Schedule Updates, Jubilee Info & ‘Kateonomics’

In this lull leading up to next weekend’s Jubilee events we thought it a good time to offer some scheduling updates and television programming notes.

Official Diamond Jubilee Website

We begin with a look at the upcoming calendar:

Tuesday, 5/29 – The second of two Garden Parties hosted by Queen Elizabeth runs from 4-6pm. Kate was said to be attending one of these; as she was not present at last Tuesday’s function, the possibility remains she will attend this event.

Saturday, 6/2 – Epsom Derby It is said the Queen would like to see a full box at this year’s Derby. Below we see some of the younger royals at last year’s event.

Colin MacFarlane/SplashNews.com

Sunday, June 3 – Thames Diamond Jubilee Pageant, Kate and William will join other royals on the Queen’s barge for what is expected to be a 1000+ boat flotilla on the river.

Thames Diamond Jubilee

Background on the enormous floating celebration via the Daily Mirror

Organisers hope to recreate scenes not seen on the river for more than 300 years  since the reign of Charles II, when all boats were made of wood.

Thousands of musicians and singers will be aboard 10 accompanying barges.

Vessels large and small, including a procession of boats used in the 1940 Dunkirk evacuation, will sail within yards of each other under 14 bridges.

The event will finish at about 5.30pm when the last music barge stages a Last Night of the Proms-style tribute playing Land of Hope and Glory, Rule Britannia and, finally, the national anthem.

The entire event sounds incredible, but the finale in particular has the potential to be an extraordinary memory-maker.

Below we share times for specific portions of the event:

• 14:30GMT  The Queen embarks the Royal barge, the Spirit of Chartwell, near Albert Bridge

• 16:15GMT  The Royal Barge comes alongside HMS President (Royal Naval Reserve Unit), near Tower Bridge

The Royals will be aboard the Spirit of Chartwell, more on this vessel via the Washington Post:

…the elegant cruiser is modeled after a 1929 railway carriage and has expansive hardwood floors, a grand piano and decorative designs made by the family firm that supplied artifacts for the doomed Titanic.

Last week word came that Kate’s family is also invited to participate in the historic event, the Daily Mirror has more:

Kate Middleton’s parents Carole and Michael, sister Pippa and brother Michael will reportedly join the Royal Family for the flotilla, sailing on the Elizabethan paddle steamer.

The Telegraph has a stellar video of a rehearsal of the enormous bells that will peal from the water:

The Telegraph

As with other Jubilee-related functions, there is no shortage of River Pageant commemorative merchandise. Below, two of the shirts available at the Pageant website.

River Pageant Webshop

The T-shirt is $30 (£20), and the Rugby Shirt is $51 (£34).

Learn more about this remarkable celebration by visiting the Thames Jubilee Pageant website here, the official Facebook page is here, and/or follow the Twitter page here. Good news for those in the US, BBC America’s coverage begins at 8:30am EDT Saturday morning.

Monday, June 4 – BBC Jubilee Concert at Buckingham Palace. An artist’s rendering of the stage.

The BBC

A news release lists some of the performers:

Shirley Bassey, Elton John, Tom Jones, Paul McCartney, Stevie Wonder, Kylie Minogue, Jools Holland, Jessie J, JLS, Annie Lennox, Madness, Cliff Richard, Ed Sheeran and West End star Alfie Boe

In the United States ABC has concert rights, it airs Tuesday, June 5 from 9-11pm. Specific timing for the day:

• 19:30GMT Diamond Jubilee Concert at Buckingham Palace
• After 22:30GMT The Queen lights the National Beacon outside Buckingham Palace

The Beacon lighting is part of The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Beacons, more than 4000 will be lit in the UK, Channel Islands and the Isle of Man, along with Commonwealth and UK Overseas Territories

Tuesday, June 5 – The big day, more from the official website:

Diamond Jubilee weekend will culminate with a day of celebrations in central London, including a service at St Paul’s Cathedral followed by two receptions, a lunch at Westminster Hall, a Carriage Procession to Buckingham Palace and finally a Balcony appearance, Flypast, and Feu de Joie.

Specific timing of events for Tuesday:

• 10:15GMT The Queen leaves Buckingham Palace by car
• 10:30-11.30GMT Service of Thanksgiving at St Paul’s
• 12.30GMT The Queen travels by car from Mansion House to the Palace of Westminster
• 14:20GMT Carriage Procession from Westminster Hall to Buckingham Palace commences
• Approximately 15:25GMT Royal Family appear on the Balcony at Buckingham Palace

More on the carriage procession from the Daily Mail:

The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh will be joined by senior members of the Royal Family “including the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge” for a glittering procession through the streets of London to mark her Diamond Jubilee.

The procession will follow a Diamond Jubilee lunch in Westminster Hall where the senior royals will be joined by 700 guests.

At previous jubilees and other big royal occasions, the balcony has been crammed with often more than 30 members of the Firm but there will be just seven there on June 5 after a carriage procession involving the same senior members of the family through central London.The 86-year-old monarch and Prince Philip will be accompanied by Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry in what appears to be a conscious effort to focus attention on the monarch’s immediate successors.

BBC America coverage starts at 3:30am Tuesday.

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As mentioned, there are oodles of Jubilee and Olympic-related fashion items, we wanted to share one that is a fundraiser for the Queen’s Jubilee Trust. The Trust is raising funds for programs in six different areas:

• Urban Food
• Disability to Capability
• Young Diamonds
• Care with Dignity
• Exceptional Leaders
• Heritage and Culture

LK Bennett has created a T-Shirt with the Trust’s logo, all sales proceeds will go directly to the charity.

LK Bennett

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As mentioned, there are all manner of Jubilee-related fashion items; we share a few discovered by The Telegraph in its slide show of “20 Jubilee Fashion Pieces,” including many by designers Kate has previously worn. Below we show a pair of Rupert Sanderson sandals exclusive to Selfridges, and a gem-encrusted clutch by Alexander McQueen.

The Telegraph

Also shared in the piece, a pair of Pretty Ballerinas and a Hobbs scarf.

The Telegraph

Aspinal has an entire Jubilee collection.

Aspinal via The Telegraph

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A reminder about TV broadcasts in the US, ABC runs its first special on Tuesday.

• Tuesday, May 29, 9-11 pm: The Real Queen: By Her Own Royal Family with Katie Couric
• Tuesday, June 5, 9-11 pm: Concert for The Queen: A Diamond Jubilee Celebration with Katie Couric
• Good Morning America will report live from London on Monday, June 4 and Tuesday, June 5.
• World News and Nightline will also cover events surrounding the Jubilee weekend from June 2 – 5.

There is special programming on multiple networks in the US, the BBC America Jubilee page offers more on that network’s listings. You’ll also want to visit the always-delightful Ella Kay, she has put together a wonderful blog post detailing some of the programs.

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We leave you with something fun created by the folks at Grazia UK.

Grazia UK

“The Duchess Effect” looks at Kate’s economic impact, using numbers to demonstrate “Kateonomics”.

15: The denier of those sheen-tastic tights the Duchess is believed to favour.

17 x 16: Approximate size, in inches, of Kate’s most substantial headpiece to date – the asymmetric Gina Foster hat which Kate wore to the wedding of Mike Tindall and Zara Phillips. Epic.

You can see the full story here.