1,000-boat Diamond Jubilee river pageant

Queen Elizabeth II on Sunday sailed along the Thames on a royal barge at the centre of a spectacular 1,000-boat river pageant, the highpoint of celebrations to mark her diamond jubilee.

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Members of the Royal Family (from left to right) Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, Britain's Queen Elizabeth II, Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, stand on board the Spirit of Chartwell during the Thames Diamond Jubilee Pageant on the River Thames in London on Sunday. AFP

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Britain's queen sails in 1,000-boat diamond jubilee flotilla

By Guy Jackson, AFP

Queen Elizabeth II on Sunday sailed along the Thames on a royal barge at the centre of a spectacular 1,000-boat river pageant, the highpoint of celebrations to mark her diamond jubilee.

The queen travelled down the river on the red-and-gold Spirit of Chartwell amid a water-borne procession of kayaks, steamers and tugs.

More than a million spectators lined the banks of the river to cheer the 86-year-old monarch, who is only the second British monarch to celebrate a diamond jubilee, after Queen Victoria.

Participants row boats in the Thames Diamond Jubilee Pageant on the River Thames in London. AFP

Heavy rain cleared for the start of the pageant before returning later, though it had no effect on the enthusiasm of the cheering crowds.

However, a planned flypast had to be cancelled because of low visibility.

The river pageant was the main event of four days of celebrations for the 60th year of the queen's reign and street parties were held around the country.

The heir to the throne Prince Charles and his wife Camilla dropped in on one street party in Piccadilly in central London and chatted with residents.

The pageant – the biggest event on the Thames for 350 years – started with the ringing of eight Jubilee bells on a barge and ended several hours later when the last boats completed the 11-kilometre journey.

The queen, wearing a white hat and a silver and white coat and dress designed by Angela Kelly, was ferried to the barge on the launch of the Royal Yacht Britannia, the ship she dearly loved which was decommissioned in 1997.

She and her husband Prince Philip travelled at the front of the ceremonial barge, frequently waving to the crowds, and laughing and joking with the other royals.

Also on board were Prince William and his wife Catherine, who wore a vivid red dress by Alexander McQueen, the same designer who created her wedding gown.

Spectators lining the banks of the Thames cheered loudly when the royal barge came into sight.

"The atmosphere was brilliant, everyone seemed in a good mood. The queen's boat was beautiful, really colourful, and Kate looked lovely in red," said Barbara Barke, a pensioner from Essex, eastern England.

Behind the queen's barge was massed a flotilla of speedboats, firefighting tugs and historic vessels, including Dunkirk "little ships" that evacuated British forces from continental Europe in World War II.

"It's glorious. It's a momentous occasion. It makes you proud to be a Brit," said Neil Munn, who works in advertising and watched the pageant with his wife and four daughters from Battersea.

"We're here to salute the queen after 60 years' hard work."

diamond jubilee – the 60th anniversary of an important event, especially of somebody becoming king/queen; a celebration of this event การฉลองครบรอบ 60 ปี
pageant – a public entertainment in which people often dress in historical costumes and give performances of scenes from history การแห่แหน,การแสดงกลางแจ้ง, การประกวด
flotilla – a group of small boats or ships กองเรือรบเล็ก,กองเรือรบที่ประกอบด้วยเรือเล็ก
barge – a long flat boat used on rivers and barges เรือท้องแบน
spectacular – very exciting to look at; extremely impressive น่าตื่นเต้น ที่ตระการตา
celebration – a party or special event at which you celebrate something such as a birthday, a festival or a religious holiday การฉลอง
mark – to celebrate or officially remember an event that you consider to be important
amid – in the middle of; at the same time as ท่ามกลาง
water-borne – carried by water
procession – a line of people, vehicles or boats moving in a slow and formal way as part of an event ขบวนที่เคลื่อนไป, ขบวนรถ
kayak – a light canoe in which the part where you sit is covered over เรือแคนูขนาดเล็ก
steamer – a steamship; a ship that moves by steam power เรือกลไฟ
tugboat – a small powerful boat used for pulling larger boats, especially in ports  เรือโยง, เรือลาก
spectator – a person who watches an activity without taking part ผู้เข้าชม
monarch – a king or queen  กษัตริย์ หรือราชินี
enthusiasm – the feeling of being very interested in something or excited by it ความกระตือรือร้น
flypast – an occasion when several planes fly close together for people to watch as part of a ceremony or air show
visibility – how clearly objects can be seen, or how far you can see clearly, usually because of the weather conditions ทัศนวิสัย
reign – a period of time during when a king or queen rules a country  ช่วงเวลาครองราชย์
heir – a person who will legally receive money, property or a title from another person, especially an older member of the same family, when that other person dies ทายาท, ผู้สืบสกุล, ผู้รับมรดก
the throne – the monarchy สถาบันกษัตริย์
drop in – to make a short visit somewhere มาเยี่ยม
residents – people who live in a particular area ประชาชนที่อาศัยในท้องที่
ferry – to carry people in a boat or other vehicle from one place to another, often for a short distance
launch – a large open boat with an engine เรือบด, เรือยนต์
yacht – a large expensive boat that is often used for racing or sailing เรือยอชท์, เรือท่องเที่ยว,เรือเที่ยวเล่น,เรือแข่ง
decommission – to take out of use or service ปลดประจำการ. ปลดออกจากตำแหน่ง
vivid – having or producing very clear and detailed images in the mind เจิดจ้า, สว่างไสว, ชัดเจน
gown – a woman's dress, especially a long one for special occasions เสื้อคลุม
atmosphere – the mood or feeling that exists in a place บรรยากาศ
brilliant – very impressive or successful ยอดเยี่ยม
mood – the way you feel at a particular time อารมณ์
pensioner – a person who is receiving a pension (money received regularly after retirement), especially from the government ผู้รับเงินบำนาญ
mass – to gather in large numbers รวมกันเป็นกลุ่ม, รวมกันหนาแน่น
vessel – a boat or ship เรือ
evacuate – to cause to leave a place because it is not safe เคลื่อนย้ายออกจาก
continental – forming a continent, and not including any islands off its coast เกี่ยวกับทวีป,เกี่ยวกับภาคพื้นทวีป
glorious – deserving great admiration, praise and honor รุ่งเรือง
momentous – very important   ที่สำคัญยิ่ง
occasion – a special event, ceremony or celebration โอกาส, งาน
proud – feeling pleased and satisfied about something that you own or have done, or are connected with ภูมิใจ
salute – to express praise of support for a person สรรเสริญ