Queen Elizabeth II Still Able to Withstand 4-Year-Old’s Screams
ByBenjamin Hart,
staff editor at Intelligencer who joined New York in 2017
Prince Louis holds his ears during Queen Elizabeth II’s platinum jubilee celebrations.
Photo: Daniel Leal/AFP via Getty Images
Queen Elizabeth II turned 96 last month. Prince Philip, her husband of 73 years, died last year. She is increasingly frail, and her usually packed public schedule has dwindled, raising the inevitable question of how much longer she’ll be on the throne. But there was no way she was going to skip out on her Platinum Jubilee. On Thursday, the U.K. commemorated Elizabeth’s 70 years as queen — the third-longest reign for a monarch ever. (Eleven more days and she surpasses the late Thai king Bhumibol Adulyadej; two more years and she leaves Louis XIV in the dust.) The extravaganza featured a military parade known as Trooping the Color, a Royal Air Force flyover, an 82-gun salute, and, of course, an array of flamboyant hats.
Elizabeth showed up to the Jubilee looking strong. On the balcony of Buckingham Palace, she made a surprise appearance to inspect some troops — apparently they needed inspecting — and later appeared again with a coterie of royals, including her immediate heir to the throne, Prince Charles, as well as possible future kings Prince William and her great grandson Prince William. (William’s brother, Prince Louis, did not enjoy the flyover, thus providing the photographic highlight of the day.) Notably absent were Oprah interviewees Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, and Jeffrey Epstein pal Prince Andrew, who also now has COVID.
Many Britons, even some who hold a skeptical view of the monarchy, view Elizabeth as a bulwark of stability helping to hold the country together, even as prime ministers come and go (and the current one might not be staying much longer). Hundreds of thousands turned out to toast her, though there were also scattered protests. Below, scenes from the Jubilee:
Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, Prince Charles, Prince of Wales, Queen Elizabeth II, Prince Louis of Cambridge, Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, Princess Charlotte of Cambridge, Prince George of Cambridge and Prince William, Duke of Cambridge on the balcony of Buckingham Palace during the Trooping the Colour parade on June 02, 2022 in London, England.
Photo: Chris Jackson/Getty Images
Members of the Household division take part during the Trooping the Colour parade at Horse Guards.
Photo: Jeff Mitchell - WPA Pool/Getty Images
Members of the public watch the proceedings.
Photo: Daniel Leal/AFP via Getty Images
Protesters from Animal Rebellion are arrested after running onto the Mall.
Photo: Mike Ruane/Story Picture Agency/Shutterstock
Coldstream Guards, a regiment of the Household Division Foot Guards.
Photo: Yui Mok - Pool/AFP via Getty Images
Her Majesty, The Queen and The Prince of Wales appear on a big screen.
Hundreds of thousands of people gathered in central London, with most unable to get near to the Mall.
Photo: Mike Kemp/In Pictures via Getty Images
The scene at Trafalgar Square.
Photo: Richard Baker/In Pictures via Getty Images
The platinum jubilee celebrations will take place over 4 days.
Photo: Amer Ghazzal/Shutterstock
Photographs by Chris Jackson/Getty Images, Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images, Daniel Leal/AFP via Getty Images, Mike Ruane/Story Picture Agency/Shutterstock, Yui Mok - Pool/AFP via Getty Images, Tolga Akmen/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock, Guy Bell/Shutterstock, Chris J Ratcliffe/Getty Images, Maciek Musialek/Story Picture Agency/Shutterstock, Mike Kemp/In Pictures via Getty Images, Richard Baker/In Pictures via Getty Images, Amer Ghazzal/Shutterstock
Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, Prince Charles, Prince of Wales, Queen Elizabeth II, Prince Louis of Cambridge, Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, Princess Charlotte of Cambridge, Prince George of Cambridge and Prince William, Duke of Cambridge on the balcony of Buckingham Palace during the Trooping the Colour parade on June 02, 2022 in London, England.
Photo: Chris Jackson/Getty Images
Members of the Household division take part during the Trooping the Colour parade at Horse Guards.
Photo: Jeff Mitchell - WPA Pool/Getty Images
Members of the public watch the proceedings.
Photo: Daniel Leal/AFP via Getty Images
Protesters from Animal Rebellion are arrested after running onto the Mall.
Photo: Mike Ruane/Story Picture Agency/Shutterstock
Coldstream Guards, a regiment of the Household Division Foot Guards.
Photo: Yui Mok - Pool/AFP via Getty Images
Her Majesty, The Queen and The Prince of Wales appear on a big screen.
Hundreds of thousands of people gathered in central London, with most unable to get near to the Mall.
Photo: Mike Kemp/In Pictures via Getty Images
The scene at Trafalgar Square.
Photo: Richard Baker/In Pictures via Getty Images
The platinum jubilee celebrations will take place over 4 days.
Photo: Amer Ghazzal/Shutterstock
Photographs by Chris Jackson/Getty Images, Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images, Daniel Leal/AFP via Getty Images, Mike Ruane/Story Picture Agency/Shutterstock, Yui Mok - Pool/AFP via Getty Images, Tolga Akmen/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock, Guy Bell/Shutterstock, Chris J Ratcliffe/Getty Images, Maciek Musialek/Story Picture Agency/Shutterstock, Mike Kemp/In Pictures via Getty Images, Richard Baker/In Pictures via Getty Images, Amer Ghazzal/Shutterstock
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