More than 2,500 troops paraded in front of Her Majesty The Queen in Windsor on Saturday, 19 May, to mark her Diamond Jubilee.
In the first major national event of the Diamond Jubilee members of all three Armed services marched through the streets of Windsor and then mustered in front of the Queen for a special Drumhead service. The event was designed to honour the special relationship between the Queen and the Armed Services.
The troops formed up on the Long walk in Windsor Great Park then paraded before the Queen in the Quadrangle of Windsor Castle. They then marched through the town where more than 30,000 spectators lined the streets, ending up in the arena in Home Park.
The parade was made up of Soldiers, Sailors and Royal Air Force personnel from all areas of the Armed Forces, together with a tri-service Guard of Honour, and six military bands. It was half a mile long and took more than 15 minutes to pass in front of the crowds.
'Example to us all'
At the Drumhead service Chief of the Defence Staff Sir David Richards addressed the Queen, he said: “Your commitment to our nation is an example to us all. For six decades your devotion to duty, sense of honour, and pride in our country have set the standards to which your armed forces constantly aspire.”
Following this the Queen responded with a speech, she said: “It is a tradition of very long standing that members of our Royal Family are intimately associated with the armed forces and have been proud to serve in all three services. We are very proud of the selfless service, and sacrifices made by servicemen and women and their families in recent years.
HMS Illustrious and Afghanistan
It is very gratifying to celebrate and take pride in successful achievements, but the real test of character is the ability to maintain morale and a positive spirit in bad times as well as when things are going well.'
Further tributes were paid to the monarch from HMS Illustrious and Afghanistan via a large broadcast screen before all personnel present gave three cheers. The muster concluded with an impressive flypast of 78 aircraft, including Army Air Corps Apaches, the Red Arrows and the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight.