Golden Jubilee (Hansard, 29 January 2002)

§ The Prime Minister

I welcome this opportunity, on behalf of the whole nation, to offer the warmest congratulations to the Queen on the 50th anniversary of her Accession, and to express gratitude for half a century of devoted service to the people of the United Kingdom.

I announced on 23 November 2001, Official Report, column 294W, that Her Majesty will attend a National Thanksgiving Service in St. Paul's Cathedral on Tuesday 4 June 2002. That day will be a bank holiday in place of the spring bank holiday, which would otherwise fall on 27 May. Monday 3 June will be an additional bank holiday for the Golden Jubilee.

On 22 June 2001, Official Report, column 7W, I announced the main features of the Queen's United Kingdom programme of Golden Jubilee visits and on 3 August my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport announced in a news release the main celebrations planned in central London over the Golden Jubilee weekend of 1 to 4 June 2002.

I am pleased to be able to announce the programme of visits and other events throughout the United Kingdom from May to August this year, which will be undertaken by Her Majesty and His Royal Highness the Duke of Edinburgh, to mark the Golden Jubilee.

As I announced on 22 June 2001, the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh will be travelling as widely as possible around the United Kingdom during this year, including visits to Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, although 206W they will not be able to visit all cities and counties. However, their itinerary will enable them to meet as many people as possible throughout the country.

The programme is as follows: 29 April—the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh will attend a Dinner at No. 10 Downing street 30 April—the Queen, accompanied by the Duke of Edinburgh, will attend a Session of the Joint Houses of Parliament in Westminster Hall at which Her Majesty will address both Houses

South West of England (Cornwall, Devon, Somerset and Bath)

1 May—Falmouth; Trelissick; Truro; Exeter
2 May—Taunton; Wells; Bath

North East of England (Tyne and Wear and County Durham)

7 May—Sunderland; Gateshead; Newcastle
8 May—Durham; Darlington; Stockton (the Duke of Edinburgh)
9 May—East London

South East of England (Buckinghamshire and Berkshire)

10 May—Aylesbury; Marlow; Bisham Abbey
16–17 May—the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh will attend the Royal Windsor Horse Show
18 May—the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh will take the Salute at "All the Queen's Horses", Royal Windsor Horse Show
20 May—the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh will attend the Chelsea Flower Show
21 May—the Queen, accompanied by the Duke of Edinburgh, will open the new Queen's Gallery, Buckingham Palace
22 May—the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh will attend an Arts Reception at the Royal Academy, London

Scotland

23 May—the Queen, accompanied by the Duke of Edinburgh, will attend a Scottish Service of Thanksgiving at Glasgow Cathedral
24 May—Falkirk; Edinburgh (including a Reception in the Palace of Holyroodhouse)
25 May—the Queen, accompanied by the Duke of Edinburgh, will open the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, Edinburgh; the Queen will also host a Garden Party at the Palace of Holyroodhouse
26 May—the Queen, accompanied by the Duke of Edinburgh, will attend the General Assembly Service, St. Giles Cathedral,Edinburgh
27 May—Isle of Skye; Isle of Lewis; Wick
28 May Aberdeen (including a visit to the Scottish Parliament, sitting at King's College Conference Centre, Aberdeen University); Dundee
29 May—Lauder Melrose

Jubilee Weekend

1 June—the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh will host the Queen's Concert (Classical Concert) in the Gardens at Buckingham Palace
2 June—the Queen, accompanied by the Duke of Edinburgh, will attend a Jubilee Church Service, St. George's Chapel, Windsor Castle
3 June—Windsor and Slough
3 June—the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh will host the Queen's Concert (Pop Concert) in the Gardens at Buckingham Palace, after which Her Majesty will light a National Beacon in the Mall and view a fireworks display
4 June—the Queen, accompanied by the Duke of Edinburgh, will attend a National Service of Thanksgiving at St. Paul's Cathedral, after a Ceremonial Procession from Buckingham Palace
4 June—the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh will attend a lunch hosted by the Lord Mayor and the Corporation of London at Guildhall in the City of London
4 June—the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh will attend the Golden Jubilee Festival in the Mall
4 June—the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh will make a Balcony Appearance at Buckingham Palace and watch a Royal Air Force Fly Past
6 June—North London, followed by a Garden Party at Lambeth Palace

South East of England (West Sussex)

7 June—South of England Show, Ardingly
10 June—the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh will give a Reception for Representatives of Different Faiths at Buckingham Palace

Wales

11 June—Anglesey; Colwyn Bay
the Queen, accompanied by the Duke of Edinburgh, will attend a Welsh Service of Thanksgiving at Bangor Cathedral
12 June—Dolau; Llanelli; Margam Park
13 June—Bridgend; Rhondda Valley; Newport; Cardiff (including a visit to the National Assembly for Wales)
15 June—the Queen, accompanied by the Duke of Edinburgh, will take the Salute at Her Majesty's Birthday Parade, Horseguards
17 June—the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh will attend the Service of the Order of the Garter at St. George's Chapel,Windsor
17 June—the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh will give a Dinner for European Sovereigns, Windsor Castle
18–22 June—the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh will attend Royal Ascot
25 June—West London
26 June—the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh will give a Dinner for Representatives of the Armed Forces, Windsor Castle
27 June—the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh will visit the Armed Forces, Portsmouth and visit Portsmouth

208W

West Midlands (West Midlands, Staffordshire and Warwickshire)

2 July—Solihull; Birmingham
3 July—Burton upon Trent; Stoneleigh
4 July—South London
5 July—the Queen, accompanied by the Duke of Edinburgh, will attend a Parade in the Gardens of Buckingham Palace for all Her Majesty's Body Guards and the In-Pensioners of the Royal Hospital Chelsea
9 July—the Queen, accompanied by the Duke of Edinburgh, will present Medals to the winners of the Queen's Golden Jubilee Poetry Competition for Schools, at Buckingham Palace
9 July—the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh will give a Garden Party in the Gardens of Buckingham Palace, when guests will include those born on Accession Day

Yorkshire (West Yorkshire and the East Riding of Yorkshire)

11 July—Leeds; Wakefield (the Duke of Edinburgh); Bradford (the Duke of Edinburgh); Harewood House (Festival)
12 July—Beverley
16 July—the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh will give a Garden Party in the Gardens of Buckingham Palace, when guests will include young people born since the 1977 Silver Jubilee

East Anglia (Suffolk and Norfolk)

17 July—Ipswich; Stowmarket; Bury St. Edmund's
18 July—Great Yarmouth (the Duke of Edinburgh); Norwich
18 July—the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh will give a Garden Party for Norfolk at Sandringham House
23 July—the Queen, accompanied by the Duke of Edinburgh, will open the new Greater London Authority building
23 July—the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh will attend a Gala at Covent Garden

North West of England (Cheshire, Greater Manchester, Merseyside and opening the Commonwealth Games in Manchester)

24 July—Macclesfield; Greater Manchester
25 July—Liverpool; open Commonwealth Games, Greater Manchester
26 July—Visit Commonwealth Games venues, Greater Manchester
30 July—the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh will give a Garden Party in the Gardens of Buckingham Palace, when guests will include representatives of charities of which Her Majesty and His Royal Highness are Patron

East Midlands (Lincolnshire, Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire and Leicestershire)

31 July—Scunthorpe; Nottingham
1 August—Leicester; Derby
4 August—Close Commonwealth Games in Manchester

North West of England (Lancashire and Cumbria)

5 August—Preston; Carlisle
5 August—the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh will attend the Edinburgh Tattoo, Edinburgh Castle
7 August—the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh will give a Garden Party at Balmoral Castle.

These details, together with further information about other confirmed Golden Jubilee celebrations and events can be found on the searchable calendar of events being launched today on the official Golden Jubilee website at http://www.goldenjubilee.gov.uk/. The British Monarchy website at http://www.royal/gov.uk/ also has details of the Queen's programme and other royal engagements. These will be updated throughout the year as confirmation of events is received.

209W