opinion. In a street behind the London Assembly building, scores of pro-republican campaigners had gathered, waving placards reading: "Make monarchy history" and "Don't jubilee-ve it" and chanting "Monarchy out, republic in." Today though, they seemed resigned to the fact that they were well and truly in the minority. As the queen's barge approached and Tower Bridge lifted in salute, red white and blue streamers were tossed from the crowd.

And then, as if on cue, the heavens opened, rain lashing those gathered on the riverbanks below. Hoods and umbrellas went up, coats and ponchos went on, quickly followed by shouts of "brolleys down" from those behind. Some of those who had gathered fled to shelter, but others remained determined to see out the whole seven-mile flotilla, even in torrential rain. Patrick Gunning had been waiting for the flotilla since 11 a.m. on Sunday. It was well worth the wait, he said. "I've had my son Saul, who's 8, on my shoulders so we saw the whole thing, and we'll be staying a little longer." London's Metropolitan Police said as many as 6,000 extra officers were on patrol during jubilee events. The huge security operation comes as London prepares to host the 2012 Olympic Games, which open in late July. Outside the capital, Britons gathered for thousands of jubilee-themed street parties and barbecues Sunday.

Stores have been filled for weeks with an array of patriotic paraphernalia, from flag-adorned teapots to aprons to picnic sets, to help hosts set the scene for what is billed as a national celebration. The celebrations continue on Monday and Tuesday, which have been declared public holidays to mark the diamond jubilee. An afternoon garden party at Buckingham Palace will be followed Monday evening by a televised pop concert outside the palace grounds. At the end of the concert, the queen will take to the stage to light the "National Beacon," which will be on the Mall. She will use a diamond made from crystal glass, which has been on display at the Tower of London from the beginning of May, to light the flame. More than 4,000 beacons will then be lit in communities throughout the United Kingdom, along with the Commonwealth and UK Overseas Territories. Tuesday will be a day of pomp and ceremony, as the queen attends a service of thanksgiving at St. Paul's Cathedral, followed after lunch in Westminster by a carriage procession back to Buckingham Palace, where she will appear on the balcony, flanked by members of the royal family.

The Thames Diamond Jubilee Pageant: June 3, 2012 - The Royal Forums The Thames Diamond Jubilee Pageant: June 3, 2012 The Thames Diamond Jubilee Pageant: June 3, 2012 The Thames Diamond Jubilee Pageant Sunday 3 June 2012 "Every instinct tells me it is going to be fantastic. There will be whiffs and wherries and skiffs and schooners and sampans and dhows and dinghies and dories and dragon boats all drawn up in a parping bunting-strewn Dunkirk - except considerably more jolly, obviously. And all eyes will focus on the magnificent Spirit of Chartwell, decorated with gilt and red velvet and boasting two tons of Grinling Gibbons-style carving of Old Father Thames and dolphins and whatnot; and I can confidently predict that when they glimpse Queen Elizabeth on her canopied throne the hundreds of thousands on the banks will burst into roars of acclamation. It is the least we can do." - Boris Johnson, Mayor of London, May 2012. . . . . . . .

__________________ All aboard for the Queen's great Jubilee jamboree as the nation gears up to celebrate the monarchy From Wick to Wadebridge, the bunting is going up. The global media herd is already filling Heathrowï¿½s clogged arteries. And a week ahead of one of the most colourful and jolly weekends in living memory, one question grows ever louder: Where do I watch it? Hence, the Daily Mail is proud to offer its readers the definitive guide to the great Diamond Jubilee Long Weekend. The Thames Diamond Jubilee Pageant The whole pageant lines up for several miles west of Battersea Bridge, where it all begins at 2.40pm. It will then continue for seven miles to Tower Bridge, with every section of the flotilla led by its own floating orchestra or ï¿½herald bargeï¿½. The ebbing tide would normally make things much faster, but the authorities have decided this is a perfect day to give the Thames Barrier its annual MoT. The mighty sluice gate will be fully raised to calm the currents.

The Queen joins the party soon after 2pm at Chelsea Harbour Pier, where, with Prince Philip, Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall, she boards the launch from the dearly departed Royal Yacht ï¿½ her first reunion with her old runaround since Britannia was decommissioned in 1997. She then proceeds downriver to Cadogan Pier, where she jumps ship to the Spirit of Chartwell, a specially converted Thames sightseeing boat that will serve as the Royal Barge. The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, along with Prince Harry, will be waiting on deck, while the rest of the Royal Family will be scattered across other vessels, including Havengore, the launch best-known for its role in Sir Winston Churchillï¿½s state funeral. At Cadogan Pier, the Queen will see the great floating belfry set sail, bells clanging, followed by the 265 man-powered vessels. All will ï¿½toss oarsï¿½ ï¿½ raise their oars in salute ï¿½ as they pass her.

Next come 54 rowing boats with the flags of the Commonwealth, followed by a ï¿½herald bargeï¿½ with the trumpeters of the Royal Marines. At this point, the Royal Barge joins the procession and leads all the motorised craft through the capital. As the Queen reaches Tower Bridge, those mighty arms will lift in salute and she comes to a halt on the other side. There she will view the rest of the vast cavalcade as it comes honking, parping, waving and saluting its way past her. __________________ Diamond Jubilee - Thames River Pageant | Iconic Photo Galleries - Hollywood ICONIC PHOTO GALLERIES A-Z Top Persons Search Diamond Jubilee - Thames River Pageant The Royal barge, The Spirit of Chartwell, carrying Queen Elizabeth II passes in front of St Paul's Cathedral during the Diamond Jubilee River Pageant on June 3, 2012 in London, England. For only the second time in its history the UK celebrates the Diamond Jubilee of a monarch. Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II celebrates the 60th anniversary of her ascension to the throne.

Thousands of well-wishers from around the world have flocked to London to witness the spectacle of the weekend's celebrations. The Queen along with all members of the royal family will participate in a River Pageant with a flotilla of a 1,000 boats accompanying them down The Thames. (Photo by Oli Scarff/Getty Images) Code: A08559 Diamond Jubilee 2012: Finishing touches made to spectacular Royal Barge | Daily Mail Online comments We have been promised the greatest celebration the Thames has ever seen. And as these pictures show, the organisers of the Queen's Diamond Jubilee pageant are keen to fulfil that pledge down to the very finest detail. These students have been putting the finishing, delicate touches to decorations for the Royal Barge, which will carry the Queen and Prince Philip along the river at the head of a 1,000-strong flotilla.

Elaborate: A City & Guilds student puts the finishing touches to a gold-gilded decoration bearing the Royal Cypher of Queen Elizabeth II surmounted by the St Edward's Crown which will be added to the Royal Barge for the Diamond Jubilee river pageant on June 3 Grand design: The Royal Barge will carry the Queen and Prince Philip along the Thames at the head of a 1,000-strong flotilla to celebrate Her Majesty's 60 years on the throne The stunning gold-gilded sculptures have been worked on at the London Art School ready for the spectacular event on June 3. They will be added to the Spirit of Chartwell, an existing Thames cruiser, along with lavish red carpets, velvet drapes and two thrones beneath a canopy. RELATED ARTICLES Share this article Share Several Royal-themed floral displays will be made up of flowers from Her Majesty's own gardens to make the vessel fit for a Queen. London Mayor Boris Johnson has predicted a ‘glorious’ spectacle which would ‘perhaps be more exciting than the Olympics themselves’.

Golden plated sculptures on classical dolphins will adorn the prow of the royal barge This gilded rendering of Old Father Thames himself will take pride of place Fine detail: Several Royal-themed floral displays on the barge will be made up of flowers from Her Majesty's own gardens Pageant Master Adrian Evans spoke of ‘a once-in-a-lifetime event, one that will reclaim the Thames as a royal route’. The procession from Wandsworth to Tower Bridge will be divided into ten sections interspersed with ‘music herald’ barges. At its head will be a remarkable floating tower featuring eight specially-cast bells, each named after a senior member of the Royal Family. Their peals will be answered by chimes from riverbank churches along the route. The first boat will be Gloriana, the hand-built 88ft Royal Rowbarge, followed by a fleet of paddled vessels including watermen’s cutters, skiffs, American whaleboats and dragon boats. The second section includes craft carrying the flags of Commonwealth nations, realms and territories.

Before: The Spirit of Chartwell, a Thames cruiser built in Rotterdam in 2000, is being transformed into the Queen's Royal Barge Majestic makeover: An artist's impression of how the Spirit of Chartwell will look during the Thames pageant Next will be the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh in their magnificent gilded royal barge. It is being adpated from the the Spirit of Chartwell, which was originally constructed in Rotterdam in the Netherlands in 2000. It was rebuilt last year following its acquisition by the Magna Carta Steamship Company. Although her day job is running Thames trips for paying guests, the Chartwell is far from being a bog-standard cruiser. In fact, according to one commentator, to describe the vessel as a pleasure cruiser is ‘like calling the Queen Mary a ferry’. According to the craft’s website, her interiors are modelled on the ‘timeless grandeur’ of the 1929 Pullman railway carriage and features include 33 upholstered seats and original fixtures and fittings from ocean liners.

Queen's diamond jubilee: Thames flotilla - as it happened | UK news | theguardian.com Queen's diamond jubilee Queen's diamond jubilee: Thames flotilla - as it happened Celebrations mark Queen Elizabeth II's 60 years on the throne, including the Thames river pageant The royal family aboard the Spirit of Chartwell. Photograph: Chris Jackson/Getty 6.06pm: OK, we're about to close the blog and sneak off for the last of the soggy sandwiches. Just before we do, here is a quick recap on today: • The Queen's diamond jubilee river pageant completed a tour of the River Thames with a 1,000-strong flotilla passing under Tower Bridge. A 41-gun salute was fired from the Tower of London to celebrate the Queen's 60 years on the throne while the bascules of Tower Bridge opened for the arrival of the royal barge. The jubilee festivities continue tomorrow when Buckingham Palace becomes the centre of attention with the BBC jubilee concert getting underway at 19.30pm. • Thousands of people cheered on the flotilla from the bridges and embankments of the River Thames despite almost continual wet weather.

Organisers of what was billed as the largest anti-monarchy protest of modern times meanwhile say that more than 1,000 people joined their event. • An estimated 6 million people took part in tens of thousands of Big Lunches across the UK, according to organisers. The largest took place in Greenwich, south-east London, with up to 10,000 people sitting down to eat. Lunches were also held across the UK and overseas, such as Islamabad in Pakistan, Delhi in India, Durban in South Africa and even on the Polynesian island nation of Tuvalu. 6.04pm: Following a sea shanty and a rendition of Rule Britannia, the orchestra brings today's pageant to a close with God Save the Queen. 5.57pm: To the strains of Land and Hope and Glory, the flotilla has finally reached the finishing line at Tower Bridge. The weather has failed to dampen much of the enthusiasm among those involved in today's pageant, but it has caused the cancellation of a fly past by RAF helicopters in a "diamond" formation.

The other element of today's finale has come together though, with Land and Hope and Glory booming out from Symphony, a vessel carrying the London Philharmonic Orchestra. 5.54pm: Jubilee lunches held to celebrate the Queen's 60-year reign brought 6 million people together today, organisers have said. There were tens of thousands of gatherings, reports the Press Association, with some receiving surprise visits from royals such as the Prince of Wales, the Duchess of Cornwall, the Duke of York and princesses Beatrice and Eugenie. The biggest lunch took place in Greenwich, south-east London, with up to 10,000 people sitting down to eat. Meals were also held to celebrate the jubilee in 70 countries across the globe, in places as far flung as China, Algeria and the Arctic. 5.22pm: Guinness World Records has announced that the pageant achieved a new world record for the largest parade of boats – surpassing the previous record of 327 boats in Bremerhaven, Germany, last year. The record was announced as 419 boats reached Tower Bridge, with up to 1,000 vessels expected to complete the pageant.

4.52pm: Twenty-first century rain doesn't obey the monarchy any more than the tide did when Canute was king in 1028AD, writes Martin Wainwright, who has been soaking up the atmosphere in the north. In a piece shortly going live elsewhere on the site, he adds: The result in large parts of the north was a wholesale retreat indoors for hundreds of communal events which had hope to take advantage of the sort of warmth and sunshine which illuminated late May. "It's a washout," said a woman regular at the former Red Lion in Otley, where all 17 of the small town's pubs have renamed themselves The Queen Elizabeth until Wednesday. Outside in the downpour, knots of children with Union Jacks scampered around a soaked stage set up for a family party in the Market Square. But the outdoors' lonely scene of dank bunting and paint running from homemade garden party posters was deceptive – typically in the village of Bramhope on top of the Chevin hillside between Bramhope and Leeds.

Following the traditional ploy of 'In vicarage/church hall if wet', more than 150 villagers filled every place at trestle tables presided over by the vicar of St Giles' parish church, Rev Janice Smith, and her Methodist counterpart, Rev Dawn Saunders. 4.47pm: Thanks in the meantime for your comments and photos (like the one below) that we have received. The photo was sent in by Garry McIlwaine, principal at Ampertaine primary school, a small rural school with 118 pupils in County Derry, where the jubilee was celebrated with a street party in the school yard on Friday. 4.38pm: A Sainsbury's spokesperson has come back with a response to complaints from members of the public about Jubilee Family Festival in Hyde Park: We are very sorry to hear that a small number of people did not enjoy their day out with us yesterday. Overall we've had great, positive feedback about the vast array of entertainment on offer to celebrate the jubilee.

There will inevitably be some queues at an event of this size with 50,000 people but we've worked hard with the organisers overnight to avoid any similar issues today." 4.33pm: Over at Downing Street, the twitter account operated by David Cameron's office has tweeted a picture of the prime minister on hand as ice cream is dished out: — UK Prime Minister (@Number10gov) June 3, 2012 4.30pm: Tower Bridge has opened up its bascule pivots to allow the Spirit of Chartwell to pass through. The royal barge has now also performed a turn and will remain in place to allow the rest of the flotilla to pass through. The royal pageant heading towards Tower Bridge. Photograph: Tom Bage Salutes have been sounding out from the horns of smaller boats nearby. Another hour and a half of other vessels passing remain. 4.11pm: Imogen Fox, the Guardian's deputy fashion editor, has been giving her verdict on the pagaent's fashions.

Here's a snippet of a piece going up in full online shortly: As it turned out, the Spirit of Chartwell chic followed the same predictable Union flag colour scheme as any other jubilee party. The Duchess of Cambridge was the first to show her hand in the flotilla fashion stakes. She wore a crimson Alexander McQueen long-sleeved dress by Sarah Burton – the designer responsible for her wedding dress. A red hat designed by Sylvia Fletcher for James Lock and a pair of her by-now trademark biege-pink heels completed the look along with a silver dolphin brooch that was a gift from Prince William. She wasn't the first to wear this demi-peplum dress with pleated skirt: versions of the dress have already been worn on by X factor judge Tulisa Contostavlos and US reality TV star Kim Kardashian to other distinctly unroyal occasions. Nor was she alone in her choice of colour - the Chelsea pensioners, the Royal Watermen and the Spirit of Chartwell itself were in on the pillar-box red trend.

4.06pm: Amid the fanfare, it might seem like a difficult day for British republicans, but organisors of what was billed as the largest anti-monarchy protest of modern times say more than 1,000 people have joined them today. Protesters from across the country began arriving at noon and have continued to stream into the two protest sites, according to the campaign group Republic. Anti-monarchy protesters gather on the banks of the river Thames at city hall, London. Photograph: Peter Macdiarmid/PA Those taking part held anti-monarchy placards and chanting "Monarchy out" while speakers including Joan Smith and Peter Tatchell have been addressing the crowd throughout the afternoon. The royal barge was expected to pass the protest site shortly after 4pm while the protest will end at approximately 5.30pm. Graham Smith, chief executive of Republic, said the protest was held at the same time as the river pageant to "raise the profile" of the republican movement. He said: "We're opposed to celebrating hereditary privilege and power. The message is to the millions of people who oppose the monarchy that there is a movement you can support.

"The whole country isn't in love with the monarchy. It's a minority interest. We'll keep going until the monarchy is abolished." Republic said the protest involved representatives of the group's branches in Wales and Scotland, as well as a delegation from the Swedish republican movement. Other protestors from PETA, campaigning against foie gras, meanwhile carried out a demonstration today against Fortnum & Mason at the store's street party celebration. 3.52pm: Despite festivities being somewhat muted in Belfast, the contrast between today's commemoration and previous jubilee celebrations say how much things have changed in the once Troubles-ravaged Northern Ireland, writes the Guardian's Ireland correspondent Henry McDonald. In July 1977 the Provisional IRA threatened to disrupt the planned visit by the Queen to Northern Ireland as part of her tour around the UK during her silver jubilee year. The warning followed violent skirmishes between republicans and the security forces a month earlier when anti-monarchy demonstrators tried to march into central Belfast to protest against the silver jubilee. Today Sinn Féin has voted in favour at the Northern Ireland Assembly for the power sharing executive to buy a gift of Beleek pottery to mark the Queen's 60 years on the throne.

Meanwhile the Sinn Féin deputy first minister, Martin McGuinness, is considering whether to do the royal handshake with the Queen when she again visits Northern Ireland later this month. There are still, of course security, concerns in preparation for the royal visit to Belfast and Enniskillen at the end of June. There remains an ongoing dissident republican threat but the first minister, Peter Robinson, said today that the Police Service of Northern Ireland are comfortable with the trip. "The PSNI have to be satisfied that they can deal with all of the issues around crowd control and the potential for people to try and make some kind of disruptive objective during the course of the visit," Robinson told Radio Ulster's Inside Politics show. 3.46pm: In Wales, revellers have been braving the rain, with more than 300 official street parties taking place, reports the Press Association: City centre big screens relayed images of the Thames diamond jubilee pageant for thousands to witness. Despite sometimes teeming rain, hardy partygoers were determined to see out the celebration to its end. In Cardiff scores of people were on the scene early at the start of the city's Big Lunch celebration, in St Mary's Street.

Ceri Jones, 31, from Neath, got in the party atmosphere by offering sausages rolls to more than a dozen friends at the Big Lunch. "It's a shame about the rain but it won't change our plans at all. We intend to make this an occasion we won't forget," she said. 3.43pm: Who's winning the battle of the airwaves? The BBC, which has opted for a format that mixes traditional commentary with some segments from studio presenters, seems to be coming in for stick from commentators such as the Daily Telegraph's Benedict Brogan: Is #BBC planning to cover the pageant at all? They keep cutting away for pointless interviews #welldoneSky — Benedict Brogan (@benedictbrogan) June 3, 2012 3.39pm: Here's the view from Blackfriars bridge: Photograph: Chris Furlong/DP/Getty Images Thousands of people have been waiting along the embankment for the royal pageant since early this morning.

3.35pm: An update from Sam Jones, who says: A cheer, the honking of a hunting horn and a chorus of God Save the Queen greeted the royal barge as it passed beneath Chelsea bridge a little after 3.15. Some of the more classically inclined bridge folk even began to bellow: 'Vivat Regina!' Not far behind on another barge was a man who would surely have appreciated the deployment of Latin: Boris Johnson. The mayor of London got nearly as big a cheer as her majesty, suggesting Prince Charles might want to join David Cameron in looking over his shoulder." 3.31pm: Those two mini thrones on board the royal barge, the Spirit of Chartwell, don't seem to be getting much use from the Queen or Prince Philip. She's been taking a look below decks though, where the vessel has been made to resemble the interior of a carriage from the Orient Express. Some 60 guests are down below also, tucking into drinks and canapes… some Duchey Originals perhaps also? 3.14pm: Perhaps we should spare a thought for the broadcasters charged with maintaining a running commentary.

Channel 4's Krishnan Guru-Murthy ‏seems to be thankful that he isn't charged with such a role today: I am so glad I am not doing the TV commentary on this river pageant. Some truly hilarious nonsense on the airwaves #jobfromhell — Sam Jones (@swajones) June 3, 2012 3.01pm: John Vidal has more on the spectacle unfolding in front of him on the Thames: The first bells ring out, the hooters sound and a splendid array of many hundreds of small row boats comes around the river bend led by the Queen's new gold-plated ensign barge, small scullers in scarlets eights and fours all in yellows, whites and and greens. 'Never ever could I have imagined such a sight on the Thames,' says one of the older onlookers beside me, Jim Thomas. He is nearly in tears at the theatre of the occasion." 2.55pm: Martin Wainwright has sent this video from Bramhope, West Yorkshire: Thousands of community events such as this one are happening all over the country. 2.53pm: It's not just a waterborne event.

A London Midland and Scottish Railway Coronation Class steam locomotive named the Princess Elizabeth has been passing over Battersea rail bridge. A series of small vessels representing Commonwealth countries are now making their way past the Queen, standing alongside her husband. As word spread of the start of the pageant, crowds on Tower Bridge and the nearby river banks cheered and sounded klaxons. 2.50pm: Public celebrations of the jubilee have meanwhile been more muted in Scotland, reports the Guardian's Scotland correspondent, Severin Carrell: Councils have reported about 100 official street closures to allow street parties over the weekend, with about a third staged in the capital, Edinburgh. Anarchists in the anti-cuts protest movement claimed to have raised a black and red anarchist flag in protest on the Bank of Scotland's headquarters in central Edinburgh, within sight of Edinburgh castle where a 21-gun salute was fired on Saturday. Visitors to the Royal Yacht Britannia, which was decommissioned in 1997 and is now permanently moored as a tourist attraction in Leith, are being offered a tot of rum to toast the Queen and jubilee cake this weekend.

A carefully restored royal barge, the smaller boat used originally to take the Queen and the royal family to and from Britannia, was taken to London by road last week to take part in the Thames flotilla. In Glasgow, the Protestant monarchist Orange order staged 20 parades though the city on Sunday, culminating in two street parties to commemorate the day." 2.40pm: Royal Navy sailers have performed a boat hook linking the launch with the barge, which is decked out in a veritable floral extravaganza. The Queen is the first to step on to the barge, followed by the Duke of Edinburgh, the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall. The Queen boards to royal barge. Photograph: BBC From here, they'll watch the start of the man-powered diamond jubilee pageant, rowing at four knots down the river. 2.38pm: Bells from churches along the route are now also beginning to ring out as the royal launch makes it way by. The rain seems to have let up too.

The rowers of man-powered boats that have been waiting in the water are also beginning to flex in anticipation as the Royal launch makes its way down river from Chelsea Pier to Cadogan Pier. Waiting at the royal barge is the Duke and Duchess of Cambrige. 2.20pm: The Queen and other royals are now being ferried to the royal barge, which is waiting for her at Cadogan Pier. She's giving that familiar stiff-wristed wave. In case you were wondering, the outfit she's wearing has been a year in the planning and was designed by Angela Kelly and made by her small in-house Buckingham Palace team. Its colour scheme was chosen to stand out against the red, gold and purple hues of the royal barge. 2.14pm: And here she is, clad in white and stepping out of her car now in preparation for boarding the royal barge. The crowd are cheering her on as she makes her way down the red carpet. Chelsea pensioners meeting the Queen were led by Simon Bate, the adjutant of the Royal Hospital. The former Royal Artillery officer is one of 22 pensioners providing a guard of honour for the monarch.

He said it was a tremendous honour to be involved. The 55-year-old said the day's events were quite different to when he celebrated the silver jubilee in 1977 as a second lieutenant in the British army of the Rhine. 2.06pm: A sign now that things are cranking up. The Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall have just arrived on the river bank in full regalia. He's having a chat to a line of red-coated Chelsea pensioners, alongside the Lord Lieutenant, who will greet the Queen when she arrives shortly Prince William and his brother, Harry, along with the Duchess of Cambridge are next to arrive. Some sartorial background: Prince Charles was wearing his Royal Navy admiral's ceremonial day dress uniform, while the duchess was wearing an Anna Valentine coat and dress and a hat by Philip Treacy. 1.55pm: We're still waiting for the Queen to make an appearance. Something tells me though that it's not her who has been sending tweets like this: Text from Mr Cameron: "Is this weather what long to reign over us means?!". Sod off.

— Elizabeth Windsor (@Queen_UK) June 3, 2012 1.55pm: With everything from dragonboats to one-man kayaks, the Thames waterway will shortly be turning into a medley of all things maritime. Here is a bit more on some of the 1,000 historic vessels, steam boats, barges and tugs (courtesy of the Press Association): • Belfry Barge The pageant's lead vessel is a floating belfry with a new set of eight church bells cast at the Whitechapel Bell Foundry especially for the diamond jubilee celebrations. The bells are named after senior members of the royal family - Elizabeth, Philip, Charles, Anne, Andrew, Edward, William and Henry - and will be answered and echoed by ringing from the riverbank churches along the route. • Gloriana The £1m Gloriana will lead the manpower squadron of the pageant, ahead of the Queen's barge. It will be powered by 18 oarsmen including Olympians Sir Steve Redgrave and Sir Matthew Pinsent.

Corporal Neil Heritage, who lost his legs while serving in Iraq, and three other military service personnel who suffered life changing injuries, will be among the elite team. Four of the rowers on the 94ft gold leaf barge are members of the Paralympic rowing squad including Pamela Relph. • Spirit of Chartwell Carrying the Queen and other key royals including the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, the Spirit of Chartwell, the Royal Barge is lavishly decorated with replica carvings. With a majestic red, gold and purple colour scheme, the vessel's design will echo the richly decorated royal barges of the 17th and 18th centuries. It displays a gilded prow sculpture of Old Father Thames, a pair of scaly, sharp-toothed classical dolphins - a symbol of the Thames - and the royal cipher at the centre. • Elizabethan This paddle steamer will be ferrying the Duchess of Cambridge's family - her parents Michael and Carole and siblings Pippa and James. The Elizabethan is described as having "the unique exterior of a 19th century paddle steamer coupled with the interior of a top London restaurant and night club".

1.44pm: On the Thames, boats are getting ready for the start of the pageant. Photograph: Pool/Reuters Crew members of a replica birch bark canoe from Canada's Peterborough Museum (below) paddle to the start position. Photograph: Pool/Reuters Crowds gather on the banks of the river Thames. Photograph: Dan Kitwood/PA The start of the pageant should be under way soon. 1.42pm: Another update from John Vidal on Albert bridge: Shivering with hundreds of others. the north bank is 10 deep now with crowds but the giant new block of flats on the south side is full of parties. Right below me on a barge moored in the river, a small party has quaffed three bottles of bolinger alreadty. One man beside me admits to be a republican. "Shhhh...", he says, conspiratorially. "I had to lie to the neighbours where I was going, but I'm hoping to get to the demo later." 1.35pm: Some comments now from folks waiting for the flotilla on the Thames to pass by.

Among them is Lesley Goodacre, 57, from Donnington, Lincolnshire, wearing a Diamond jubilee-themed outfit. She was helped by her 82-year-old mother Dot to create a union flag-design dress and pair of shoes, straw hat and red pashmina. Lesley told reporters from the Press Association: "I always go over the top. I couldn't get enough red, white and blue on me. "We came to celebrate the Queen's silver and golden jubilee. She has done a magnificent job and shown great composure throughout her reign." Ian Gilbert, skipper of Papillon, one of the Dunkirk little ships taking part in the pageant, was meawnhile upbeat despite the drizzle and cold. "Nothing gets us down," he said "Regrettably we're used to this kind of weather. It's what doing anything outdoors in the UK is all about. "I just feel sorry for the people who have come to watch." 1.30pm: Here's the scene at Battersea park, south-west London, where revellers are queuing to enter a jubilee party.

Photograph: Chris Jackson/Getty Images We're just 30 minutes away from the Queen boarding the royal barge. 1.24pm: Uh oh. Something of a backlash has been sparked by yesterday's Jubilee Family Festival in Hyde Park, if comments about Sainsbury's on the Time Out site are anything to go by. The event , sponsored by the supermarket giant, was billed as a family festival for the Queen's diamond jubilee, featuring live music and entertainment. But just get a load of comments such as this one from the Time Out site: Got there but the queue was 1 hr and 45 minutes. However I felt that I needed to spend some money so I bought a book of adverts for £5. Yesterday's 'experience' was a soulless, corporate-self-interested waste of time. Sainsbury's should make a formal apology to all those who came. It should also be ashamed that it was all done in the name of the Queen as it was an embarrassment to her name.

Save your money and time and go to Tesco's for a day out." Another says: Thank goodness for internet, I thought I was alone in my thinking about how badly the JUBILEE event was organized AT HYDE PARK utter utter waste of my £52 family ticket PLUS 8 HOURS OF CHAOS for me and my family queue after queue we ended up floating about. do not bother going." 1.16pm: Here's a video of an interview with a member of the public taking part in the celebrations. Christine Vickers, 49, from Hampshire, explains why she came to London with her two children for the jubilee flotilla. 1.10pm: The heir to the throne has been exercising his vocal cords meanwhile: impressed Charles and Camilla know words to 2nd verse of national anthem, as just sung at #jubilee street party — peterwalker99 (@peterwalker99) June 3, 2012 12.06pm: If anyone looks to be in their element today, it's London's mayor, Boris Johnson, who has been popping up on broadcast coverage over the past hour fairly regularly.

He's going to be joining some second-string royals, including the Duke of York, later on board the Havengore, which was used to transport Sir Winston Churchill's body along the Thames on the day of his state funeral in 1965. Would a Ken Livingstone mayoralty have been quite as enthusiastic? 11.58am: The Guardian's Peter Walker has been chatting to revellers while on his way to Blackfriars bridge on the Thames: I asked one all-age group of 12 from the Isle of Wight ('We're still part of the kingdom') about their reasons for coming. These seemed more about wanting to join in a unifying, national event than specific love or loyalty for the Queen. 'It's a way we mark the passage of time, these events, and how things change,' said Paul McLaren, like most of his party wearing a cardboard union flag bowler hat. 'Think back to the footage from 1952 - that's one of the ways we remember what things were like then.

Of course, it's more modest this time as we've spent so much on the Olympics.' The consensus was that while feelings towards the Queen and Prince Charles are warm but a bit tepid, there is much more connection felt with the next generation down. 'William and Harry really feel like they're one of us,' said Sharon George. 'Of course, they're not, but they're better at pretending.'" 11.51am: Another view on festivities elsewhere in the UK has been filed by Martin Wainwright, the Guardian's northern editor: Steady rain in Yorkshire initially had the appearance of being set in for the day, with dull grey clouds low over the Pennines and sea frets or fogs along part of the coast. But things have been lightening up, and there's some hope that the Met Office forecast will prove pessimistic. More than 260 street parties are planned in Yorkshire and Humberside including four which are closing main roads in North Yorkshire for a fee of £300 a time. Parties in side roads are free.

Last night, tents, gazebos and 'sun' umbrellas mushroomed in Leeds and Bradford suburbs; evidence that stoicism rather than cancellation is the order of the day. One of the best of the jubilee events in the region has already taken place, prudently opting for last week's warmer and sunnier weather. A huge procession, overflowing with schoolchildren and applauded by local residents, wound through the Girlington area of Bradford, home of many British Asian families. At its head, waving from a car in monarchical style, were Karam and Katari Chand, aged 106 and 99, who have been married for 87 years and are the world's oldest married couple. Bunting is everywhere in spite of the downpours and one of the main regional suppliers, Flying colours of Knaresborough, has taken on extra staff and run constant overtime to meet a fourfold rise in demand. The Bradford-based supermarket Morrison's has evidence that the cucumber sandwich, as royal a symbol as the corgi, is vying with the cupcake on party menus.

In the last week, over 30,000 cucumbers were sold." 11.45am: A little bit now on jubilee celebrations in Northern Ireland, where events coincide with the first day in office for Belfast's new 27-year-old lord mayor, and with the progress there of the Olympic torch relay. The Guardian's Ireland correspondent, Henry McDonald, reports that Gavin Robinson's first day as Belfast's first citizen will be dominated by diamond jubilee parties across the city. The Democratic Unionist party councillor's first official engagement will be to attend a street party at Orangefield Park in east Belfast at 1pm. He will also host an afternoon tea party at Belfast city hall which will include couples celebrating their 60th wedding anniversaries this year. 11.38am: My colleague Shiv Malik has spotted another interesting jubilee-related contribution also coming out of Bristol: The radical community group the People's Republic of Stokes Croft , famed in Bristol for their regenerative street artworks, have chipped in with their own take on the jubilee. At their base in Stokes Croft they have a kiln where they keep a tradition of local pottery making alive.

From those fires they have produced a set of fine china, mugs, plates and teapots "commemorating" the Queen's reign. Stokes Croft anti-jubilee China Photograph: Stokes Croft China A protest cuppa? What could be more British? 11.28am: Of course, we're not even half way through the jubilee, which started yesterday. Here's a picture gallery giving a flavour of some of Saturday's scenes. Photograph: Henry Tullip It includes (above) what is thought to be a new piece by the street artist Banksy, which has appeared in Bristol. 11.19am: Caroline Davies, another Guardian journalist who has chronicled the royal family over the years, is also out and about today. She tweets: At Tower Bridge the crowd is building up. People in rain ponchos and wrapped in flags. All seem to be in good spirits. #jubilee

Question: What was the name of the barge that carried the Queen during the river pageant in June 2012
Answer: Spirit of Chartwel