AFP, Published on Tuesday, April 26, 2022 at 3:49 pm.

British star Ed Sheeran will crown 70 years of Elizabeth II’s reign in June, at the end of a historic parade for a variety of both the monarch and the British people, organizers announced in a spectacle on Tuesday.

The parade, one of “once in a lifetime” according to organisers, will take place on the streets of London on 5 June and will be the high point of four days of festivities planned for the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee.

The parade, which began with the sound of Westminster Abbey bells, will span more than three kilometers at Buckingham Palace, where Ed Sheeran is to pay a musical tribute to the 96-year-old monarch.

Described as a “national treasure” by the organisers, the British singer said she was “proud to be a part of the celebrations”.

A total of 10,000 soldiers, artists and volunteers of all kinds will take part in the event, which will be broadcast on television around the world and can be attended by an estimated one billion people.

“It’s something unique. In our entire history, we’ve never had the opportunity to celebrate 70 years of rule”, enthuses the parade’s “conductor” Adrian Evans.

After being held in 2012, for the Diamond Jubilee, a great maritime parade on the Thames, this year decided to return to dry land and put the public at the center of its “People’s Parade”, which will pay tribute to seven decades of British colonialism. Culture.

“I wanted to find a way that allowed everyone to participate, so that every community in the UK could play a part and participate in the celebrations in their own way,” he told AFP.

Aerial performances, music of all genres, street-art, dance, street theatre… “I created a parade that brings together different styles of artistic performances and ceremonies. And together they tell the story of the Queen’s reign” .

But will the emperor join the parade dedicated to him? Shall we see him on the balcony at the end of the parade, when the public will be marching down the vast esplanade at the entrance to the palace and where his favorite Corgis dog awaits him?

“We are in contact with the Royal Family regarding the participation of all members of the Royal Family. Details will be released at an appropriate time,” said Parade Executive Director Rosanna Machado.

Elizabeth II has largely withdrawn from public life due to mobility issues. Her appearance has become extremely rare since a brief hospitalization in October, but she did attend a religious ceremony in honor of Prince Philip in late March, marking his return to the public after months of absence. Was.