Jubilee - live: Platinum Party at the Palace begins with surprise sketch of the Queen and Paddington

With the jubilee weekend now less than two weeks away, Her Majesty is expected to attend a total of three events across the weekend.

However, earlier this month Buckingham Palace released a statement saying that the Queen’s attendance at these events wasn’t likely to be confirmed until the day-of.

Joanna Whitehead has the run-down on which events the Queen will be attending here:

A record-breaking eight towns across the UK have been awarded city status in celebration of the monarch’s platinum jubilee.

The new cities are among the areas in the UK that “make Britain great”, chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, Steve Barclay said.

Those that triumphed in a competition to recieve civic honours include Colchester, Britain’s first recorded settlement, and Milton Keynes, a town formally established in 1967.

The towns of Dunfermline in Scotland and Wrexham in Wales were also successful.

Emily Atkinson has the full list of newly-crowned cities here:

An extra bank holiday date tied with a royal jubilee means it’s a cause for celebration, so will pub opening hours be extended?

Joanna Whitehead has the answer here:

Although the royal family is a typically tight-lipped and genteel organisation, Princess Anne is known for her quick wit and dry humour, coming out with quips such as: “When I appear in public people expect me to neigh, grind my teeth, paw the ground and swish my tail – none of which is easy.”

The Princess Royal has had numerous remarkable experiences throughout her life. Here are seven you may not be aware of:

With a team of world-class chefs, access to the best food that money can buy, and dining rooms at palaces across the UK, you would have thought meal times are always prestigious in the Windsor household.

But as the Queen’s former chef, Darren McGrady, discloses in his book, Eating Royally: Recipes and Remembrances from a Palace Kitchen, the monarch prefers to eat only small portions.

However, she does indulge in a daily afternoon tea, where scones with clotted cream and jam are a must.

Sophie Gallagher has the details on Her Majesty’s dining preferences here:

As the country gears up to celebrate 70 years of the Queen’s reign – the first time in British history that a monarch has reached this milestone – many people are reflecting on the Queen’s years of service.

The Queen was just 27-year-old when she ascended the throne in 1953.

Joanna Whitehead has the details here:

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have confirmed they will attend the Queen’s platinum jubilee celebrations along with their children, Archie and Lilibet.

Last week, Buckingham Palace announced that the family will not appear on the balcony of Buckingham Palace during the Trooping the Colour ceremony, as the Queen has restricted the line-up to working members of the Royal Family.

According to reports, the Sussexes will stay in their old home, Frogmore Cottage, during their time in the UK.

Chelsea Ritschel has the full story here:

Four days of celebrations are scheduled to honour the monarch, including a platinum jubilee concert, Trooping the Colour, a pageant and a Service of Thanksgiving.

However, the question of whether the 96-year-old will be fit to attend all the events is still up for debate due to episodic mobility issues suffered by the Queen since the autumn.

In early May, a Buckingham Palace spokesperson said that the Queen’s attendance at the platinum jubilee celebrations may not be confirmed “until the day itself”.

Despite this, the monarch is currently expected to attend the Trooping the Colour ceremony on Thursday 2 June, a Service of Thanksgiving at St Paul’s Cathedral on Friday 3 June, and the Epsom Derby on Saturday 4 June.

Joanna Whitehead has detailed everything we know so far:

The Queen’s historic milestone will be celebrated in a number of events and initiatives taking place across the UK during the long weekend.

These will include public events and community activities, as well as national moments of reflection on the Queen’s 70 years of service.

The Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) said that more than 70,000 “Big Jubilee Lunches” have been planned across all four UK nations, with an expected 10 million people set to celebrate with their neighbours during the weekend.

Kate Ng has the full schedule of celebrations taking place across the weekend:

The platinum jubilee beacons are one of the official events of the jubilee celebration, running across the extended bank holiday.

More than 2,022 beacons will be lit throughout the UK, Channel Islands, Isle of Man and British Overseas Territories, including one in each of the capital cities of Commonwealth countries, in recognition of the Queen’s service.

There are hundreds of existing events that have already been scheduled across the UK. To find one near you, simply search for platinum jubilee beacons events in your area.

Joanna Whitehead has the details here: