With this year marking the Queen’s milestone Platinum Jubilee, a host of special events have been planned to celebrate her historic 70 years on the throne. Last night, ITV broadcast an occasion that featured a number of famous faces, hosted by Tom Cruise, Damian Lewis, Adjoa Andoh and Alan Titchmarsh, as they came together for a live, in-person and televised special event.
After initial uncertainty over whether the monarch herself would be present, given ongoing mobility issues have seen her withdraw from a number of high-profile events (including the recent State Opening of Parliament), royal fans were delighted to see Her Majesty attend.
Wearing an elegant sky blue dress and cardigan, a bejewelled grey shawl, and her signature pearls, the Queen was driven into the event flanked by an escort from the Household Cavalry as the national anthem played, and was greeted by a standing ovation from the delighted crowd. She then walked, aided by a cane, to the Royal Box, where she settled in for the evening’s entertainment, watching enthusiastically as the proceedings unfolded.
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Entitled A Gallop Through History, Sunday marked the finale evening of the performance, which ran across four nights during the Royal Windsor Horse Show from 12 - 15 May. Staged in the private grounds of Windsor Castle in front of an audience of 4,000 people, it was also broadcast live on ITV – the first televised event marking the Jubilee – as part of a special programme, The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Celebration. ITV previously announced that the ‘theatrical arena event’ was broken up into four distinct ‘acts’, with actors Cruise, Lewis and Andoh (fresh from Bridgerton Season 2), and gardener extraordinaire Titchmarsh each hosting their own section. The Sunday broadcast as a whole, meanwhile, was hosted by Phillip Schofield and Julie Etchingham.
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Tom Cruise is currently in the UK promoting Top Gun: Maverick, with the Times previously reporting that he gave an ‘immediate yes’ when he was approached with the idea of being part of the event. An unnamed source stated: ‘He’s a big fan of the Queen so it was a very easy pitch.’
Cruise said it was ‘a real honour and privilege’ to be part of the event, explaining: ‘What she has accomplished is historic. She has met presidents, world leaders, people from all walks of life… the world knows the dignity, devotion and kindness, that is what I have always felt about her. Someone that understands her position and has held it through a history that’s just been extraordinary the past 70 years.’ Speaking to ITV, he added: ‘It is a wonderful event and I feel very privileged to be here. I was very honoured… She is just a woman I greatly admire. She is someone who has tremendous dignity. I admire her devotion and what she has accomplished is historic.’
Quite the major undertaking, the event took the audience ‘on a gallop through history, from the reign of Queen Elizabeth I through to the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II, culminating in a grand finale.’ Dame Helen Mirren, famed for playing roles including our current Queen, portrayed one of her royal predecessors, Queen Elizabeth I, theatrically dressed in full Elizabethan garb. The part of The Herald was played by actor and comedian Omid Djalili, who guided viewers through the acts – and on through time.
As well as taking in historical milestones like Elizabeth I’s Tilbury speech (when she’s reputed to have spoken of having ‘the heart and stomach of a king’) and the Gunpowder Plot, the event celebrated the Commonwealth and the four UK nations. There were also military and equestrian displays from across the globe, including Azerbaijan, Oman and France, with the show featuring 1,300 performers and 500 horses.
There was live musical accompaniment courtesy of a 75-piece orchestra, made up of a combination of Tri-Service personnel and members of The National Symphony Orchestra. They were joined by industry greats like Gregory Porter, Katherine Jenkins and Keala Settle, with award-winning composer Debbie Wiseman serving as Musical Director, while Lieutenant Colonel Jason Burcham RM was Principal Director for Music.
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Also appearing in the extravaganza was former Tatler cover star Dame Joan Collins, musical theatre legend Lord Andrew Lloyd Webber, TV hosts Ant and Dec, and Olympian Sir Mo Farah, among other starry guests, who spoke as part of recorded tributes to the monarch.
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It wasn’t just A-listers taking part in the event, as A Gallop Through History also featured the Queen’s youngest granddaughter, Lady Louise Windsor, who touchingly drove a carriage that belonged to her late grandfather, Prince Philip, around the arena. Her parents, Prince Edward and the Countess of Wessex, watched on proudly, joining the Queen in the Royal Box.
ITV has a shining track record for broadcasting commemorative royal events, having been awarded a Bafta for its televised celebrations for the Queen’s 90th birthday in 2016. Hosted by Ant and Dec from the grounds of Windsor Castle, the Queen again attended the show, watching a spectacle featuring 900 horses and 1,500 performers.
Those who missed Sunday’s broadcast can catch up on The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Celebration on ITV Hub now.
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