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State & Ceremonial

Long to rain over us – The Patron’s Lunch gets underway, despite the weather

The country’s biggest street party gets underway today on The Mall for The Patron’s Lunch, despite the very British weather.

10,000 guests are expected to descend to the Mall outside of Buckingham Palace, where they will be joined by members of the Royal Family got a picnic commemorating The Queen’s 90th birthday.

Each guest attending the Patron’s Lunch will receive their own hamper before sitting down at the specially prepared tables that will line the Mall outside Buckingham Palace.

There are currently more than 600 bodies which have The Queen as their royal patron – and she has been patron of 433 of those since 1952, the year of her accession to the throne. All of these charities have been invited to the Patron’s Lunch today.

If you don’t have a ticket events are taking place across London. There will be room for 15,000 people to watch the event on giant screens in St James’s Park and Green Park, but do remember to take an umbrella with you.

The Lunch is the culmination of a weekend of national events marking The Queen’s official 90th birthday and honours the monarch’s lifetime dedication to service.

The weekend of official birthday began on Friday 10 June with a Service of Thanksgiving at St Paul’s Cathedral. 53 members of the Royal Family attended the service to pay tribute to Her majesty’s life.

Yesterday saw the annual Trooping the Colour ceremony take place on Horse Guards Parade in London. Otherwise know as The Queen’s Birthday Parade. Afterwards, the Royal Family took to the balcony of Buckingham Palace to watch an RAF flypast.

This was particularly significant as it was Princess Charlotte’s first appearance on the balcony.

If you don’t have a ticket to the Patron’s Lunch on Sunday 12 June, but still want to be part of the event in London, there will be room for 15,000 people to watch the event on giant screens in St James’s Park and Green Park. It is advised to arrive early and, unfortunately, you won’t receive one of the b hampers although there’s no reason you can’t bring your own!