Why the Queen will celebrate Platinum Jubilee five months ahead of June bank holiday weekend

The Queen will celebrate her 70th year on the throne on 6 February

Queen to celebrate Platinum Jubilee before bank holiday
(Image credit: Getty)

The Royal Family has revealed that the Queen will mark her Platinum Jubilee in February, several months before nationwide celebrations go ahead in June. 


The Royal Family has confirmed that the Queen will celebrate her Platinum Jubilee 2022 on 6 February, five months ahead of the nationwide festivities planned for later this year. 

The exciting date will see Her Majesty, whose husband Prince Philip died aged 99 in April, become the first-ever British monarch to reach the milestone anniversary of 70 years on the throne. It precedes the public events scheduled for this summer, which will take place over a highly-anticipated four-day-long June bank holiday weekend. 

Queen celebrates Diamond Jubilee 2012

The Queen celebrates her Diamond Jubilee 2012

(Image credit: Getty)

While the Queen's springtime celebration might confuse some royal fans, it actually makes perfect sense. 

The 95-year-old monarch officially ascended the throne on 6 February 1952, the same date that her father, King George VI, tragically died of lung cancer. She was coronated in June 1953, over a year after she inherited the prestigious title. The lengthy space of time between her ascension and her coronation followed the royal tradition of delaying celebrations after a monarch's death, to allow the nation to appropriately grieve the loss of its Head of State. 

The Royal Family unveiled its itinerary of events for the Platinum Jubilee 2022 on Monday, and, with the exception of the Queen's pudding competition in January (judged by former Bake-off star Mary Berry!), most of its festivities are scheduled to take place between June 2—5. It's understood that the midsummer dates were chosen because they offer a higher chance of sunshine for the largely outdoor celebrations. 

The crowd is escorted down The Mall during the Diamond Jubilee carriage procession after the service of thanksgiving at St.Paul’s Cathedral on the Mall on June 5, 2012 in London, England. For only the second time in its history the UK celebrates the Diamond Jubilee of a monarch. Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II celebrates the 60th anniversary of her ascension to the throne. Thousands of wellwishers from around the world have flocked to London to witness the spectacle of the weekend's celebrations.

The Queen's Diamond Jubilee in 2012 was also an extravagant affair 

(Image credit: Getty)

Royal fans can expect a jam-packed lineup of entertainment from the Platinum Jubilee, with street parades, pageants, and even a Buckingham Palace live concert all on the cards for the extravagant event. Three special displays marking important moments in Her Majesty’s reign, including the Accession, the Coronation, and the Silver, Golden, and Diamond Jubilees, will also be made public across the royal households. 

It remains unknown which events the Queen will attend, but it's understood that Prince Charles and his wife, Duchess Camilla, will take up a great deal of the royal duties over the four days. 

Emma Dooney
Lifestyle News Writer

Hailing from the lovely city of Dublin, Emma mainly covers the Royal Family and the entertainment world, as well as the occasional health and wellness feature. Always up for a good conversation, she has a passion for interviewing everyone from A-list celebrities to the local GP - or just about anyone who will chat to her, really.

Emma holds an MA in International Journalism from City, University of London, and a BA in English Literature from Trinity College Dublin.