The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Weekend

Britain has just finished three days of parties, pageants, parades and concerts all in celebration of the Queen's Diamond Jubilee. To mark Elizabeth II being on the throne for 60 years, the country was given a four-day weekend with millions joining in with the festivities, despite some typically wet British weather.

Sunday: Boat Pageant and Street Parties

It all started on Sunday with a ‘flotilla' of 1,000 boats making their way through London on the River Thames. The Queen was joined by close family members on a specially made Royal Barge. Surrounding it was one of the biggest gatherings of boats from around the world the Thames has ever seen. More than a million people flocked to the banks of the river to catch a glimpse of the unique site. Although prime spots filled up hours before the procession began, revellers were happy to simply join in with the party atmosphere.

Alongside this, there were nearly 10,000 street parties going on up and down the country, as local communities came together to celebrate the Jubilee. However, in typically British fashion, the dry weather didn't hold out for long, and most people faced constant heavy rain throughout the afternoon. Despite everything quickly getting drenched with water, the rain didn't dampen most people's spirits, as the parties went on into the evening.

Monday: A Royal Concert

There was one small dampener on the weekend when Prince Philip was admitted to hospital on Sunday evening after getting a bladder infection. He was unable to make the rest the festivities, though is now making a quick recovery after a few days of rest.

Monday saw some of the biggest names in music from the last 60 years performing at a special BBC Jubilee Concert in front of Buckingham Palace. The likes of Paul McCartney, Tom Jones, Stevie Wonder, Robbie Williams, Cheryl Cole and Kylie Minogue all performed in front of the royal family and a huge crowd stretching down the Mall. One of the highlights had to be legendary British ska band Madness performing on top of the Palace, alongside some spectacular graphics. Watch it below.

The concert ended with a touching speech from Prince Charles. He began by addressing the Queen, as "Your majesty, Mummy", before going on to say "I'm sure you would like to thank all the wonderful people who made tonight possible". The speech drew a wide smile from the Queen who looked visibly touched by the whole event. The night then ended in a stunning firework display over the roof of Buckingham Palace:

Tuesday: St. Paul's Service and Procession

After the party atmosphere of the night before, Tuesday was a far more formal event, with the royals all attending a special church service at St. Paul's Cathedral. The senior members of the family then made their way through the crowd-lined streets of London to a lunch at Westminster Hall, before they all joined a carriage procession back to Buckingham Palace.

The very traditional procession let tens of thousands of well-wishers get a close-up glimpse of the Queen and the rest of the family as they travelled through the streets. The day ended when they arrived at the Palace and made an appearance on its famous balcony in front of a cheering crowd.

A message from the Queen herself marked the end of a long weekend of festivities:

"The events that I have attended to mark my Diamond Jubilee have been a humbling experience. It has touched me deeply to see so many thousands of families, neighbours and friends celebrating together in such a happy atmosphere...I hope that memories of all this year's happy events will brighten our lives for many years to come."

Did you get involved in the celebrations at all? Did you join the crowds in London or else hold your own street party? Let us know below.

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