Shawdesh Desk:

The UK is having a four-day bank holiday weekend in June as part of celebrations for the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee.

In February, the Queen became the longest-serving British monarch, and the first to reach 70 years on the throne.

Queen Elizabeth II has been the UK’s head of state since 1952, when her father King George VI died. She is also the head of state for 15 Commonwealth countries, including Canada, Australia and Jamaica.

What is the Queen’s Jubilee?

The Queen was born on 21 April 1926 but she celebrates two birthdays every year – the second is the day the official celebrations take place and is usually on the second Saturday of June. This tradition started with her great-grandfather Edward VII, who was born in November, to make sure there is good weather for a public celebration.

The Jubilee marks a special anniversary in a monarch’s reign. This year’s will be the Queen’s fourth jubilee – she celebrated her Silver Jubilee in 1977, her Golden Jubilee in 2002 and her Diamond Jubilee in 2012.

There are number of official events planned throughout the year, but the main celebrations are during June’s four-day bank holiday weekend, and include a special Trooping of the Colour, a concert outside Buckingham Palace, and a pageant.

Thousands of street parties will be held across the country. Pubs, bars and nightclubs will also be able to stay open until 01:00 BST.

As part of the opening celebrations for the Jubilee, the Queen will be joined by members of her family on the balcony of Buckingham Palace on 2 June.

The Palace have confirmed that Prince Harry and Prince Andrew will not be present as it will only be for “members of the Royal Family who are currently undertaking official public duties”.

When was the Queen crowned and what happens at coronation?

When a monarch dies, the heir immediately becomes king or queen. The coronation is the ceremony at which the monarch is formally crowned. It takes place after a period of mourning for the previous sovereign.

Elizabeth II was crowned on 2 June 1953. Her coronation was the first ever to be broadcasted on live TV. More than 20 million people tuned in.

The central elements of the ceremony have barely changed for hundreds of years. The coronation is performed by the Archbishop of Canterbury. The monarch is anointed with “holy oil”, receives the orb and sceptre – which are symbols of royalty – and is crowned with the St Edward’s Crown, the centrepiece of the Crown Jewels.

How many children and grandchildren does the Queen have? And how does succession work?

The Queen was married to her late husband, Prince Philip, who died in April 2021, for more than 73 years. They had four children, eight grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren. Prince Charles is her first-born, followed by Princess Anne, Prince Andrew and Prince Edward.

The order of succession sets out which member of the Royal Family takes over as monarch when the existing one dies or abdicates. First in line – the heir to the throne – is the monarch’s first-born child.

Royal succession is governed by rules dating back hundreds of years. These were amended in 2013 to ensure that sons no longer take precedence over their older sisters.

Prince Charles is the Queen’s heir. His eldest son, Prince William, is second in line, and William’s eldest child, Prince George, is third.

As heir to the throne, Prince Charles would act as “regent” if his mother was not able to perform due to ill-health. This means he would take on the role of the monarch, without officially taking the position.