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Thousands Mark Queen Elizabeth II's Jubilee

(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "GOD SAVE THE QUEEN")

GUY RAZ, HOST:

A day of, what else, pomp and circumstance in London today.

(SOUNDBITE OF BOAT HORNS)

RAZ: Boats of all sizes blew their horns in celebration traveling past the queen on her own vessel on the River Thames. It's the queen's diamond jubilee, a celebration of her 60th year on the throne.

UNIDENTIFIED WOMAN: Three cheers for the queen. Hip, hip...

UNIDENTIFIED GROUP: Hooray.

UNIDENTIFIED WOMAN: Hip, hip...

UNIDENTIFIED GROUP: Hooray.

UNIDENTIFIED WOMAN: Hip, hip...

UNIDENTIFIED GROUP: Hooray.

RAZ: Thousands of people flocked to London for the highlight of four days of celebration.

(SOUNDBITE OF BELLS RINGING)

RAZ: And church bells welcomed the queen's royal barge as it joined the river pageant of over 1,000 boats. The grand finale was a performance of the national anthem by the London Philharmonic on a boat right under the Tower Bridge.

(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "GOD SAVE THE QUEEN")

RAZ: A flotilla of 1,000 boats on the Thames hadn't been seen in London since 1662 when one was held in honor of Charles II. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.