Queen Elizabeth II makes surprise appearance on palace balcony to cap off jubilee

Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II watches from the balcony of Buckingham Palace during the Trooping the Colour parade in London on Thursday, June 2.

The Queen is joined by members of the royal family during her balcony appearance on Sunday. With her, from left, are Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall; Prince Charles; Prince William; Prince George; Princess Charlotte; Catherine, the Duchess of Cambridge; and Prince Louis.

Soldiers parade during the People’s Pageant in London on Sunday.

Crowds watch the Queen’s appearance in London on Sunday.

Ed Sheeran performs before the Queen’s appearance.

Archive video of the Queen plays inside a Gold State Coach during the parade on Sunday.

Cakes celebrating the jubilee are displayed at a street party in Aylesford, England, on Sunday.

Sunday’s parade had performers, military personnel and key workers walking down The Mall to bring to life many iconic moments from the Queen’s reign.

Prince Charles and his wife Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall, attend a Big Jubilee Lunch event Sunday in London. There were similar lunchtime events taking place in other communities across the country.

Revelers pose for pictures as they attend a party in Ashby-de-la-Zouch, England, on Sunday.

People gather outside Windsor Castle for the Big Jubilee Lunch there on Sunday.

Children chalk a flag on the road during a street party in York, England, in Sunday.

Queen’s Brian May delights concertgoers as the band — joined by Adam Lambert — opens a special show outside of Buckingham Palace on Saturday night. The two-and-a-half hour concert boasted an impressive lineup of stars.

Members of the royal family attend Saturday night’s concert. In the center row, from left, are Catherine, the Duchess of Cambridge; Princess Charlotte; Prince George; and Prince William.

Rod Stewart performs on stage during Saturday night’s concert, where he performed Neil Diamond’s “Sweet Caroline,” a British karaoke classic.

Drones make a shape of a corgi dog — a Queen favorite — above the palace on Saturday night.

Prince Charles, accompanied by his wife Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall, delivers a speech at Saturday night’s concert. “You pledged to serve your whole life,” he said of his mother, the Queen. “You continue to deliver. That is why we are here. That is what we celebrate tonight.”

People cheer as they gather at The Mall for the concert outside Buckingham Palace.

Diana Ross appears on stage during the concert. The legendary singer closed the show with “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough.”

People gather along The Mall for Saturday night’s concert.

Prince George and Princess Charlotte also joined their parents at a walkabout in Cardiff, Wales, on Saturday. Their visit was part of the royal family’s tour of all four regions of the United Kingdom.

Princess Anne, the Queen’s only daughter, stands on the balcony of the royal box while attending the Epsom Derby horse race on Saturday. She was filling in for her mother, who has been a regular spectator at the event in past years.

Boys ride a bus in Epsom alongside cardboard cutouts of the Queen.

Princess Charlotte conducts a band next to her brother Prince George as they visited Cardiff Castle in Wales.

People dance during jubilee celebrations in London on Saturday.

People gather for a street party in Hayfield, England, on Saturday.

Prince Harry and his wife Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, depart St Paul’s Cathedral in London after attending a service honoring the Queen on Friday. Harry and Meghan, who flew from the United States for the jubilee celebrations, were warmly welcomed by a crowd outside the service. Ahead of the event, there was much speculation in the British press over how the couple would be received following their decision to step back from the royal family and move to California two years ago.

Catherine, the Duchess of Cambridge, smiles as she arrives at St Paul’s Cathedral on Friday.

More than 400 people were invited to Friday’s event recognizing the Queen’s lifetime of service. The congregation included key workers, teachers and public servants as well as representatives from the Armed Forces, charities, social enterprises and voluntary groups, according to Buckingham Palace. London Mayor Sadiq Khan was among those in the audience.

Prince Charles arrives for Friday’s service. Another one of the Queen’s sons, Prince Andrew, was notably absent after testing positive for Covid-19.

The theme of Friday’s event was public service. It included Bible readings, prayers and congregational hymns to honor the Queen’s 70 years on the British throne.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson pauses while inside St Paul’s Cathedral on Friday. Johnson was cheered and booed by the crowd when he arrived for the service.

A member of the military stumbles Friday while on duty ahead of the service.

A woman holds a cutout picture of the Queen while waiting outside St Paul’s Cathedral on Friday.

People gather outside St Paul’s Cathedral to watch the arrivals.

The Queen prepares to touch the Commonwealth of Nations Globe to start the lighting of the Principal Beacon outside Buckingham Palace on Thursday.

A Platinum Jubilee beacon is lit by Lord Provost Robert Aldridge and Commander of Edinburgh Garrison Lt. Col. Lorne Campbell at Scotland’s Edinburgh Castle on Thursday. More than 1,500 towns, villages and cities throughout the UK, Channel Islands, Isle of Man and UK Overseas Territories would come together to light a beacon to mark the jubilee.

People pack The Mall in London for Thursday’s Trooping the Colour parade.

The Queen walks out onto the Buckingham Palace balcony during the Trooping the Colour parade.

Catherine, the Duchess of Cambridge, waves during a carriage procession on Thursday. Joining her on the carriage were her three children — Prince George, Prince Louis and Princess Charlotte — as well as Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall.

Planes spell out the number 70 as they fly over Buckingham Palace on Thursday.

A 124-gun salute is fired at the Tower of London as part of the Trooping the Colour parade.

The Trooping the Colour event involved 1,500 soldiers and officers, 400 musicians, 250 horses and 70 aircraft, according to the UK Ministry of Defence.

Three of the Queen’s great-grandchildren— from left, Prince George, Prince Louis and Princess Charlotte — ride in the carriage procession on Thursday.

Prince William, left, rides on horseback next to his father, Prince Charles, during the Trooping the Colour parade.

The Queen’s Guard marches during the Trooping the Colour parade Thursday.

The Queen is joined by members of the royal family on the Buckingham Palace balcony on Thursday.

Thousands of people flocked to central London for the celebrations Thursday.

A military band performs on Thursday.

Four of the Queen’s great-grandchildren watch the parade from a window of Buckinghamp Palace on Thursday. From left are Prince George, Prince Louis, Princess Charlotte and Mia Tindall.

A member of the Coldstream Guards holds souvenir programs ahead of the start of Thursday’s parade.

Prince Edward, right, rides in a carriage along with his wife Sophie, the Countess of Wessex, and their children, James and Louise.

The Mounted Band of the Household Cavalry takes part in the parade Thursday.

A man wears a Union Jack suit as people gather on The Mall for jubilee celebrations on Thursday.

Police officers line up on The Mall ahead of the Trooping the Colour parade on Thursday.

A member of the Buckingham Palace staff cleans the balcony ahead of the Trooping the Colour parade on Thursday.

Crowds gather in London for the parade.

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese lights the Commonwealth Beacon for a jubilee celebration in Canberra, Australia, on Thursday.

Some royal fans had Union flags applied to their faces as they gathered along The Mall in London on Thursday.

People wear masks of the Queen and one of her dogs as they attend jubilee celebrations on The Mall on Thursday.

Anita Atkinson, who has collected more than 12,000 items of royal memorabilia, makes her way to a tea party in Durham on Thursday.

People sing the national anthem as they gather along The Mall on Thursday.

A boy poses with a Union flag on The Mall on Wednesday.