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Ringing the changes: Crowds cheer on the flotilla while the bell-ringers were hard at work in the floating belfry,
which joined some of the near 1,000 boats that took to the Thames for the Diamond Jubilee River Pageant
Choppy waters: Boats of all sizes floated near Tower Bridge as part of the Diamond Jubilee Thames River Pageant
Bow to stern: Boats lined up to form a flotilla around 1,000 strong as the UK celebrates the Diamond Jubilee of a
Show: The New Zealand rowers perform a Maori war row on the Thames in front of thousands of spectators
Working up a sweat: Television host Ben Fogle,
sporting a cream waistcoat and shorts, puts his back into it as he rows in the manpowered flotilla
Jubilation: A delighted crowd wave Union flags as they sail on a boat during the Thames Diamond Jubilee Pageant
Spectacular: Every available vantage point down the Embankment and the Millennium Bridge was packed as
Dressed to impress: As the rain fell, this oversized hat on one of the boats in the thousand strong flotilla came in
Salute: The Honourable Artillery Company firing,
regiment in the British Army,
Explosive finish: Fireworks go off at Tower Bridge as the pageant reaches its conclusion
Big bang: Fireworks are launched from the top of Tower Bridge marking
the end of the record-breaking Diamond Jubilee River PageantAnd by around 5pm,
419 boats had reached Tower Bridge in London - setting a new world record for the number of boats taking part
in a parade. The event easily surpassed the previous record of 327 boats in Bremerhaven, Germany, last year.
The first impressive vessel to greet spectators was the Gloriana,
the ￡1m row barge which led the manpowered section. It was rowed by 18 oarsmen and women.
Havengore, the vessel that carried Sir Winston Churchill's coffin during his state funeral in 1965,
is being used in the pageant by the
Duke of York and his daughters Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie and the Earl and Countess of Wessex.
The Princesses could be seen frantically waving to the crowds as they set off with their father standing close by.
The Princess Royal and her husband, Vice Admiral Sir Timothy Laurence,
both in naval uniforms, were on the Trinity House no 1 boat.
Conditions remained dry for the start of the impressive event when the royal barge,
The Spirit of Chartwell,
carrying the Queen senior members of the Royal family took its place in the flotilla close to Albert Bridge.
The Queen alongside The Duchesses of Cambridge and Cornwall enjoy the the Jubilee Pageant on the Thames which
broke a world record for the number of boats in a procession
The Duchess of Cambridge smiled as she waved to the crowds ahead of the Jubilee River Pageant.
She will join her husband Prince William and the Queen on The Spirit of Chartwell
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge along with Prince Harry arrive ahead of the Queen to celebrate the Diamond Jubilee
Pippa Middleton, second from the right, was on-board one of the boats with her brother James, far right, and father Michael, third from right. They were invited by the Queen to celebrate her Diamond Jubilee
A delighted-looking Pippa Middleton,
left, and with her brother James as they make their way down the Thames.
The Middleton family were invited by the Queen
Spectacle: Pippa Middleton,
with her brother James to her left and her father Michael behind, enjoy uninterrupted
views of the Royal Pageant
Rapturous: Princess Anne, left, and Prince Philip,
right, acknowledge the huge and vocal displays of support from the
thousands of well-wishers lining the river bank during the Diamond Jubilee River Pageant along the Thames
Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex,
watches the boats from the deck of 'Havengore' during the Thames Diamond Jubilee Pageant
Pride: London Mayor Boris Johnson, top, joins Sophie,
Countess of Wessex, left, and Princess Beatrice, right, on a
boat during the Diamond Jubilee River Pageant
Royal arrival: Sophie, Countess of Wessex, arrives at Imperial Wharf,
Chelsea, clutching son James' hand, followed
by daughter Lady Louise Windsor,
to board on of the boats which made up the largest flotilla ever assembled for a parade
The Queen was escorted down the river by the 1,000-strong flotilla to mark 60 years of her reign in an even
t that promised to be the most spectacular nautical ceremony in London for the past 350 years.
On the sumptuously decorated barge she was joined by the Duke of Edinburgh, Prince of Wales, Duchess of Cornwall, Duke and
Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry.
The boat has been described as a vessel 'fit for a queen'
and has been decorated with nearly 10,000 flowers and was donated for
use at the event by owner Philip Morrell
and transformed in a project led by award-winning production designer Joseph Bennett.
Lavishly decorated with replica carvings and sporting a majestic red,
gold and purple colour scheme, the vessel's design will echo
the richly decorated royal barges of the 17th and 18th centuries.
Tribute: The National Theatre arranged for its own special event to honour the Queen's Jubilee -
by staging part of play War Horse on a rooftop overlooking the Thames
Colours to the mast: People living along
the Thames delighted in showing their support for the Queen's Diamond Jubilee
by draping the Union Flag their homes
Red, white and blue: Spectators clutched Union Flags as they watch the flotilla from Butlers Wharf,
near Tower Bridge, during Queen Elizabeth's Diamond Jubilee River Pageant along the River Thames
Rooms with a view: People wave from a building on the river bank as a flotilla of 1,000 vessels passes by during the
Thames River Pageant
The Spirit of Chartwell made its way down the Thames with the Queen
and other members of the Royal family onboard
as thousands of people watched from bridges and river banks
Then and now: A flotilla of manpowered craft rows past St Paul's Cathedral,
in a 1747 painting, by Venetian artist
Canaletto entitled "London, top. The skyline may have changed since then,
but today's pageant is still a striking image, bottom
Rowing boats made up one of the sections of the 1,000-strong flotilla
which was the main event as part of celebrations for the Queen's Diamond Jubilee
Boats gets ready for the start of the Diamond Jubilee River Pageant as the UK celebrates a Diamond Jubilee
for only the second time in history
The 1,000-strong flotilla promises to be one of the most spectacular to take place in London for the past 350 years
A steam train and pleasure boat of all shapes and sizes are seen from Battersea bridge on the River Thames
as the Queen celebrates her Diamond Jubilee
It now sports an ornate, gilded prow sculpture featuring Old Father Thames, a pair of scaly,
sharp-toothed classical dolphins -
a symbol of the Thames - and the royal cipher at the centre.
A lavish, red, velvet banner decorated with a version of the royal coat-of-arms
made from more than half a million gold-coloured buttons hangs from the stern.
The Queen and Duke will be seated on the vessel's top deck in ornate chairs under a gold-coloured canopy.
The 64 metre-long cruiser has a top speed of 11 knots,
will have rich red drapes decorating its sides and its bow will display the
Queen's cipher, EIIR, below a crown with golden floral displays around it.
A huge cheer went up whenever the royal barge came into view of the thousands of spectators
who lined the banks of the river.
It has a luxury interior designed to evoke the grandeur of the 1929 Cote d'Azur Pullman railway carriages,
complete with artefacts from the original train and great ocean liners.
The Queen arrived wearing a stylish dress and matching coat designed by Angela Kelly. She was delighted when the crowds began cheering after she arrived
A jubilant looking Queen Elizabeth II greets the Chelsea Pensioners
before she boards The Spirit of Chartwell ahead of the Jubilee celebrations
Prince Charles, accompanied by his wife the Duchess of Cornwall,and his sister the Princess Royal, right,
were only young children when their mother became Queen sixty years ago
The Queen walks down the gangway to her launch wearing an outfit especially
designed for the occasion by Angela Kelly. It has been a year in the making 
The Queen and Duke of Edinburgh wave from the launch during the pageant celebration
to mark 60 years of her reign in Britain.
She celebrated the day with her family and hundreds of thousands of people who lined the banks of the River Thames
Flowers from the Queen's gardens will adorn the barge and take as their theme the Commonwealth,
the Queen's 1953 Coronation and the Gold State Coach.
Gardeners' World horticulturist Rachel de Thame created the floral displays which have a red, gold and purple colour scheme.
The water-borne extravaganza features a flotilla of 1,000 ships,
boats, yachts and other vessels, expected to be seven and a half miles-long.
Organisers hope to recreate scenes not seen on the river for more than 300 years,
since the reign of Charles II.
Chelsea pensioners will make up a Guard of Honour for the Queen,
Philip, Charles and Camilla at Chelsea Pier, and a tender will take
them to nearby Cadogan Pier where the royal barge will be moored.
The Queen wore a stunning silver and white dress and matching coat.
The outfit has been a year in the planning, was designed by
Angela Kelly and made by her small in-house Buckingham Palace team.
Its colour scheme was chosen to stand out against the red, gold and purple hues of the royal barge.
Rowing boats start to gather in preparation for the Queen's arrival and will be part of the team
that escort her down the river
Thousands of people watch from the banks and the bridge as the boats prepare for the Queen's arrival in London
Crowds of people gather near Tower Bridge to see the Queen as she cruises along on the Thames.
This is only the second time in the history of the UK that a Monarch has celebrated a Diamond Jubilee
A group of women on one of the rowing boats smile as they get ready
Prince Charles, who is patron of the pageant and made the suggestion of a water-borne tribute to his mother,
wore his Royal Navy Admiral's ceremonial day dress uniform.
His wife the Duchess of Cornwall chose to wear an Anna Valentine coat and dress with a hat designed by Philip Treacy.
A guard of honour formed of Chelsea Pensioners in their immaculate scarlet uniforms were lined up
in front of the royal couple as they arrived.
Charles and Camilla had earlier ventured out into the rain to join a Big Jubilee Lunch
street party in London's Piccadilly with the royal couple stopping to chat to revellers in the street
and even sat down with them.
London Mayor Boris Johnson was upbeat from Putney Pier,
declaring the rain had passed as he geed-up the crowds around him.
'I want you to know the rain has stopped, hasn't it?' the politician said,
turning to a crowd behind him while being interviewed by BBC News.
He added: 'It's going to be a fantastic day,
I've no doubt about that at all. We're are looking forward very much here in Putney to the kick-off,
which I think is in a couple of hours time, but already the crowds are enormous here.'
Participants row a boat flying the Italian flag as they prepare for the 1,000-strong flotilla
Fans of the Royal Family wait beneath an umbrella in the rain near Tower Bridge ahead of the river pageant
Two women brave the cold and wait on the banks of the River Thames so they can watch
the 1,000-strong flotilla to start later today
Crowds gather on Westminster Bridge, London, ahead of the start of the Diamond Jubilee river pageant
Bunny Henderson comes prepared for the dreary weather and is determined not to let it ruin her day
People take cover under their umbrellas on Westminster Bridge as images of the Queen are projected onto a screen
Thousands of people had eagerly waited to catch a glimpse of the Queen with scores camping overnight
in the rainy weather. They
used Union flag inspired tents and umbrellas to keep themselves dry while others bought camping stoves,
sausages, bacon and eggs so they could have a fry up.
Many said they would not let the miserable weather get them down
and spent the night singing and dancing in a bid to try and keep warm.
SEND US YOUR PICTURES Have you taken any pictures of the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee celebrations?
From The Thames to your town, we want to see them.
Send them for publication to the Mail Online on the email address: mailonlinepictures@dailymail.co.uk
Karen Chen, 32 and David Ip, 31, from Streatham, south London,
said the rain had not put them off coming to the river early to get
a prime spot. 'We got here just after 7.30 [this morning], i
t would have been earlier if we thought we would have more competition.
The rain actually works to our advantage,' Ms Chen said.
The pair bagged a prime spot on a bench next to Battersea Bridge
and said they were ready for the long-haul.
'We are wrapped up warmly and have waterproof sheets to shelter under.
We have got a picnic of marmalade and cheese and pickle
sandwiches and Mr Kipling cakes,' Mr Ip added.
'Today is a spectacular event, nothing would have stopped us from coming to see the boats.
We are so excited about all the
variety. It will only happen once in our lifetime
and we will be here until the very end,' Ms Chen said.
Organisers had remained upbeat about the weather despite rain being forecast for most of the day,
with Pageant Master Adrian Evans declaring preparations were in hand.
'There is some rain around, but it has not dampened any spirits,' said Mr Evans.
'We in Britain are experts at not letting the weather spoil our fun.
The London Philharmonic Orchestra will be playing Singing In The Rain as they travel down the river,
and the crowd can sing along with them.
Prime Minister David Cameron with scouts at the Downing Street party in London.
He said the UK needed the Monarchy because it provided stability
Supporters of the Queen gather in the cold weather as the Queen celebrates her Diamond Jubilee
A group of women who camped overnight celebrate as they wait for the Diamond Jubilee celebrations to start
Two women, one dressed as the Queen
and another as a 'coronation chicken' go all out in celebration of the Jubilee
'We are all set to have one of the most spectacular pieces of river theatre that London,
and the world, has ever seen. Excitement is building, and everything is ready.'
Prime Minister David Cameron will also take part in the celebrations
and will join his staff and guests for a party in Downing Street.
The event is part of the Big Jubilee Lunch - which will see thousands of neighbourly meals being staged across t
he country in honour of the Queen's 60-year reign.
Speaking about the Queen and the Monarchy on the BBC's Andrew Marr show
he said he believed there would be less stability in
Britain if the Royal family did not exist.
'I think one of the great things that a monarch brings,
and particularly a Royal Family and Her Majesty the Queen personally brings,
is this sense of national unity and stability,
someone who the whole country can identify with,' he said.
Surprise guests: Charles and Camilla dropped in on Britain's poshest street party today, held outside the Ritz and
Fortnum & Mason on London's Piccadilly
Prince Charles, with his wife the Duchess of Cornwall,
gets into the swing of things as they celebrate the Queen's Diamond Jubilee
'It doesn't matter whether people are Labour or Conservative or Liberal Democrat or can't bear any politicians.
There's at the head of state someone who the whole country can revere
and look up to, a great symbol of national unity, of continuity, that links British
people with our institutions, with our history,
with our relations with other countries, with the Commonwealth.
'All of those things help to anchor us,
so I think it's a great source of strength and stability, both now and into the future.'
He also quashed the idea of the Queen abdicating in favour of her grandson the Duke of Cambr
idge: 'It's hard to think of ever her putting a foot wrong.
And you get the sense with her that she will go on doing the amazing job she's done for this country
as long as she possibly can
and you never see any sign of her devotion getting any less.'
The street outside the official London home of the prime minister will also host charities,
who have a royal patron or are supporters of the Lunch.
Peter Stewart, director of the Big Jubilee Lunch,
said: 'We're thrilled Downing Street is hosting this lunch for people
who are active in bringing communities together,
which is what the Big Lunch is all about.'
A young boy gets into the spirit by donning a mask of the Queen while a woman, right,
sips on a cup of tea to keep
her warm ahead of the celebrations taking place
Union Jack adorned tents were a favourite among those who spent the night camped along the banks of the Thames
Royal revellers wait in the rain on the South Bank of the River Thames for the start of the Diamond Jubilee
Local branches of the Scout Association, Girlguiding UK, Age UK
and Contact the Elderly will join the staff from Downing street,
and the party atmosphere will be created with games, music and face painting.
The Duchess of Cornwall is patron of the event,
led by the Eden Project, which aims to encourage neighbourhoods to come together to share lunch
and a few hours of community, friendship and fun.
The event stems from the Big Lunch movement, which started in 2009
and which last year saw almost two million people get together in their local communities.
This year people across all 54 Commonwealth countries are bein
g encouraged to hold their own Big Jubilee Lunch events as part of the celebrations.
Almost six million Britons plan to throw a house party this weekend for the Diamond Jubilee,
a study has suggested.
Some 12 per cent of people plan to hold celebrations at home to mark the Queen's 60-year reign,
spending ￡83 each on average,
amounting to ￡424 million spent across the country on food,
drink and decorations, Santander Insurance found.
WHAT THE QUEEN WORE ON HER SPECIAL DAY
The Queen arrived for the Diamond Jubilee river pageant wearing a stunning silver
and white dress and matching coat.
The outfit has been a year in the planning and was designed by Angela Kelly
and made by her small in-house Buckingham Palace
team. Its colour scheme was chosen to stand out against the red,
gold and purple hues of the royal barge.
It is created from white boucle, a fabric which has a fine textured feel,
and threaded throughout with silk ribbon. The boucle was
embroidered with gold, silver and ivory spots
and embellished with Swarovski crystals to reflect the River Thames.
The outfit was finished with a silk organza frill.The Queen's hat had a swept up brim,
the crown of which was made of the same
material as the coat.
Details on the hat included feathers hand dyed in Buckingham Palace by one of Miss Kelly's team
who spent a number of months making the whole outfit. More silk organza
and Swarovski crystals were used to decorate this uniquely shaped hat.
BRITONS EMBRACE THE SPIRIT AS SALES FOR JUBILEE INSPIRED GOODS SOAR
Sales for Jubilee inspired products have soared What's red and white and blue all over?
In Britain this weekend, everything.
As the country celebrates Queen Elizabeth II's 60 years on the throne,
retailers are embracing the jubilee spirit, doing a roaring
trade in tricolor British flags,
bunting and party supplies.
'Anything with a Union Jack on it is selling like hot cakes,' said Matt Compton,
party goods buyer for the Tesco supermarket chain.
'This is the biggest week we have had since the Millennium in terms of party sales,
with demand far exceeding sales (during) last year's royal wedding.'
The patriotic outpouring stems from a mix of affection for the 86-year-old queen
and delight at a four-day holiday weekend,
granted for the second royal Diamond Jubilee in British history.
Only Queen Victoria, Elizabeth's great-great grandmother,
ruled for longer than the current monarch. Hundreds of thousands of
people planned picnics or street parties for today as
the Queen's royal barge leads a 1,000-boat jubilee flotilla.
The weather report calls for cool temperatures and rain,
but stores have all but sold out of Pimms, the gin-based liqueur that -
mixed with fruit and fizzy lemonade - is England's archetypal summer drink.
Supermarket chain Waitrose said sales of Pimms are up
by more than 260 percent compared to last year.
It is a welcome boost for struggling retailers as
The Bank of England warned that the extra holidays will hit economic output, but
some stores, at least, have reason to celebrate.
Food and clothing chain Marks and Spencer said
it had sold more than 200,000 jubilee teacakes,
50,000 commemorative cookie tins and 31 miles of bunting.
Gift shops and departents stores are stocked with souvenirs
that range from classy to kitschy,
and from cheap to cheekily expensive.
The Royal Collection is offering an official Diamond Jubilee tea blend,
￡8.95 pounds and a cake at ￡14.95, from a recipe by Fiona
Cairns, who baked Prince William and Kate Middleton's wedding cake.
Don't forget the cake stand - yours for ￡395.
It would not be a British occasion without a touch of the eccentric,
irreverent and even downright tacky.
House and garden supply chain B&Q says
it has sold 3,100 jubilee garden gnomes - pointy-headed lawn ornaments styled on the
queen and her husband, Prince Philip. An online sex toy retailer is offering
- to put it delicately - glittering royal adornments for the nether regions.
And enterprising English designer Lydia Leith,
who had a cult hit last year with her custom-made royal wedding sick bags, has
designed a series of temporary tattoos of corgis, crowns and carriages,
as well as a jelly mold in the shape of the queen's head.
'It's not meant to be offensive in any way. It's just meant to be fun,' said Leith,
who will be selling her wares at a jubilee festival in
London's Battersea Park on Sunday. 'There's something for everyone.
If you don't like the royal family you can buy a sick bag.
If you do you can buy a tattoo.'
