Jubilee crowds turn London red, white and blue

Some spent the night in tents just to secure a spot outside Buckingham Palace to watch the Trooping the Colour military parade and see the queen and other royals on the palace balcony.

"It's probably going to be the only time -- or one of the only times -- that the queen is going to be able to do this," said Paul Fletcher, 55, who works for the National Health Service and had come with his family.

"It's been 70 years on the throne for the queen. It's never been known before and I don't think it would ever happen again."

Kimber Beasley from the United States called the queen "a great example" for America and the whole world.

"It's a part of history. How many times you get to see this?" she said. 

Union flags hung over the crowd barriers or stuck jauntily from headbands, while some fans wrapped themselves in the flag and painted it on their cheeks with facepaint.

Some wore T-shirts in the red, white and blue national colours or sequinned tops. Several men opted for a total look with union flag suits and hats.

Others added royal accessories such as coronets and mock-ermine cloaks.

- 'Historic event' -

One of the most enthusiastic royal fans was nine-year-old Lily from London, who came with her mother and sang the national anthem "God Save the Queen" and waved a flag while still on a London Underground train.

"I hope I will be able to see the queen," she said, starry-eyed, describing the monarch as "the most important person in the country".

"She's been talking about this jubilee non-stop for a couple of weeks now," said her mother Jo, 38.

"We had to come to the parade today."

For 61-year-old tree surgeon David Hare, the event was a moment of joy after grim world events. He said he has come out for all the royal weddings, too, sometimes sleeping outside the night before.

"I think it's just great to have a celebration out there for the next four days... to forget about all those things for the day," he said, citing "Covid and this sad, sad war in Ukraine".

There was a long line for those able to obtain tickets for the seated stands -- allocated by a ballot.

Among these were 65-year-old Gilbert Falconer, who had come with his wife from Scotland after striking lucky in the national ballot.

"It's like winning the lottery for me," said the ambulance service worker.

"We just want to show our appreciation for what she has done for this country," Falconer said of the queen.

"She's done such an amazing job through her reign."

Daniel Marmah, standing in line with his wife and two children, called the day a "historic event".

He said he admired the queen because she did "a really great job for all of the world".