A state procession bigger than the royal wedding will mark the end of the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee — and 10,000 “front row” seats are up for grabs.
Buckingham Palace today announced details of the route senior members of the royal family will travel in horse-drawn carriages, as a public ballot opened for free tickets.
The Queen and Duke of Edinburgh will travel in the open-top 1902 State Landau — used by the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge after their marriage last year — as they return to the Palace on Tuesday, June 5.
Accompanied by a Sovereign’s Escort provided by the Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment, they will be followed in two other carriages by the Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall, and by William, Kate and Prince Harry.
The two-mile route, up Whitehall to Trafalgar Square and then into The Mall, has been chosen to give spectators the best chance to see the royal family. The streets will be lined by the Army, Navy and RAF, with military bands performing along the route.
The royal family will then appear on the Buckingham Palace balcony to watch a flypast by the RAF signifying the end of the four-day weekend marking Queen’s 60 years on the throne.
Today the Government announced a ballot for seats in the 10,000-capacity grandstand being erected around the Queen Victoria Memorial.
Culture Secretary Jeremy Hunt said: “To have a ringside seat on such a historic day is an experience not to be missed.”
Details on applying for the seats are at jubilee5june.co.uk. The ballot closes at midnight on Friday.
