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The grand finale of the Platinum Jubilee celebrations in London took place today, with royals joining in the Big Jubilee Lunches and attending the Platinum Jubilee Pageant. And we had a surprise balcony appearance from the Queen as a wonderful coda to the festivities, too!
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The day began with the Big Jubilee Lunches across the country. The Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall attended the lunch at the Oval in London. There, they admired a “lunch” spread by artist Lucy Sparrow.
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Camilla cut a cake during the celebrations. She’s been the patron of the Big Lunch organization since 2013.
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Charles mingled with the crowd, including broadcaster and writer Gyles Brandreth, who wore a corgi-themed jumper for the occasion.
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Camilla was lovely in bright green, accessorized with gold and diamond earrings and a necklace with two pendant charms.
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Here’s a closer look at the pendants. These are the same two we’ve seen her wear often recently: the Kiki McDonough Apollo Pendant, and a gold disc pendant. The disc features her ruby birthstone in the center, plus the engraved initials of her grandchildren (Lola, Freddy, Eliza, Louis, and Gus).
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The Earl and Countess of Wessex attended the Big Jubilee Lunch in Windsor, which was held on the Long Walk in front of Windsor Castle.
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Sophie wore white and green to greet those attending the lunch.
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She accessorized with gold hoop earrings and a necklace with a gold charm in the shape of an Hermès handbag.
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In London, members of the royal family watched from the royal box as the Platinum Jubilee Pageant, with thousands of performers participating, processed down the Mall toward Buckingham Palace. One of the highlights was an appearance by the Gold State Coach, made for the coronation of King George III.
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As we discussed here earlier, the coach’s windows were fitted with special digital screens for the pageant. During the parade, hologram images of the Queen from her 1953 coronation were projected, allowing her to virtually wave to the crowds.
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The Prince of Wales sat between the Duchess of Cornwall and the Princess Royal at the front of the royal box.
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Camilla wore pearls for the pageant, plus a special brooch. This is the Queen Mother’s Rock Crystal Brooch, which dates to the 1920s.
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The Cambridges sat beside the Duchess of Cornwall, joined by all three of their children.
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The Duchess of Cambridge wore a pair of vintage floral earrings set with gold and gems. She’s worn these before, often with a floral bouquet brooch. The earrings and the bouquet brooch aren’t a perfect design match, and some have suggested that these may actually be the coordinating earrings that go with the Queen’s Cartier Sapphire and Ruby Floral Brooch, worn recently at the Chelsea Flower Show. I think it’s certainly possible. There are definitely echoes of the brooch in these earrings, and it makes sense that Kate would wear earrings loaned by the Queen for this occasion.
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Prince George watched the pageant beside his father, the Duke of Cambridge.
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And Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis watched happily in the front row of the box as well.
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Little Louis endured admirably throughout the long pageant, spending time with his parents during the show. He also watched part of the parade with his grandfather, Prince Charles.
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The Princess Royal was joined at the pageant by her husband, Vice Admiral Sir Timothy Laurence, and her children and grandchildren.
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She wore pearls with her gold and gem-set wreath brooch.
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Peter Phillips watched the parade with his girlfriend, Lindsay Wallace, and his daughters, Savannah and Isla.
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Zara and Mike Tindall sat behind the Cambridges during the pageant. They were joined by their two daughters, Mia and Lena. (Baby Lucas made a quick appearance later.)
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Mike playfully reminded little Prince Louis that all eyes were on him during the pageant.
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Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie attended the pageant with their families as well. Beatrice’s stepson, Christopher Woolf, was part of the family party.
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Beatrice wore a necklace with a lovely gold and diamond pendant for the occasion.
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Princess Eugenie and Jack Brooksbank brought their young son, little August, who was patriotic in a Union Jack jumper.
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The Duke and Duchess of Gloucester rounded out the royal party. Birgitte wore her multi-gem earrings with several layered necklaces.
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And then, the Royal Standard was suddenly raised over Buckingham Palace, and we all realized that the Queen was going to make one final Platinum Jubilee appearance. She stepped on to the palace balcony with the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall, as well as the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis.
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She wore one of Queen Victoria’s Diamond Bow Brooches for her final Jubilee bow. The brooch, made in the 1850s, is one of the heirlooms of the crown.
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The final balcony appearance of the jubilee underscored the present and future of the monarchy, as she posed with all three of her heirs and their immediate families.
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It was a real joy to see Her Majesty once more in public at the end of a truly remarkable Platinum Jubilee weekend!
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