Queen’s Jubilee latest news: Harry and Meghan arrive in California after missing pageant finale

The audience at BBC’s Party at the Palace on Saturday evening enjoyed a pre-recorded segment in which the Queen herself acted opposite Paddington Bear, voiced by Ben Whishaw.

During the skit, the Queen finally revealed what she keeps in her signature black Launer handbag and even played Queen’s “We Will Rock You” on a teacup.

The Queen made a statement on Sunday to conclude her platinum jubilee weekend.

“When it comes to how to mark 70 years as your Queen, there is no guidebook to follow. It really is a first. But I have been humbled and deeply touched that so many people have taken to the streets to celebrate my Platinum Jubilee,” the statement released by Buckingham Palace read.

“While I may not have attended every event in person, my heart has been with you all; and I remain committed to serving you to the best of my ability, supported by my family.

“I have been inspired by the kindness, joy and kinship that has been so evident in recent days, and I hope this renewed sense of togetherness will be felt for many years to come.

“I thank you most sincerely for your good wishes and for the part you have all played in these happy celebrations.”

Her message was signed Elizabeth R.

Kate Middleton stepped out in a pair of gold hoop earrings designed by Spells of Love on a royal visit to Cardiff Castle on Saturday.

Not one to shy away from rewearing items in her wardrobe, the Duchess of Cambridge first wore the Caerphilly-based brand’s hoops on a trip to Cardiff in December 2020.

For those looking for a new addition to their jewellery arsenal, the earrings are still available to buy – and they are just £79.

We have the details here:

The heir apparant was in good spirits during Sunday’s festivities, breaking out into a fit of laughter while watching the pageant.

As a troupe of dancing elephants and zebras passed in front of the royal family, the Prince of Wales could help but have a good old giggle.

He was laughing so much that his wife, the Duchess of Cornwall, and son, Prince William, leaned over to find out what was so funny.

“As a Black woman descended from enslaved African people, the likes of whom were branded with hot irons bearing the initials of royal family members, the past four days of wall-to-wall, uncritical responses to the jubilee have been a gaslighting experience,” writes race correspondent Nadine White.

From screaming into the air while standing next to Her Majesty, pulling faces at the Duchess of Cambridge, to showing off his dance moves, Prince Louis provided plenty of entertainment this weekend.

We’ve rounded up our favourite moments here:

The crowd outside Buckingham Palace roared with cheers on Sunday evening as the Queen stepped out on to the royal residence’s balcony.

Marking the conclusion of the long weekend, the Queen stood between Prince Charles, Prince William, and Prince George, who are first, second and third in line to the throne respectively.

As noted by Professor Pauline MacLaren from the University of London’s Centre for the Study of Modern Monarchy, a royal balcony appearance is “the monarchy at their most visible”.

“But it is also them at their most strategic. Time and again down the years, they have used appearances there – with considerable shrewdness, it has to be said – to emphasise and maintain their place at the heart of the nation,” MacLaren said.

We’ve taken a closer look at the key role the balcony of Buckingham Palace has played throughout the queen’s reign. Colin Drury reports:

The Queen’s platinum jubilee served as the perfect opportunity for members of the royal family to showcase their sartorial prowess this weekend.

The most notable fashion moments included the Duchess of Sussex’s belted Dior coat, which she wore to a Service of Thanksgiving at St Paul’s Cathedral on Friday.

The Duchess of Cambridge’s looked chic in a crisp white Alexander McQueen suit at the Trooping the Colour on Thursday.

We’ve charted the best fashion moments from the long weekend. Saman Javed has the full list here:

Comedian and actor Meera Syal couldn’t help but join in on Sunday as Bollywood dancers put on a performance during the Platinum Jubilee Pageant.

Footage of her dancing was shared on Twitter, where it has recieved more than 19,000 likes.

“You hear those drums and you gotta dance…#itsAPunjabiThing,” Syal wrote on Twitter.

Syal was seen sitting next to her husband, Sanjeev Bhaskar, who looked on while his wife danced next to him.

When asked by Twitter users why he had not joined in, Bhaskar joked that he was the evening’s designated driver.

Dan Levy has reacted to a meme comparing Prince George and Princess Charlotte at the Queen’s Jubilee to his Schitt’s Creek character.

The young royals made several appearances at events across the long weekend, with one photo showing George, eight, and Charlotte, seven, appearing to sneer.

One viral tweet compared the children to David (Levy) and Alexis Rose (Annie Murphy), the spoilt adult children from the hit Canadian sitcom Schitt’s Creek.

“They are them,” comedian Rohita Kadambi wrote while showing the royals and the characters side by side. The post has been liked more than 134,000 times.

Luckily, Levy saw the funny side, simply commenting: “Lol” on the post.

Isobel Lewis has the full story: