A Concorde and several dozen British warplanes flew over Buckingham Palace this afternoon in a spectacular end to four days of celebrations marking Queen Elizabeth's Golden jubilee.
Watched by the queen and crowd estimated at a million people gathered outside the palace, the Concorde swooped low over central London flanked by jets on each side trailing multicoloured vapours.
As the Queen, her husband Prince Philip and senior royals waved from the palace balcony, the throng, most waving red, white and blue Union Jacks, cheered and broke into a rendition of Land of Hope and Glory.
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Britain's Queen Elizabeth II leads members of the royal family during the Golden Jubilee Service of Thanksgiving at St Paul's Cathedral in London Photograph: Reuters
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The air display, involving 27 planes, came at the end of a day which saw a full state procession followed by parades and pageants in the capital celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Queen's reign.
Earleri, the Queen spoke of her "gratitude, respect and pride" in her country and her Golden Jubilee.
And she sent heartfelt thanks to the millions of people who have joined in the celebrations of the 50th anniversary of her reign.
She praised her own family, hailing the work of her son Prince Charles and "all he has achieved for this country".
The huge crowd witnessed a unique spectacle of pomp and pageantry as the Queen travelled through the heart of London in the glittering State Gold Coach.
Mounted bands, gun detachments from the King's Troop Horse Artillery and the Sovereign's Escort of the Household Cavalry preceded the State Gold Coach, carrying the Queen and Prince Philip, accompanied by the Prince of Wales and the Princess Royal, in her ceremonial capacity as Gold Stick in Waiting, both on horseback.
As the Gold Coach left the Palace, a 41-gun royal salute was fired in Hyde Park, against a background of a military band playing the National Anthem.
British Prime Minister Tony Blair today spoke of the "huge affection" in which the nation holds the Queen - and praised her commitment to the service of others.
Mr Blair, speaking at the Guildhall in the City of London, said: "It is not only the quantity of your reign we are celebrating today, it is the quality."
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