Up to a million people are expected to flock to the banks of the River Thames to witness what promises to be a theatrical extravaganza, a flotilla of 1,000 vessels.
Queen Elizabeth and her husband Prince Philip will be part of the river pageant, aboard the Spirit of Chartwell, floating along the 11-kilometre route winding through central London.
They will pass under 14 bridges and finish at Tower Bridge. Military boats, D-Day boats, paddle steamers and boats from across the Commonwealth are taking part in the flotilla.
The event is taking place in cool, drizzly weather. Pageant master Adrian Evans said the London Philharmonic Orchestra will be playing Singin' In The Rain as members of the royal family travel down the river.
Up to 50 large screens have been placed along the river for people to view the pageant.
Hundreds of people ignored the persistent rain and camped out overnight to secure prime riverside spots.
The spectacle is a tribute to the Queen's 60 years on the throne and to Britain's past when, for centuries, monarchs used the river as their main highway.
It will a spectacle not seen since the reign of Charles II, who in 1662 threw what some described as the party of the 17th century by staging a 1,000-boat flotilla on the Thames.
The second of four consecutive days of Diamond Jubilee celebrations for the Queen, 86, will also include thousands of street parties across the country.
The party continues Monday with a pop concert in front of Buckingham Palace featuring Elton John, Paul McCartney and Annie Lennox.
Source: CBC
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