Britain plans puddings, parties, military parade for Queen Elizabeth’s 70 years on throne

Next month, the 95-year-old Elizabeth will become the first British monarch to reign for seven decades. Festivities marking the Platinum Jubilee end in June

As well as parades and neighbourhood parties, a competition will be held to create the ‘perfect Platinum Pudding’ for world’s current longest-reigning monarch

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Britain’s Queen Elizabeth pictured in July. Photo: Reuters

Published: 9:18am, 10 Jan 2022

Britain will celebrate Queen Elizabeth’s 70 years on the throne with a military parade, neighbourhood parties and a competition to create a new dessert for the Platinum Jubilee, Buckingham Palace said on Monday.

Elizabeth will become on February 6 the first British monarch to reign for seven decades, and festivities marking the anniversary will culminate in a four-day weekend of events June 2-5. It was not immediately clear which events the queen, 95, would take part in after doctors recently advised her to get more rest.

The weekend, which includes an extra public holiday in honour of the queen, will begin on Thursday June 2, with Trooping the Colour – the annual military parade that marks the queen’s official birthday.

A new 50 pence coin released in honour of the platinum jubilee of Queen Elizabeth is seen at Britain’s Royal Mint. Photo: Ben Birchall/PA Wire/dpa

That will be followed on June 3 by a service of thanksgiving honouring the queen’s service to the UK, her other realms and the Commonwealth.

In a nod to coronation chicken – the concoction of cold chicken, curry powder, mayonnaise and other ingredients served at garden parties marking the queen’s formal ascent to the throne – the palace will sponsor the a competition to find the ‘perfect Platinum Pudding recipe’ and create a new dessert dedicated to the monarch.

The competition will be open to UK residents as young as 8 and will be judged by television cooking personalities Mary Berry and Monica Galetti, together with Buckingham Palace head chef Mark Flanagan. The winning recipe will be published ahead of Jubilee weekend so it can be part of the celebrations.