Queen Elizabeth II will on Sunday become the first British monarch to celebrate a platinum jubilee, marking 70 years of service to the people of the United Kingdom, the Realms and the Commonwealth.
To celebrate the unprecedented anniversary of the 95-year-old the monarch, events and initiatives will take place throughout the year, culminating in a four-day UK bank holiday weekend from Thursday June 2 to Sunday June 5.
The bank holiday will provide an opportunity for communities and people throughout the UK to come together to celebrate the historic milestone, the Buckingham Palace announced on Saturday.
The four days of celebrations will include public events and community activities, as well as national moments of reflection on the Queen's 70 years of service.
In addition, initiatives including The Queen's Green Canopy and the Platinum Pudding competition will create a lasting reminder of The Queen's Jubilee, while The Queen's private estates will also join in with special jubilee themed events offering more opportunities for members of the public to celebrate the historic milestone.
To mark the occasion, a nationwide baking competition sets out to find a brand new pudding dedicated to the Queen. The Big Jubilee Lunch and Fortnum & Mason are inviting applications from UK residents aged eight and over to create the perfect Platinum Pudding recipe.
Five finalists will prepare their pudding for an expert judging panel including Dame Mary Berry, Monica Galetti and Buckingham Palace Head Chef Mark Flanagan.
The winning recipe will be made available to the public and the pudding will be enjoyed at Big Jubilee Lunches during the Jubilee weekend, and by generations to come.
The Queen's Birthday Parade (Trooping the Colour), over 1,400 parading soldiers, 200 horses and 400 musicians will come together in the traditional parade to mark The Queen's official birthday, usually held on the second Saturday in June.
Beginning at Buckingham Palace, the parade will move down The Mall to Horse Guard's Parade, joined by Members of the Royal Family on horseback and in carriages.
The parade will close with the traditional Royal Air Force fly-past, watched by The Queen and Members of the Royal Family from the Buckingham Palace balcony.