And the Royal Parks added: 'Crowds have flocked to St James's Park for Trooping the Colour and public viewing areas are now at full capacity. Please do not head to St James's Park but enjoy the Jubilee celebrations elsewhere.'
Meanwhile the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge said in a tweet on their official account this morning: 'We're looking forward to celebrating and seeing how you're joining us in marking this #PlatinumJubilee weekend.'
As four days of bank holiday celebrations begin, it can be revealed:
- The Queen will make a surprise appearance at Windsor Castle tonight, lighting the Principal Platinum Jubilee Beacon in a special 'dual ceremony' with Buckingham Palace;
- While an olive branch has been extended to the Sussexes, there is further shame for Prince Andrew who is the only family member not to attend Trooping the Colour;
- Celebrities have taken a back seat in the Birthday Honours, which this year salute Britain's Platinum Jubilee heroes, reflecting the Queen's own values of long-standing public service;
- Famous names who have been listed, such as actor Damian Lewis, footballer Rio Ferdinand and author Ian Rankin, have received gongs noting their charity work;
- Royal fans from around the world have gathered along The Mall leading to Buckingham Palace for a bonanza long weekend which will give the hospitality industry a £2billion boost;
- Those attending Trooping the Colour are set to enjoy sunny skies, with highs of 20C (68F).
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have been invited by the Queen to join family members watching the spectacular military event from the Major General's Office overlooking the Whitehall parade ground.
The Duke of Cambridge takes part in the Royal Procession as he leaves Buckingham Palace for Trooping the Colour today
Royal fans cheer near Buckingham Palace during the Queen's Platinum Jubilee celebrations in London this morning
Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, in his role as Colonel of the Irish Guards, salutes from his horse in London today
Crowds gathered in front of the Houses of Parliament at Parliament Square today as the Jubilee celebrations continue
The Duchess of Cornwall rides alongside the Duchess of Cambridge and all three of her children in the first carriage today
Boris Johnson with his wife Carrie Johnson attend the Queen's Platinum Jubilee celebrations in London this morning
People attend celebrations for the Queen's Platinum Jubilee along The Mall in London this morning
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge's three children George, Louis and Charlotte wave from the first carriage today
The Duchess of Cambridge waves to the public as she arrives on a carriage to attend the Queen's Birthday Parade today
The Duchess of Cambridge could be seen watching Trooping from the Duke of Wellington's former office this morning
The 105th Regiment Royal Artillery, The Scottish and Ulster Gunners during the Royal Gun Salute at Edinburgh Castle today
The first carriage was followed by the Earl and Countess of Wessex with their son James, Viscount Severn this morning
Crowds on The Mall ahead the Trooping the Colour ceremony at Horse Guards Parade in London this morning
Members of the Household Division Foot Guards march past Buckingham Palace during the Queen's Birthday Parade today
Members of Band of the Household Cavalry march back along the Mall towards Buckingham Palace today
Lady Louise Windsor and James, Viscount Severn, children of the Earl and Countess of Wessex, during the parade today
The Queen's Guards march during the Trooping the Colour ceremony at Horse Guards Parade in London this morning
The Earl and Countess of Wessex with their children Lady Louise Windsor and James, Viscount Severn in London this morning
Members of the Household Division Foot Guards march past Buckingham Palace during the Queen's Birthday Parade today
The Earl and Countess of Wessex ride in a carriage during the Trooping the Colour procession in London today
Prince Richard, Duke of Gloucester and Birgitte, Duchess of Gloucester at Trooping The Colour in London this morning
Members of Band of the Household Cavalry ride back along The Mall towards Buckingham Palace this afternoon
The Kings Troop of the Royal Horse Artillery ride down The Mall on their way to fire the ceremonial gun in London today
Prince Charles, in his role as Colonel of the Welsh Guards, rides his horse along The Mall during the Birthday Parade today
Members of the Household Division Foot Guards' bands march back along The Mall towards Buckingham Palace today
The Earl and Countess of Wessex ride in a carriage during the Trooping the Colour procession in London today
Members of Band of the Household Cavalry take part in the Queen's Birthday Parade, the Trooping the Colour, today
Prince Richard, Duke of Gloucester and Birgitte, Duchess of Gloucester at Trooping The Colour in London this morning
Members of the Household Division Foot Guards' bands march past Buckingham Palace today
The Queen leaves Windsor Castle with her lady-in-waiting Lady Susan Hussey this morning to head to Buckingham Palace
The Queen leaves her residence of Windsor Castle this morning for the Trooping of the Colour flypast in London later on
The Queen leaves Windsor Castle in Berkshire with her lady-in-waiting Lady Susan Hussey to head to London this morning
The room – once used by the Duke of Wellington – spreads out over the entrance to Horse Guards. It is where dignitaries traditionally watch from if they are not involved in the parade proceedings.
The group will not include the Queen, the Prince of Wales, the Duke of Cambridge or the Princess Royal.
All you need to know about Trooping the Colour in London today
The four-day Jubilee celebration kicks off with the lavish Queen's Birthday Parade today. Here is the schedule:
- Starting at 10am at Buckingham Palace, it snakes down The Mall to Horse Guards Parade, with members of the Royal Family on horseback and in carriages joining at around 10.30am.
- Event turns into traditional Trooping the Colour which has marked the monarch's official birthday for 260 years.
- The colour is being trooped by the 1st Battalion, Irish Guards - Prince William is Colonel of the Regiment - with up to 1,450 officers and soldiers from the Household Division putting on an extravagant display of military pageantry, together with 400 Army musicians and around 240 horses.
- Royal Gun Salute. 12.52am: 82 rounds in Hyde Park. 1pm: 124 rounds at the Tower of London.
- After parade, royals flank the Queen on the Buckingham Palace balcony to watch a special 70-aircraft RAF flypast. Prince Andrew and the Sussexes are not invited to the line-up, which comprises: The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall, The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and their children, The Earl and Countess of Wessex and their children, The Princess Royal and Admiral Sir Timothy Laurence, the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester, the Duke of Kent and Princess Alexandra.
WHERE TO WATCH
Public can watch spectacle from The Mall – lined with 200 soldiers from the 1st Battalion Coldstream Guards – or on large screens in nearby St James's Park, Princes Street Gardens in Edinburgh or Bute Park in Cardiff.
Her Majesty will remain at Buckingham Palace where she will take the returning cavalry's salute from the balcony there.
Charles will be taking the salute as the Colour of the 1st Battalion Irish Guards is trooped and inspect the Troops of the Household Division on the monarch's behalf.
He will be joined by his elder son and sister, with all three on horseback.
The Duchess of Cornwall, the Duchess of Cambridge, the Earl and Countess of Wessex and many other royals will travel to Horse Guards Parade from the palace in carriages.
They will then disembark and watch the rest of the event from the Major General's Office alongside Harry and Meghan, who will arrive by car.
The large royal party will also include all grandchildren of the Queen and their spouses.
As well as the Sussexes there will be Princess Beatrice and her husband Edo, Princess Eugenie and her husband Jack and Anne's children, Peter Phillips and Zara Tindall, and their families.
Meghan will not have seen any of the family since she and her husband acrimoniously quit as working royals and moved to North America in early 2020, while the prince only saw them very briefly at the Duke of Edinburgh's funeral last year.
The last public occasion the Sussexes attended together in the UK was the annual Commonwealth Day service at Westminster Abbey in March 2020 when the atmosphere could not have been more awkward.
William and Kate virtually blanked Harry and Meghan that day, leaving Prince Edward and Sophie to try to keep the peace.
Fortunately William, who has been most deeply affected by his brother's actions and has struggled to hide his hurt, will not be forced to greet the couple in public.
And Kate proved to be an admirable peacemaker when she made a point of breaking the ice and speaking to Harry after the Duke of Edinburgh's funeral.
Harry and Meghan are staying with their children at their Windsor home, Frogmore Cottage.
They had always been expected to join the congregation for tomorrow's service of thanksgiving for the Queen's 70-year reign at St Paul's Cathedral, but their participation with Trooping is seen as an additional olive branch from Her Majesty.
Prince William and Princess Anne during Trooping The Colour in London this morning
Crowds watch the Trooping the Colour ceremony at Horse Guards Parade in London this morning
More than 1,400 soldiers and 250 horses from the British Army's Household Division are taking part in the event today
Guards take position on The Mall, during celebrations for the Queen's Platinum Jubilee in London this morning
Crowds watch the Trooping the Colour ceremony at Horse Guards Parade in London this morning
Soldiers taking part in the parade along The Mall ahead of the Trooping the Colour ceremony at Horse Guards Parade today
Britain's Prince Charles and Prince William ride on horseback during the Trooping the Colour parade in London today
Large crowds of revellers gather at Trafalgar Square and sit on top of an Underground sign at Charing Cross this morning
Brigade major James Shaw (centre, top) leads members of the Household Cavalry to Horse Guards Parade this morning
Prince Charles takes part in the Trooping the Colour ceremony in Central London this morning
The first carriage was followed by the Earl and Countess of Wessex with their children this morning
The Duchess of Cambridge arrives in a car at Buckingham Palace in London this morning for Trooping the Colour
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge arrive in a car at Buckingham Palace in London this morning for Trooping the Colour
Brigade major James Shaw (centre, top) leads members of the Household Cavalry to Horse Guards Parade this morning
Reservists from 104Rgt perform a Royal Gun salute at Roald Dahl Plass in Cardiff today
Royal fans gather on The Mall as they take photographs and attend the celebration of the Queen's Platinum Jubilee today
Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall arrive in a car for the Trooping the Colour parade in London this morning
People take photographs as they attend the celebration of the Queen's Platinum Jubilee in London today
Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall arrive in a car for the Trooping the Colour parade in London this morning
Prince Charles smiles and waves as he arrives in a car for the Trooping the Colour parade in London this morning
Police monitor crowds gathered in Trafalgar Square in London today on day one of the Platinum Jubilee celebrations
The 206 Battery of the Royal Artillery, the Ulster Gunners fire a midday commemorative gun salute today in honour of the beginning the Platinum Jubilee celebrations, at Hillsborough Castle, in Royal Hillsborough, Northern Ireland
Prime Minister Boris Johnson poses for a photograph with military personnel outside 10 Downing Street in London today
People take photographs as they attend the celebration of the Queen's Platinum Jubilee in London today
The Queen's Guard during the Trooping the Colour parade outside Buckingham Palace in London this morning
People gather along The Mall as they attend the Queen's Platinum Jubilee celebrations in London this morning
Meanwhile the Queen has called on the nation to use her Platinum Jubilee to create 'happy memories' with friends and family.
Ahead of four days of global festivities, the monarch, 96, also said Britain should be proud of its achievements across the 70 years of her historic reign.
Buckingham Palace also released a glorious new portrait taken just last week to mark the occasion, showing the sovereign looking bright and cheerful at Windsor Castle.
In her special message to the nation the Queen emphasises that she wants festivities to unite the nation, rather than to celebrate her personally.
Thanking everyone across the UK and the Commonwealth who has been involved in organising events for the Jubilee, she adds: 'I know that many happy memories will be created at these festive occasions.'
She goes on to say that she hopes 'the coming days will provide an opportunity to reflect on all that has been achieved during the last seventy years'.
Her Majesty looks elegant in a blue-grey wool Charmelaine Angela Kelly coat and dress for her specially commissioned portrait, taken by Ranald Mackechnie.
She will make three public appearances today. First, she will take the salute at Trooping the Colour on the balcony at Buckingham Palace.
The Royal Procession leaves Buckingham Palace for the Trooping the Colour ceremony at Horse Guards Parade today