Dear colleagues,

In 2022, Her Majesty The Queen will become the first British Monarch to celebrate a Platinum Jubilee, having acceded to the throne on 6 February 1952.

There will be year-long Platinum Jubilee celebrations throughout the year. Her Majesty and members of the Royal Family will travel around the country to undertake a variety of engagements to mark the historic occasion, culminating with the Platinum Jubilee Weekend in June.

An extended bank holiday, from Thursday 2 to Sunday 5 June, will provide an opportunity for communities and people throughout the United Kingdom to come together to celebrate the historic milestone. Across the four days, the celebrations will include public events and community activities, as well as national moments of reflections on The Queen’s 70 years of service.

On Thursday 2 June, the United Kingdom’s long tradition of celebrating Royal Jubilees, Weddings and Coronations with the lighting of beacons will be continued to mark the Platinum Jubilee.

Councils are being encouraged to join in the celebrations by lighting existing permanent or temporary beacons at 9.15pm on 2 June 2022.

Full details of the ways in which they can engage with the celebrations are outlined in the official guide to taking part, which will be updated on the official website at the end of each month as more and more communities, individuals and organisations join the event.

If your council is able to take part, please go to page 11 of the guide and provide the Queen’s Jubilee Beacons team with the information requested. We hope the lighting of beacons across the country and beyond will be celebration to remember on this historic occasion.

If you have any queries, please contact the Queen’s Pageantmaster, Bruno Peek LVO OBE OPR at brunopeek@mac.com, on 07737 262 913, or visit the Platinum Jubilee Beacons website.

Yours faithfully,

Councillor Gerald Vernon-Jackson CBE
Chair, LGA Culture, Tourism and Sport Board