The Queen is expected to appear on the balcony of Buckingham Palace on Thursday as Trooping the Colour is celebrated in London for the first time since the pandemic.
Thousands are expected to gather along the Mall to see the Royal Family as a weekend of events marking Her Majesty’s Platinum Jubilee begin.
Here is a look back at some of the Queen’s most famous balcony moments.
Image: 1927: Just a year old, Princess Elizabeth appears on the balcony of Buckingham Palace
Image: 1937: Princess Elizabeth (centre) after the coronation of King George VI following the abdication of his brother King Edward VIII
Image: 1953: The Queen waves to supporters following her coronation at Westminster Abbey
Image: 1957: L-R: the Queen Mother, Duchess of Kent, the Queen, Princess Anne, Duchess of Gloucester, Princess Royal, Princess Margaret, Duke of Gloucester, Duke of Edinburgh and Prince Charles
Image: 1971: The Earl of St Andrews, Lady Helen Windsor, Princess Anne, Lady Sarah Armstrong-Jones, the Queen Mother, Prince Edward, the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh
Image: 1964: The Queen on the balcony of Buckingham Palace, holding 12-week-old son Prince Edward after the Trooping the Colour. L-R: the Queen Mother, the Queen, Prince Andrew and the Duke of Edinburgh
1977 – Silver Jubilee
The Queen has had three major jubilees. The first was her Silver Jubilee in 1977, marking 25 years on the throne.
It was celebrated with large-scale street parties and parades up and down the country.
Image: 1977: The Queen and Prince Philip are joined by Earl Mountbatten after the Silver Jubilee procession
An estimated one million people lined the route of a procession to St Paul’s Cathedral, where the Royal Family attended a service of thanksgiving.
Image: 1985: Prince Charles holds a baby Harry alongside Princess Diana, Princess Anne and Prince Edward
Image: 1992: Four generations of the Royal Family, L-R: The Queen, Prince of Wales, Queen Mother, Princess of Wales and Lady Gabriella Windsor, daughter of the Prince of Kent
Image: 2000: The Queen waves on the balcony of Buckingham Palace for the Trooping of the Colour ceremony. L-R: Countess of Wessex, Queen Mother, Earl of Wessex, Duke of Edinburgh, Princess Margaret and the Prince of Wales
2002 – Golden Jubilee
In 2002, the Queen celebrated 50 years on the throne, in a year that began with personal tragedyafter her sister Princess Margaret and the Queen Mother died in February and March respectively.
Image: 2002: The Queen and her family watch the flypast from the balcony of Buckingham Palace during Golden Jubilee celebrations
There was a musical theme through the celebrations, with more than 200 towns and cities across the UK publicly playing the Beatles’ song All You Need Is Love.
The Royal Family also attended the Party at the Palace – with headline acts including Paul McCartney and Eric Clapton.
2012 – Diamond Jubilee
Ten years later, the Queen celebrated 60 years since her accession to the throne.
She became only the second British monarch to reach the milestone – with Queen Victoria being the first in 1897.
Image: 2012: The Duchess of Cornwall, Prince Charles, Queen Elizabeth II, Prince William, Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry stand on the balcony at Buckingham Palace
More than 1,000 boats escorted the Queen, who was aboard a specially decorated royal barge, down the River Thames for the Thames Diamond Jubilee Pageant.
Image: 2016: A new generation joins the Queen with the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and their children Princess Charlotte and Prince George
Image: 2019: The Queen is joined by Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, a year after her wedding to Prince Harry
