Queen's Diamond Jubilee
Queen's Diamond Jubilee was a one-off public holiday on Tuesday, 5 June 2012.
Queen's Diamond Jubilee was a public holiday only once. Its date is shown below.
When was Queen's Diamond Jubilee?
| Year | Date |
|---|---|
| 2012 | Tuesday, 5 June 2012 |
Dates calculated from the statutory rules. Source: GOV.UK: UK bank holidays. More about our sources
The Queen's Diamond Jubilee
This one-off bank holiday marked the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II, her sixtieth year on the throne. To create a long weekend, the spring bank holiday was moved from the end of May to Monday 4 June, and an extra bank holiday was added on Tuesday 5 June. Together with the weekend, that gave a four-day celebration across the UK.
Queen Victoria was the only British monarch before her to have reached a Diamond Jubilee.
How the jubilee was celebrated
Celebrations included a river pageant on the Thames with hundreds of boats, a concert outside Buckingham Palace, a chain of beacons lit across the country and the Commonwealth, and a service of thanksgiving at St Paul's Cathedral. Communities across the UK held street parties and picnics, often in spite of the rainy weather.
Is this bank holiday still observed?
No. The jubilee bank holiday was a one-off, created by royal proclamation under the Banking and Financial Dealings Act. It is shown on this site for reference only. Queen Elizabeth II went on to celebrate a Platinum Jubilee, which was also marked with an extra bank holiday. As with any bank holiday, employers decided for themselves whether staff had the day off, based on their contracts.
Frequently asked questions
Is Queen's Diamond Jubilee a day off?
No, Queen's Diamond Jubilee was a one-off day off on Tuesday, 5 June 2012 and will not return.
What is a diamond jubilee?
A diamond jubilee marks sixty years. For Queen Elizabeth II it celebrated sixty years on the throne.
Why was the spring bank holiday moved?
To combine it with the extra jubilee bank holiday, creating a four-day weekend at the start of June.