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Joel Ryan / AP
Queen Elizabeth II celebrates 60 years on the throne with veteran rockstars and huge crowds.
Updated at 6:45 p.m. ET: LONDON - Elton John sang "I'm Still Standing," Stevie Wonder crooned "Isn't She Lovely," and Paul McCartney sent "All My Loving" as musical royalty celebrated Queen Elizabeth II's 60-year reign with a concert outside Buckingham Palace on Monday. But the joy was tempered by news that the queen's husband, Prince Philip, had been hospitalized with a bladder infection.
About 12,000 contest winners watched the live performances as part of four days of nationwide celebrations for the Diamond Jubilee marking the queen's 60 years on the throne. Members of the royal family, including Charles, his wife Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, and Princes William and Harry sat in a royal box to watch the show. The queen wore a gold lame cocktail dress under a dark cape.
The first of more than four thousand beacons have been lit as the global celebrations of the Diamond Jubilee were stepped up. The Queen will light the final beacon from the concert stage at Buckingham Palace where Sir Paul McCartney, Stevie Wonder, Kylie Minogue and a host of other stars will perform in her honor. Forecasters say the weather should be kinder after yesterday's downpours. ITN's Damon Green reports.
Monday’s concert also featured Ska band Madness singing 1980s hit "Our House" from the roof of the 775-room palace. The band changed the lyrics to use proper English: "Our house, in the middle of one's street."
It's official: Twitter kills the Queen's English
The veteran entertainers seemed most popular. The crowd roared along to Cliff Richard's, "Congratulations," and cheered Bassey singing — fittingly — "Diamonds are Forever." Prince Harry could be seen singing along — "Why, why why?" — as Tom Jones belted out "Delilah," while Prince William and his wife Kate joined in on John's "Crocodile Rock."
McCartney closed the concert playing "Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da" on a Union Jack guitar before the queen took the stage with her family.
Palace officials said the prince, who will turn 91 on Saturday, was taken to the King Edward VII Hospital in London from Windsor Castle on Monday as a precaution and will remain under observation for a few days.
As the Diamond Jubilee show ended, Prince Charles took the stage and encouraged concertgoers to make some noise for his father. The crowd responded with a roar and chants of "Philip."
The heir to the throne paid tribute to his mother, addressing her as "Your Majesty — Mummy" and leading the crowd in three cheers for the monarch.
Did the queen enjoy the music? Her musical tastes are a mystery, and she appeared to be wearing yellow ear plugs as she observed the concert, according to The Associated Press. According to The Guardian newspaper, the only song the queen has ever been known to request is "Some Enchanted Evening" from the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical "South Pacific."
Despite the dreary weather, organizers said more than one million people gathered on the banks of the Thames to watch the 86-year-old monarch glide past in a barge decorated with flowers, with her closest family at her side.
In the flotilla were kayaks, rowboats, barges and the Motor Torpedo Boat 102 on which the Allied Forces commander, Gen. Dwight Eisenhower, and British Prime Minister Winston Churchill inspected warships before the 1944 D-Day invasion of Nazi-occupied France.
Peter Jeary, NBC News
Despite heavy rain, spectators lined up from dawn on Sunday to get the best view of the River Thames flotilla.
A gloomy, gray - and great - day for the UK
All were decorated with flags and banners, making a colorful spectacle harking back to Tudor times when river pageants regularly took place for royal festivities.
Six participants in the pageant were treated in hospitals for exposure to the cold and wet, and medics attended to about 40 spectators along the river.
Her Royal Highness celebrates 60 years on the throne.
After the concert, a network of 4,000 beacons were lit across the United Kingdom and Commonwealth, leading into Tuesday, the final day of the extended holiday weekend.
The small Pacific island nation of Tonga claimed the honor of lighting the first beacons. Another was scheduled to be lit in Kenya at the Treetops Hotel, where Elizabeth was informed of her father's death in 1952, making her the queen.
While more than a century separates festivities marking Queen Elizabeth II's 60 years on the throne from those honoring her predecessor Queen Victoria, surprising similarities connect the commemorations. NBC News' Jim Maceda reports.
The jubilee celebrations will conclude on Tuesday with a thanksgiving service at St Paul's Cathedral, a carriage procession along the Mall avenue, a fly past and farewell wave from the royal family to crowds gathered in front of Buckingham Palace – events that will be covered live on a special edition of NBC’s TODAY.
Secret donors, foreign firms bankroll UK’s Diamond Jubilee celebration
The jubilee event have underlined broad support for the queen in Britain, where she is riding high in opinion polls and is seen as a symbol of service, stability and national unity.
The displays of pomp and pageantry also gave a lift to many at a time of economic austerity and spending cuts, and boosted confidence ahead of the summer Olympic Games.
BBC, via Twitter
British tabloid newspaper The Sun marked the wet festivities with this headline on Monday.
Support for the royal family is not universal however, with views ranging from indifference - around two million Britons traveled abroad to benefit from the extra days off - to outright opposition.
Queen's critics face uphill battle during jubilee
"Her achievement is just staying alive, doing little and saying less," Graham Smith, head of campaign group Republic, told Reuters on Sunday.
Queen Elizabeth II is celebrating 60 years on the throne. Watch archival footage from her childhood and ascension to the throne to the present day.
His group estimates that the royal family, which officially sets taxpayers back between 30 and 40 million pounds a year, in fact costs closer to 200 million pounds when security and travel are included.
There might be four days of celebrations in Great Britain for the Queen's Diamond Jubilee, but some Londoners still have to work. NBC's Duncan Golestani finds a quick way to join in the fun.
Queen Elizabeth is only the second monarch to mark 60 years on the throne, after her great-great-grandmother Queen Victoria reached the milestone in 1897. She is also on course to become the longest-serving British sovereign in 2015.
NBC News, msnbc.com's Alastair Jamieson, The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report.
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- US drone strikes in Pakistan kill 27 people in 3 days
- New Vatican documents leaked after arrest of pope's butler
- Jublilee flotilla: A gloomy, gray - and great - day for UK
- Murderer's corpse dragged from car, eaten by bear in Canada
- Queen's critics face uphill battle during Diamond Jubilee
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- Secret donors, foreign firms bankroll UK queen's celebration
Follow us on Twitter: @msnbc_world
Leave a Comment:
litmus test in progress.....
If she wants SOme enchantd Evening Paul McCartney will sing it - he sang 'Til there ws you for her when the Beatles were coming up (and loook incredibly uncomfortanle doing so.
Oh God! England is more oppressive than North Korea with it's forced cult of personality. What threats did the government have to make to get so many thousands to turn out and pretend to adore the royal family? How many of those will be arrested for not seeming to be sincere in their admiration? They will be imprisoned in re-education camps and forced to learn the protocols of proper butt kissing. The royals of course will publicly stay above the fray but with full knowledge will allow the police to conduct the dirty work of interrogating those suspected of ambivalency towards the royal family. The royal family will secretly but with extreme prejudice direct M5 to deal with those who's attitudes represent a threat to the nation's adoration of the queen.
And worse since the supreme court equated corporations with people, secret donors are now able to bankroll the opulent displays of the royals without any transparency whatsoever.
@Mark-1751582: Could you BE more paranoid and delusional?! Seriously: waaay past time to up your dosage.
@Mark-1751582: Someone please explain how a Supreme Court of the United States Decision about corporations being a "real person" which does not equate them to a person, by the way..just do a little research...has any impact on anything to do with the Royal Family of the United Kingdom?
@Mark-1751582: Besides your obvious paranoia, what, exactly does a U.S. Supreme Court ruling have to do with donors for the Queen of Great Britain's Jubilee?
Kings and Queens are like religious officials...extremely expensive but totally useless....
JustSaying, NeilRocks, and MauiAl50. I tell the truth about the seedy side of the British, yet all you can do is make snarky comments. You obviously have turned a blind eye to the British threat. You seem to have totally forgotten the attempted British takeover of the American government a few centuries ago.
Britain has become a nation of hooligans with soccer hooligans being the most organized and ruthless. They are especially dangerous immediately after soccer games. This is of special concern because England is after all a nuclear power. We simply can't permit soccer hooligans to obtain raw nuclear materials. If hooligans were to take over the British government, the whole European continent would be at risk. Britain would be in position to launch long range nuclear missiles to preemptively destroy America's budding soccer industry. Who's going to stop them? Germany?
We need a strong president to organize tough economic sanctions against Britain. A coalition of the willing will certainly include Spain and Argentina, even if other countries can't be bribed to join. We need drone strikes against hooligans wherever they are in England. If England won't take care of them, we have to do it ourselves.
mark -
You win 2 internets.
Also, I'm surprised that anyone in print media knows the word "ska." Every other music piece I've ever read (excepting Rolling Stone) has used "pop" or substituted the word "reggae" for "ska." Which is funny, considering reggae came from ska in the first place, and wasn't even around for about 20 years after ska came out of Jamaica.
Madness rocks, and I love the irony of playing "Our House" on top of Buckingham Palace for the queen. The balls on that band...
Janstince
I got the last post in and so win, but you're most certainly welcome to try again. As a peace offering I would like to totally agree with your well thought out viewpoints on "ska," even though I have no idea what you are talking about.
Long live the Queen! She has been a great example to her people.
Thank God we have elections every 4 years!!!!
She looks like a sweet old lady so I dont mean to sound mean but its easy to be an example when all you have to do is smile and wave. Making unpopular decisions while a country is in decline will absolutely make people hate you.
@Mark Sure, that's it. Impose economic restrictions on Great briton. They are the largest importers of oil to the United States. How do you think that is going to work out? Talk about cuttin off your nose to spite your face.
Long live the Queen. May she live long enough for Charles to abdicate the throne to his son William.
Don't ever want the "Rottweiler" to be called Queen.
Please dont disrepect rottweilers in that manner. A mule or camel is a more accurate discription of Mz. Charles.
Lay off, Charles. Don't be surprised if someday you pick up one of your Fleet St. tabloids and find that William has messed around. Many marriages go stale especially with the temptations offered the rich, powerful and famous.
Their system of government is nice in that the Queen really holds no power and serves more as a "voice of reason". Her age and maturity are very well suited for this and bring great credibility to this role.
I do not know if we were shielded from all her "weighing in" on every last mundane detail of current affaires but she stands stoic as compared to our modern day activists who see the cameras and podiums as a throne to being important.
I can only hope others can learn from the Queens humility and only then will they truly have the internal character to lead others by example.
Dumb: The 'united kingdom' has a queen; Great britain, not so great. The queen is englands Joe biden, worthless.
She is also officially the Queen of New Zealand, the Queen of Australia, and the Queen of Canada. She is also the Queen of 13 other countries.
She along with the entire royal family are by-far the largest recipients of welfare in the world. She is loved by most if not a majority of Englishmen for the fact is as history has taught us, these people have always been about conquering lands and subjugating peoples. No other country has set foot on all 7 continents and killed so many innocent people, in the process of gaining 'living space' as Hitler once did in history.
There are many great things that have come from England and the UK, but we mustn't forget, there have been and continue to be many atrocities against Humans brought forth by the royal family and their constituents. Look up the 'Islas Maldivas' or as the English would want to call them, the 'Falkland Islands' off the coast of Argentina, which were 'colonized' by these brutes by force. All natives living in these islands have been expelled and murdered all for the benefit of Englishmen across the world, without caring much about whose land they are taking. All natives from those islands are missing, yet no one says anything about it, why?
England and its sons have gained great power and control over many powers in the world through subjugation and control of people. The people of that country know no better than to pay their 'royalties' to the royal family, for they have been born and bred to kiss the ass of the monarchy. Point being, I can see why those countrymen don't care about having to pay taxes so that the monarchy can get their monthly WELFARE CHECKS, for the monarchy has brought them riches, power and land at the behest of everyone who is not of English descent.
These people have and will always be power hungry, murderers, enslavers, subjugators, land squatters and a shame on the Human race. She we can always say that a lot of information, science, technology and general knowledge has come from these people, but they got to that point not by being brilliant, but by being scoundrels. Double-dealing, back-stabbing, subjugation and controlling of people not of their 'kind', is how they have gained the upper-hand in this world. If it wasn't for all that anti-Human and anti-Environmental behavior, these people wouldn't hold the power, wealth and influence they hold today. By keeping everyone else down and under their control they've successfully conquered this world in which we live.
History doesn't lie, and everything I've said here is nothing more than a rundown of how history has and wil continue to favor these scoundrels.
As an English tax payer which I'm guessing your not I'm very happy with the Royal family and am very happy with any money that goes to them.
How this is connected to the Falkland Islands is probably for you to explain. There was no native population to be brutal to, unlike when Argentina was colonised by the Spanish and millions of native Indian's were murdered.
Long live the Queen.
You must be Argentinian or maybe Spanish, don't really care but you will not get the Falklands or Gibraltar back until the local inhabitants wish so. We maybe all the things you said but if the Falkland people wish to remain loyal to the Queen who are you to say otherwise.
Local inhabitants? Local inhabitants that your monarchy has placed upon those lands? Lands that were rid of all REAL native inhabitants, cleansed of all opposition to the law of the queen. You just don't get it, these lands do not belong to your people, it belongs to the natives. And I can assure you, any native not marching in step to your peoples demands have been killed or subjugated for quite some time now. So yeah, anyone living there NOW is totally under the control of the monarchy.
Anyone living in the 'Islas Malvinas' is not native, everyone there in this day in age are squatters or offspring of the original squatters, sent by England and controlled by the monarchy. Get your facts straight.
And no I am not from Argentina, I am American, and am certainly against the monarchy of soundrels for the reasons stated here and on all my posts against the monarchy. Greed, corruption, control freak, back-stabbing, double-dealing, environmental rapists. It is though blood of many of the worlds' people that your monarchy has come to such great wealth and power. Make no mistake about it.
In a deal originated with King George III, in exchange for receiving money from the Civil List, Her Majesty turns over ALL of the profits generated from the Royal Estate directly to Parliament. This amounts to roughly £200 million per year. Since the Monarchy costs around £60 million per year to maintain (this includes the various costs associated with ALL members of the Royal Family, not just the Queen herself), the Government makes a profit of around £140 million per year directly from the Queen herself. Her Majesty also pays an income tax on money she receives from the Civil List. That's not even mentioning all of the income generated for local businesses due to heavy tourism directly related to the existence of the Royal Family.
Will she enjoy it? Hell yes, I have seen her picture (in disguise) purple hair glowing dancing about high on Ecstacy and dry humping everything that moves. Sheeeeit, she probably doesn't even know it's a special occasion. Just look at that smile, the Devil himself in disguise.
LONG LIVE THE QUEEN OF ENGLAND, our time to celebrate your life and hope you live a long time so Prince William will be king of England,
Nam Veteran you are a moron
I am the Queen of England. I love to sing and dance. And if you don't believe me. I'll punch you in the pants! (National Lampoon)
Stonepipe, your comment was rude, crude, and inappropriate.
As for the Queen's most requested song, Alfie Boe (who is also performing in the concert) recorded "Some Enchanted Evening" on his Bring Him Home album. Perhaps he and Sir Paul could do a duet!
God save the queen
The fascist regime
They made you a moron
Potential H-bomb
God save the queen
She ain't no human being
There is no future
In England's dreaming
Don't be told what you want
Don't be told what you need
There's no future, no future,
No future for you
God save the queen
We mean it man
We love our queen
God saves
God save the queen
'Cause tourists are money
And our figurehead
Is not what she seems
Oh God save history
God save your mad parade
Oh Lord God have mercy
All crimes are paid
When there's no future
How can there be sin
We're the flowers in the dustbin
We're the poison in your human machine
We're the future, your future
God save the queen
We mean it man
We love our queen
God saves
(The Sex Pistols)
Clap Clap Clap Clap Clap Clap Clap Clap Clap Clap......loved the Pistols!!!!
@Mymomdidnotraiseafool: Then who raised you?
Sex Pistols rule. Too bad they didn't get to perform on the Thames like they did for the 25th Jubilee.
many times have listened to the sex pistols, good memories.
I have actually started camp fires by waving the wood pile with the "Never Mind the Bollocks" vinyl album. Essential camping gear, that's for sure. ;-)
Just like the old Roman emperors having games at the colisseum to placate the mob! Free concerts for the jobless/homeless while the rich get richer!
I am SOOOO sick of hearing about this and seeing on OUR news the "astronomical" amount of money being spent on the mess!
Let them have their fun. What's the big deal?
How about the astronomical amount of money that she gives to the UK treasure, some 300 million pounds per year from her private estates. Also the billions of pounds charities raise under your royal patronage.
Private estates? You mean private estates paid for by public welfare. The monarchy are the single largest welfare recipient in the world. Soundrels will continue to pay their royalties in order to keep the monarchy going, for as history has taught us, the monarchy is all about helping their own people gain power, wealth and control of the rest of us in this world.
History doesn't lie. These people are some of the biggest scoundrels this world has ever seen, even to this day they lay claim to places like 'Islas Malvinas', even though they know they've murdered and subjugated all the natives of those islands, islands they would like to call 'The Falklands'. Soundrels, nothing more and nothing less.
Don't get me wrong, England has brought forth many well-known scientists, artists and good people to help the world, but I believe many other races, colors and creeds from countries around the world would be able to do the same if it wasn't for the monarchy keeping them down and in control.
Who gives a rats ass about this spoiled rotten old hag together with her geeky son and usless a nd propped up grandsons...what the hell do these parasites do for a living anyway!?
Harry does combat missions in Afghanistan; William flies an RAF rescue helicopter; the 86 year old Queen does some 250 public engagements a year; Charles is a keen environmentalist and campaigner who does several hundred engagements a year.
They keep the police, military and judiciary (etc.) 'theoretically' apolitical as they act in the Monarch's name (the Monarch as the servant of the people meaning that the police, military and judiciary are servants of the people) rather than in the name of any transient political entity or ideology.
They keep key national events - whether they be celebratory or memorial (such as at the Cenotaph on Remembrance) - and recognition of charitable services (such as Help for Heroes or the National Memorial Arboretum) non-politically aligned so no politician can claim any national event for their own.
(And their annual cost is less than one of the RAF's new fighter jets!)
Tell you what...for those of you in the mindless masses, this lil'old and innocent looking lady wouldn't be so dam innocent if this were the 15th century..she'd slice your nuts off, chew'm and spit'm in your face and walk away with a smile and sip some tea..non of these supposed Royal's" would be...they have a history and bloodline thirst for greed, barbarism, which includes murder, genocide, rape, theft, and many other nefarious characteristics.....unbelievable how stupid and ignorant people can be (especially the English) to celebrate these vermin...
Interesting, this is the same queen The Beatles played for 50 years ago and now McCartney is back.
Fred
That's putting it into perspective. Both for her and Paul.
Give Ireland back to the Irish ! Paul's a hypocrite.
Wonder if Paul will give back the towels and ashtrays he stole back in the early sixties when the band was there. Probably still has a joint stashed in the underwear of some little court cutie!!! (Starts singing When I'm 64).
Royalty and all of it's trappings are an anachronism. Time to put these layabouts to work. Americans appear as fascinated with these fops as the Brits. Dumb da dumb dumb.
Anachronism...I don't think so.....Its a safe bet she's not soliciting donations from Hollywood pole smoking butt pirates in exchange for endorsing their sordid behavior like our POTUS OBummer in chief!
Hows that for FAMILY VALUES!
How much longer do we have to tolerate this stupidity with a "royal" (my a$$) family? The world has moved beyond the fairy tales of kings and queens. Move on Lizzie. Tata!!!!
and this is news worthy or important for what reason?
Who gives a sh*t
where are the sex pistols when you need em
god save the queen, she ain't nu human being ....
monarchy = enforced entitlement
The old bag queen looks like she knows how to party. She would really rock if she had a big doobie before the show starts and a few shots or Irish Whiskey during the show. Chuck should leave the old hag he is with, to show up with a young hot model. Harry should wear his Nazi outfit, and Kate a short mini skirt showing lots of leg, that she could kick off her shoes and really shake her tush.
If the queen enter the marsh pit and was passed around would make a great picture, then I know she knows how to parrty.
Hip hip hooray!!
Odd ... so many leaving comments stating they don't give a damn about the Queen, yet they have been posting everyday about the Queen's celebration. Seems they really do care ... and not for the reasons they proclaim!
We have HollyWood and DisneyLand.....They have the REAL Thing. God Bless the UK.
We have Dumbo and they have Charles ( see Craig Ferguson).
Please do not refer to Queen Elizabeth II as Her Royal Highness. That was correct when she was Princess Elizabeth but as soon as she became Queen she also became Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. This is not only a mistake made on the West of the Atlantic. Some media people in the UK surprisingly make the same mistake.
Chip chip cherrio - who gives a s**t. You can go ahead and collapse the comment - like I'll be back on this boring story.