LONDON – A host of stars, including legendary British group Queen, wowed crowds in London on Saturday at a massive concert celebrating the historic 70 years of Queen Elizabeth II’s reign, but in the absence of the weary sovereign.
Rod Stewart, Alicia Keys, Andrea Bocelli, Duran Duran … After much fanfare and attention, the biggest names of the pop/rock or classical scene were paraded on stage in front of the Buckingham Palace gates, the third for the closing show. The final day of the 96-year-old sovereign’s platinum jubilee celebration, whose longevity is unequaled in the United Kingdom.
Queen + Adam Lambert began the evening with several tributes, with the hits “We Will Rock You”, “Don’t Stop Me Now” then “We Are the Champions” in front of 22,000 spectators waving the Union Jack flag. As in Crown Prince Charles and his eldest son William, who came with his wife Kate and their two children, who also had pennants.
Thousands of unticketed spectators followed the concert on giant screens in the mall, an iconic artery overlooking the palace.
Queen guitarist Brian May told the BBC, “It’s wonderful to be back,” 20 years after she performed the national anthem “God Save the Queen” on the roof of the palace to mark the British government’s Golden Jubilee.
But the real star of the evening, Elizabeth II, was absent due to fragile health, preferring to watch concerts on television, broadcast live on the BBC.
– Paddington Bear –
Beloved for her sense of duty and deadpan humor, she nonetheless made a surprise appearance in a short humorous video released before kick-off, where she drinks tea with Paddington Bear, the game’s clumsy icon. British Children’s Literature.
“Happy Jubilee, ma’am, and thank you for everything,” he told her. “It’s so cool”, she takes a piece of orange marmalade from her unobtrusive handbag, before tapping the rhythm of “We’ll Rock You” on her porcelain cup with her silver spoon, which her guests can use. love
Although passionate about racing, Elizabeth gave up on Saturday the famous Epsom Derby race, which she rarely misses, 30km from London. He was represented by his daughter Princess Anne.
She had already missed church service at St Paul’s Cathedral on Friday, having suffered ‘discomfort’ on the first day of the ceremony on Thursday, when she appeared on the balcony of Buckingham Palace, beaming but weak, leaning on a cane, army Parade for.
Among those absent on Saturday were Prince Harry and his wife Meghan, who had come from California to attend the jubilee but who chose to celebrate the first birthday of their daughter Lillibet in solitude, whom the Queen may have met for the first time. ,
– happy parentheses –
American diva Diana Ross, 78, “has been invited to perform on such a momentous occasion”, is due to close the two-and-a-half-hour evening to celebrate the contribution of the United Kingdom and Commonwealth countries to music. . , Environment, Sports and Music over the past 70 years.
A joyous parenthesis of patriotic unity at the cost of a life crisis, the jubilee celebrations last until Sunday, thanks to a four-day long holiday weekend.
The weather has cooperated so far. But rain is expected on Sunday, when thousands of outdoor lunches are planned among neighbors.
At the end of the afternoon in London a large parade ceremony with about 10,000 participants should end.
It will end in front of Buckingham Palace, where Ed Sheeran must sing in honor of the Queen and Prince Philip, her husband, who died last year, in their famous ballad “Perfect.”
A symbol of stability in a century of great upheaval, Elizabeth II ascended the throne on February 6, 1952, at the age of 25. She has gone through history with a consistency and dedication for which the British are grateful to her.
Many of those who attended the Jubilee celebrations knew that this might be the last time they would see their sovereign.
“This is our story and we will never see it again, because obviously the next time she becomes king, she will be our last queen. And I think she is an amazing queen,” Wendy Flynn told AFP. London.