People wait to see Queen Elizabeth II after the Carriage Procession from Westminster Hall to Buckingham Palace. (EPA)
The Lancaster, the Hurricanes and the Spitfires of the Royal Air Force Aerobatic Display Team during a flyover of the Queen Victoria Memorial after the Diamond Jubilee Carriage Procession. (EPA)
LONDON — As hundreds of thousands of her loyal subjects cheered, Queen Elizabeth II appeared on the balcony of Buckingham Palace Tuesday to wave and watch a flypast by the Royal Air Force.
She later told the nation in a videotaped message she would continue to “treasure and draw inspiration” from her Diamond Jubilee celebrations.
Missing from the festivities was the monarch’s husband, Prince Philip, who was hospitalized Monday with a bladder infection.
However, the queen included him in her message, saying, “Prince Philip and I want to take this opportunity to offer our special thanks and appreciation to all those who have had a hand in organizing these Jubilee celebrations.”
The couple’s son, Edward, who visited his father’s bedside Tuesday, said earlier that the Duke of Edinburgh was feeling “much better” and had been watching Jubilee festivities on television.
Asked how the queen was doing without him, Edward said, “She’s bearing up but she’s missing him, obviously.”
In her brief Jubilee message, the queen, with several framed photographs of Prince William and his wife Catherine behind her, said, “The events that I have attended to mark my Diamond Jubilee have been a humbling experience. It has touched me deeply to see so many thousands of families, neighbors and friends celebrating together in such a happy atmosphere.”
“I hope memories of all this year’s events will brighten our lives for many years to come. I will continue to treasure and draw inspiration from the countless kindnesses shown to me in this country and throughout the Commonwealth. Thank you all.”
The queen and her family arrived at the palace following a glittering carriage procession from St. Paul’s Cathedral, where a special thanksgiving service was held to mark her 60 years on the throne.
A huge roar from the hundreds of thousands of flag-waving subjects and visitors gathered outside the palace and along the Mall greeted the monarch under rainy skies. Some estimates put the crowds at more than a million for her last public Jubilee event.
She appeared on the balcony with what are expected to be the next two monarchs: her son, Prince Charles, and her grandson, the Duke of Cambridge. Both future kings’ wives, the Duchess of Cornwall and the Duchess of Cambridge, were with them, as was Prince Harry.
They watched a flypast featuring World War II aircraft — including a Dakota bomber — followed by the Red Arrows flying in diamond formation with red, white and blue-colored smoke trails.
Earlier, the Archbishop of Canterbury Dr. Rowan Williams paid tribute to the queen during the thanksgiving service at St. Paul’s Cathedral.
“In all her public engagements, our queen has shown a quality of joy in the happiness of others. She has responded with just the generosity St. Paul speaks of in showing honor to countless local communities and individuals of every background of class and race,” he said.
“She has made her public happy, and all the signs are that she is herself happy, fulfilled and at home in these encounters. The same of course can manifestly be said of Prince Philip, and our prayers and thoughts are very much with him this morning.”
Leading national figures and members of the royal family were among those at the service.
Prime Minister David Cameron, who led a large representation from the coalition government and other figures that included governors general and foreign leaders, opened the service with a reading.
The queen also attended a reception at Mansion House while other senior royals including Charles and Camilla were at a similar event at the Guildhall, with members of the thanksgiving congregation present at both.
The monarch and her family were then guests at a City of London Livery companies lunch at Westminster Hall.
The Prince of Wales paid a heartfelt tribute to his mother Monday night, following the Diamond Jubilee concert staged near Buckingham Palace.
Standing on stage with the queen, Charles told hundreds of thousands of concert-goers that they were “celebrating the life and service of a very special person.”
After Prince Charles’ speech there was a huge fireworks display fired from the roof of the palace.
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