Parade ends Queen's Jubilee celebrations

Celebrations marking Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II's platinum jubilee concluded with a stunning pageant through the streets of London. At its head rolled the Gold State carriage upon which the young Queen had ridden to her coronation almost 70 years before.

The public parade entertained with myriad tableaus of the Queen's life and cultural shifts in music, dance, fashion and society which have accompanied her reign.

Featuring in excess of 10,000 citizens from around the UK and the Commonwealth, the £15 million procession brought four unforgettable days to a close where hundreds of thousands flooded the city's streets, revelling in the atmosphere and craning their necks as members of the royal family came past.

Visitors had arrived from across the globe for the occasion, including Kim Darcy of California.

Kim Darcy: "Well, it, it was - very exhilarating - a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Especially when we actually got to see the Queen come out on the balcony. That was just - everyone around me was, was crying, especially singing the anthem. And it was just, it was unreal. And I'm so fortunate to be here to experience it."

At 96, health challenges down to Her Majesty's advancing years forced her to be absent from a large part of the celebrations. Despite this, the Queen delighted onlookers with an impromptu appearance on the balcony at Buckingham Palace at the end of the pageant, flanked by three future kings of England.

The moment left German visitor Tim Lunze overwhelmed.

Tim Lunze: "It's was very exciting. I am - it was one moment in life that is, that I see, see her because not many people can, could see her. And we were running and running and running and then we stand in front of the balcony. And at this, until this moment you don't know if, if she come or if she not come. And then she come and it was, was so nice."

This appearance by Her Majesty rounded off the jubilee festivities in the only way possible, according to delighted Mancunian spectator Colin Hewitt.

Colin Hewitt: "Only way to end - see the queen, say goodbye and we'll see you again. Yeah, the best way to end the show, yes."

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