And the Queen’s planned visit to Epsom for the Derby on Saturday is off, with the Princess Royal attending on her behalf.
Saturday is also the first birthday of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s daughter Lilibet, amid speculation the Queen will get to meet her namesake for the first time and possibly attend her christening when Harry and Meghan fly back for the Jubilee.
In the evening, the BBC’s Party at the Palace – set on three stages in front of Buckingham Palace – will entertain a live crowd of 22,000 people and a television audience of millions.
Fairlie Drive in Rainhill, Merseyside, is decorated ahead of the Platinum Jubilee celebrations (Peter Byrne/PA)
PA Wire
The line-up includes Diana Ross, Queen + Adam Lambert, Alicia Keys, Nile Rodgers, Andrea Bocelli, Duran Duran, Bond composer Hans Zimmer, Ella Eyre, Craig David, Mabel, Elbow and George Ezra.
Charles and William are preparing to deliver public tributes at the concert to the Queen, who is due to be watching on television from Windsor.
On Sunday, millions will gather for patriotic street parties, picnics and barbecues, with more than 85,000 Big Jubilee Lunches being held across the UK.
The finale is the Jubilee Pageant through the streets of London, with a cast of 6,000 performers and close to 200 celebrities joining the carnival procession.
It is hoped the monarch will make a final appearance on the Buckingham Palace balcony to round off the weekend to see Ed Sheeran singing the national anthem with a choir made up of Britain’s “national treasures”.
Early morning rehearsals for the pageant took place on The Mall on Tuesday as the Royal Navy, British Army, and Royal Air Force went through their last-minute preparations.
Among the sights was the Gold State Coach which will appear on the day with archive footage of the Queen – travelling in it on for her Coronation – broadcast at the windows, making it seem as if the monarch is in the carriage.
