Narrowboats in flotilla

IT IS understood that the expected 1,000 boats flotilla on the Thames to celebrate the Queen's Diamond Jubilee will have narrowboats taking part.

The Thames Diamond Jubilee Pageant will cruise down river from Putney to Tower Bridge on Sunday 3rd June, with the flotilla expected to be seven miles long comprising of boats and ships of all forms and shapes, Alan Tilbury tells us.

The list of boats is already prepared, with 40 narrowboats included, though these are from the various associations.  Boats will not be allowed to 'turn up on the day'.

Royal barge

Its centre piece will be a royal barge, decorated in red and gold for the occasion, carrying the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh.

Other royals will also be on board, such as the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry.

'Musical barges'

There will also be 'musical barges', dotted amongst the flotilla, playing music that will have been commissioned for the pageant.

It is expected that thousands of people will be on the boats, and it has been calculated that the flotilla will take 90 minutes to pass any given point. The river banks are expected to be crowded on the day, and the whole event will be televised world wide.