Platinum Jubilee Jewels: Beacon Lighting Ceremony

The Queen returned to Windsor Castle after this morning’s Trooping the Colour festivities in London, and she participated in the beacon lighting from the castle quadrangle.

She touched the special Commonwealth Nations Globe to start a chain of light extending outward.

A cascade of bulbs lit up in the quadrangle…

…and triggered the lighting of the principal Platinum Jubilee Beacon outside Buckingham Palace in London. The beacon sculpture, called “The Tree of Trees,” was designed by Thomas Heatherwick.

The Duke of Cambridge stepped in to represent his grandmother during the London portion of the beacon lighting.

He watched as the front of Buckingham Palace was illuminated with colorful portraits of Her Majesty taken throughout her reign.

Back in Windsor, the Queen wore a brand-new brooch for the beacon lighting. Royal reporter Rebecca English wrote that the brooch is a gift from the Goldsmiths’ Company. “The four nations of the UK are represented by four diamond swirls and the national flowers: the rose, the thistle, the daffodil and the shamrock. It also includes her favourite lily of the valley,” she explained.

Here’s an excellent close-up of the brooch from the Goldsmiths’ Company. The wreath-like brooch is surely made of platinum, given the occasion, though that wasn’t clarified. In my notes, I’m going to simply call this one the Goldsmiths’ Platinum Jubilee Brooch.

It’s also worth noting may be one of our last Platinum Jubilee public appearances from the Queen. Buckingham Palace announced earlier today that “with great reluctance” she has decided not to travel to London for tomorrow’s service of thanksgiving at St. Paul’s Cathedral. The palace explained that, while the Queen “greatly enjoyed” this morning’s ceremonies, she “did experience some discomfort” as a result.