UK prepares for the Queen's Diamond Jubilee Weekend

This coming weekend marks the start of the most exciting UK summer in recent memory. Before the 2012 Olympic Games, people in the UK will first celebrate the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee with a series of events. Marking 60 years of The Queen’s reign, the Diamond Jubilee will centre around an extended weekend on 2, 3, 4 and 5 June.

Here’s some events and activities that the Oxford Royale Academy staff are most looking forward to:

• The Derby (2 June): The Queen will attend the one of the world’s most famous horse races. Last year, one of the Queen's horses, Carlton House, came third in the race, which is run at the Epsom Downs over a distance of 2423 metres. Whilst the Queen does not have a runner this year, her love of horses is well known and her attendance at the event in her jubilee year will draw focus from around the world.

• Jubilee street-parties (2 and 3 June): Traditional English street parties will be taking place in cities, towns and villages up and down the country. Plenty of bunting and Union Jack flags will be decorating the country as communities come together to celebrate.

• Thames Diamond Jubilee Pageant (3 June): Over one thousand boats will process up the River Thames to pay tribute to Her Majesty. This will be one of the largest flotillas ever seen in the UK. Expect to see lots of red, white and blue on bridges and buildings along the river bank and hear church bells, fireworks, music and foghorns as hundreds of boats from all over the UK and beyond move at a gentle speed of four knots down seven miles of river. All kinds of boats will take part – rowing boats, historic, sailing and motorized boats, kayaks and canoes. The floating procession will be interspersed with 10 musical barges carrying choirs and orchestras. It will take 75 minutes for the flotilla to pass any given point. There are expected to be about one million spectators on the river banks.

• Diamond Jubilee Concert (4 June): Organised by the BBC and Take That singer Gary Barlow, this concert at Buckingham Palace will bring together UK music superstars from across the ages; expect Cliff Richard to Jessie J; Paul McCartney to Ed Sheeran. When the concert ends at 10pm more than 4000 beacons will be lit in the UK and around the world to mark 60 years of the Queen’s reign. The Queen will light the final beacon at 10.30pm, and then there will be a firework display at Buckingham Palace.

• Carriage Procession (5 June): The final day of the Diamond Jubilee weekend will be marked by a national service of thanksgiving at St Paul’s Cathedral attended by the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh. There will be a special prayer for the Diamond Jubilee. This will be followed by two receptions, a lunch at Westminster Hall and a carriage procession to Buckingham Palace, with a balcony appearance and a fly-past.

It is set to be a very busy and exciting weekend for the people of the United Kingdom!  However, with the Olympics just around the corner, this is just the start of the excitement, making the UK a great place to be in June, July and August 2012.  If you'd like to be part of the atmosphere, why not take a look at our summer courses in Oxford and Cambridge?  With a variety of courses on offer for students aged 13-18 and for adult learners (18+) as well, there is bound to be something to interest you!  For more information, click the links below:

• Summer courses in Oxford (13-18)
• Summer courses in Cambridge (16-18)
• Summer programmes in Oxford for adult learners, including our fantastic British Monarchy Past and Present programme (the best possible course for Jubilee year!)