Queen Elizabeth II’s jubilee celebrations will have to do without the Queen’s personal attendance on Friday. Leading members of the Royal Family are expected to attend a “Service of Thanksgiving for the Queen’s Reign” at St. Paul’s Cathedral.

The 96-year-old Queen felt “some discomfort” during the celebrations and will “with great reluctance” miss the ceremony at St Paul’s Cathedral, Buckingham Palace said on Thursday evening. The Queen has had “mobility issues” of late and uses a cane on her rare public appearances.

However, the palace emphasized that the monarch had enjoyed the celebrations very much so far. When she appeared on the balcony at Buckingham Palace on Thursday, the monarch looked happy and carefree. She greeted the crowd and talked to her great-grandson Louis, who attracted attention with his grimaces and covered ears.

At the end of the first day of her jubilee, the Queen symbolically lit up her kingdom from Windsor Castle. She touched a small globe representing the Commonwealth of Nations, giving the signal for beacons to be lit across the UK and beyond. She seemed content and relaxed.

At the same time, her grandson William was present at Buckingham Palace in London when the “Tree of Trees”, a tree of lights made up of many individual smaller trees, shone. In addition, the singer Gregory Porter performed with a London gospel choir and performed the song “A Life Lived with Grace”, which was specially written for the occasion.

Fires are to be lit on the highest peaks in all four parts of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, as well as in a number of other places, including many Commonwealth countries.

While the Queen wants to take a little more rest on Friday, she will be represented in London by her closest family members. Prince Harry and Duchess Meghan, who traveled to London with their children for the Queen’s 70th anniversary, are also expected in the church. According to reports, baby daughter Lilibet will meet her famous great-grandmother for the first time during the visit.

The second oldest Queen’s son Prince Andrew, who has not performed any public duties since his involvement in an abuse scandal, but was still expected to attend the service, like his mother is staying away from the service. The 62-year-old was infected with Corona and therefore canceled at short notice.

In honor of the Queen, the country’s largest bell, called “Great Paul”, will ring out on Friday – for the first time for a royal occasion. Built in 1882, the bell was silent for decades because a mechanism broke. In 2021 it was restored. After the service there will be a reception at London’s Guildhall.

The exuberant part of the four-day spectacle follows at the weekend: Stars like Queen, Alicia Keys and Sam Ryder will appear at the big party at the palace on Saturday evening. A kind of big street carnival follows on Sunday with the “Street Pageant”.

North Korean ruler Kim Jong Un sent a message of congratulations to Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II on her 70th jubilee. “I congratulate you and your people on your country’s national day, the official anniversary of Her Majesty’s birthday,” read the message to the Queen, which the Foreign Office said was sent on Thursday.

Kim was referring to the “Trooping the Color” military parade with which Great Britain officially celebrated the Queen’s birthday on Thursday. Her actual birthday is April 21st.

As the state news agency KCNA reported, the Queen sent a message of congratulations to North Korea on the anniversary of the country’s founding on September 9 last year.