Joey, the puppet star of London theatre hit War Horse, galloped along the roof of the National Theatre and reared in salute to The Queen as she passed on the Royal Barge.

The Queen is well-known for her love of horses, and she seemed very pleased by Joey’s salute. Well done team National Theatre!

The Thames Jubilee Pageant

Don’t miss the opportunity to view this once-in-a-lifetime spectacle, use our guide to find the best places to stand.

Bridges:

If you’re prepared to get there well before the pageant’s 2.25pm start, some of the bridges will offer unbeatable views. Some of them are closed off for private events, but the ends of Lambeth, Westminster and Blackfriars will be open. These areas are expected to be very crowded and spectators will be subject to bag searches. The Thames Diamond Jubilee Pageant website recommends viewing the pageant from the river bank.

River Bank:

More London: south side of the river by Tower Bridge. This large open area will afford good views of the pageant and the Avenue of Sail.

Embankment: north side of the river by Temple tube station. The Queen’s barge will stop by HMS President at 4.15pm to watch the rest of the pageant go by – stand on the wide pavement here to get a good view. There are also three large TV screens in this area.

Victoria Tower Gardens: north side of the river by the Houses of Parliament. This leafy area has a great view of the river, contains a viewing screen and provides ample space for a picnic.

Chelsea Embankment: nearest tube Sloane Square. The area next to the Royal Hospital should afford a great view and will feature viewing screens across its length. If that gets too busy, however, we reckon that the area on the south side of the river between Battersea and Albert bridges might be quieter as it’s harder to access. 

Things to note:

• Battersea Park’s Jubilee Festival is now sold out
• Most of the riverside dining venues, like the OXO Tower restaurant, are either sold out or serving set menus.
• The pageant disperses at Greenwich – if you can’t find space elsewhere then head east of Tower Bridge to watch the ships dock along the river.
• The Avenue of Sail – a display of more than 60 boats too large to join the pageant – will be open for viewing from 30 May.

The Thames Jubilee Pageant takes place on 3 June from 2.25pm. Visit our event page for a map of the route. Check the official Thames Jubilee Pageant website and Twitter feed for more information.

Here’s a fun video tracing the history of the Thames in Royal events, and showing clips of various Jubilee celebrations throughout our Queen’s reign.

It’s a busy year for London’s largest waterway. If you’re a fan of the Thames, make sure you check out the following events:

• Head of the River Race, 17 Mar
• The Boat Race, 7 Apr
• Royal River at the National Maritime Museum, 26 Apr-9 Sep
• Thames Diamond Jubilee Pageant, 3 Jun
• BT River of Music, 21-22 Jul
• Thames Festival, 8-9 Sep

The Spirit of Chartwell will take centre stage at next year’s Thames Diamond Jubilee River Pageant, carrying The Queen, The Duke of Edinburgh and other members of the royal family.

Celebrating The Queen’s 60-year reign, the pageant will be the largest flotilla on the river Thames in modern times, with 1,000 boats taking to the water.

The Spirit of Chartwell was inspired by the Rene Lalique 1929 Pullman railway carriage Cote d’Azur. Some original pieces of the railway carriage can be found on board.

The cruiser will be decorated in the style of the royal barges of the 17th and 18th centuries, using the royal colours, red, gold and purple, and flowers from The Queen’s gardens.