Where you can bank on a great royal day beside the Thames

In less than three weeks, hundreds of thousands of people are expected to congregate on the banks of the Thames for the Jubilee pageant to watch the biggest spectacle the river has ever seen.

But a host of events — from fetes to corgi sculptures to a special performance of Warhorse — mean the celebrations will not be restricted to the river. One of the most popular vantage points to see the flotilla of 1,000 vessels is Southbank, which it will pass towards the end of its seven-mile route from Wandsworth to Tower Bridge.

The National Theatre is preparing a “salute to the Queen” as her boat passes, featuring puppets and a special appearance by Joey, the horse from its award-winning play War Horse.