Queen's Jubilee 2012 Concert Today

By Emma Koonse, Christian Post Reporter Monday, June 04, 2012

Queen Elizabeth II rang in her diamond jubilee year with record-setting celebrations that will continue with a concert gala Monday.

The queen of England will enjoy performances by Elton John, Paul McCartney, Tom Jones, and Stevie Wonder, among others, at Buckingham Palace today.

Organizers of the event ensure an "imaginative" use of the palace, but the focus of the huge crowd as well as millions of television viewers will remain on the 86-year-old queen.

Other performances will include Annie Lennox, Gary Barlow, Jessie J, the boy band JLS, and Robbie Williams.

"Tiny Dancer" singer and superstar Elton John is "thrilled" to perform and said the jubilee would mark the "beginning of an incredible summer to Britain," according to Yahoo News.

Also on Monday, the queen will light the last of 4,000 National Jubilee Beacons lit across Britain and Commonwealth.

Tuesday, the diamond jubilee will continue with the Royal family scheduled to arrive at St. Paul's Cathedral for service, followed by receptions at Mansion House and Guildhall, and lunch at Westminster Hall. The afternoon will see the Royals travel from Westminster to Buckingham Palace, receiving a 60 gun salute along the way. They will then appear on balcony for a RAF fly-by and rifle salute in Palace forecourt.

The jubilee festivities began Saturday when Queen Elizabeth, an avid horse racing fan, attended the Epsom Derby.

Further celebrating her 60th year on the throne, Queen Elizabeth saw drew huge crowds along the Thames River on Sunday with a spectacular 1,000-boat pageant. The main event of the four-day celebrations, the river pageant saw a procession of kayaks, steamers, and tugs and was the biggest event on the Thames for 350 years.