Ticket holders queue for up to 12 hours ahead of star-studded Party at the Palace TONIGHT

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The Royal Family will be out in force this evening along with tens of thousands of fans at the star-studded Party at the Palace event – but the Duke and Duchess of Sussex will be missing.

The concert is the highlight of the third day of public events to mark the 96-year-old monarch’s record-breaking Platinum Jubilee with 22,000 people set to attend in person outside Buckingham Palace.

Motown legend Diana Ross, performing for the first time in Britain in 15 years, is a star attraction at the event, to be held on a purpose-built 360-degree stage outside the queen’s central London residence. 

Among the royal attendees at Saturday’s star-studded live Jubilee concert, staged in front of Buckingham Palace, will be the Prince of Wales, the Duchess of Cornwall and the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.

Prince Charles and Prince William will take centre stage in front of a crowd of 22,000 to pay tribute to the Queen during the star-studded Jubilee concert. 

The father and son – both future kings – will speak separately in honour of the monarch towards the end of the BBC‘s open-air Party at the Palace show, staged in the front of Buckingham Palace.

Clarence House and Kensington Palace announced both Charles and William would address the crowds at the high profile event, which falls on the third evening of the four-day Jubilee festivities.  

But Harry and Meghan, whose daughter Lilibet is celebrating her first birthday, will not be among those in the royal box.

A spokesperson for the couple, who stepped down as senior royals in 2020, said they were spending the day privately.

Others expected to be out in force to watch acts including Diana Ross and Alicia Keys are the Earl and Countess of Wessex and their children Lady Louise Windsor and Viscount Severn, the Princess Royal and Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence, Princess Beatrice and her husband Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi, and Princess Eugenie and her husband Jack Brooksbank.

Anne’s son Peter Phillips is expected to be joined by his children Savannah and Isla, while Zara and Mike Tindall, who spent the day at the Epsom Derby with Anne and Sir Tim, will also be there.

The Queen’s cousins – the Duke of Gloucester, the Duke of Kent and Prince Michael of Kent – with the Duchess of Gloucester and Princess Michael of Kent – and Princess Margaret’s daughter Lady Sarah Chatto and her family are due to attend, along with a number of other extended family members.

Excited ticket-holders have queued for up to 12 hours before tonight’s star-studded Platinum Party at the Palace, enjoying a festive atmosphere despite the long wait.

Many in the long line of people couldn’t wait for the party to start as they wore Union Jack hats, waistcoats and dresses in the Green Park sunshine near Buckingham Palace.

The front-runners in the buzzing crowd of fans were Gerry and Mandy Haines from Hornchurch, Essex, who raced to the front of the 15,000-strong queue at 7.30am.

‘We want to see Queen and Adam Lambert, the opening act,’ said Gerry, 65. ‘We’d also like to see the other Queen of course, but I don’t think she’ll be there tonight.’

Added Mandy, 48, wearing a ‘Bri-Army’ T-shirt: ‘I love Queen and Brian May, but I also love the real Queen, she’s done a great job all these years and we’re overjoyed to be here to celebrate.’

As she spoke, Queen could be heard rehearsing in the background, with the strains of We Will Rock You clearly discernible more than 100 yards away.

Samantha Gee, 16, from Folkestone, Kent arrived about 10am – six hours before the crowd were allowed through to their seats at the open-air event.

‘I’m a massive fan of Queen and Adam Lambert but I just wanted to be here really,’ she told MailOnline.

The free tickets for the event were given to 22,000 lucky ballot winners, including 5,000 key workers.

One couple there several hours ahead of the event was David Hitchins and his wife, from Guildford in Surrey.

Mr Hitchins, a contractor, said: ‘I was gifted two tickets after I raised over £25,000 for the NHS. We’re so excited to be here and I’m very proud of what I’ve achieved.’

Also waiting was Shane, 32, originally from Austin, Texas, who has been living in London for nearly four-and-a-half years.

He said being here and living in London over the Queen’s Jubilee is a ‘once-in-a-lifetime’ experience.

He said: ‘Being from America this is something totally different – we would never get this. It feels like a country-wide holiday and to have such a sense of community in such a big place, it’s just incredible to embrace this moment.’

Jubilee partygoers Mandy and Malcolm Tipple said they travelled from their home in Lincolnshire for Party at the Palace because they wanted to celebrate being British.

The couple wore Union Jack flags and matching face paint for the Buckingham Palace concert.

Mr Tipple, 65, said: ‘It’s fantastic. I’m ex-military and I’ve followed the Queen all my life.’

Mrs Tipple, 59, added: ‘I’m just proud to be British, so to be here for this is a dream come true.’

Lucy Morris, 39, and her son Lucas Wainwright, 14, travelled from Durham in north-east England for Party at the Palace – which the teenager described as ‘the best thing of my life’.

Lucas, who had swapped his prosthetic leg to a ‘Jubilee-style leg’ patterned with Union Jacks for the occasion, said: ‘It’s an honour to be here.

‘I’m looking forward to seeing the royals come out.

‘They’re connected to God, they’re here to lead us as a country, as a nation. I think that’s very important.’

Paying homage to the rock band Queen, who will be performing at the concert, Ms Morris said: ‘He’s hoping to see the Queen, whereas I’m hoping to see the other Queen.’

Future kings the Prince of Wales and the Duke of Cambridge were planning to take to the stage to pay public tributes to the Queen during the three-hour concert.

Diana Ross, Queen + Adam Lambert, Alicia Keys, Hans Zimmer, George Ezra, and Eurovision 2022 runner-up Sam Ryder were among the celebrity acts preparing to entertain the live crowd and a television audience of millions.

Denise Holdsworth, 57, from Bradford, W. Yorks said George Ezra was the big attraction for her, but added: ‘It will be lovely to see Prince William as well.’

George Ezra has tweeted ahead of his performance this evening, writing: ‘Here’s something I never imagined myself saying… I’m playing at Buckingham Palace tonight for the Queen’s Jubilee!!

‘[T]une in to Platinum Party at the Palace from 7.30pm on BBC One for a huge evening of music and celebrations’.

Samantha Short, 43 from Gloucester said: ‘It’s just amazing to be here on such a special occasion. Even the queueing has been enjoyable, with everybody laughing a joking – the party’s already started!’

Both women were wearing Union Jack dresses and met in the queue for the event, which snaked throughout the park as far as Green Park Tube station.

Paul and Sam Hacquoil from Newquay, Cornwall, were also among the early birds, arriving at 10am.

Hospitality executive Paul, 50, said: ‘We wouldn’t have missed this event for the world – it’s once in a lifetime.’

Sam, 54, a property services manager, added: ‘The atmosphere is amazing and I’m really looking forward to seeing William and Kate.’

Fabricator John Jackson, 61 from Sheffield, said he’d been on ‘Cloud Nine’ since hearing that he and his wife Nerys had won tickets.

‘I was so made up when we got the email,’ he said. ‘It’s like a fairytale.’

Meanwhile, Nile Rodgers took fans behind-the-scenes ahead of the star-studded event on Saturday evening.

The 69-year-old musician is set to take to the stage at Buckingham Palace‘s star-studded concert alongside the likes of Sir Rod Stewart, Sir Elton John and Diana Ross to celebrate the Queen’s Jubilee on Saturday night.

Nile took to his Instagram to share a video of him walking through the set outside the Palace as he rehearsed for the big show.

Addressing fans to the side, he said: ‘Yeah it was really good fun, it’s gonna be great’.

He then walked right up to the gate of Buckingham Palace and threw up a peace sign to the security guards on top of the roof. 

‘Don’t think I’ll ever get a shot like that again,’ he commented.

Captioning the video he wrote: ‘Finishing rehearsal for #thequeensplatinumjubilee2022 and waving to #security #guards on rooftop of #buckinghampalace a #onceinalifetime #photo.’  

Queen + Adam Lambert will open the BBC‘s Platinum Party At The Palace concert with a special performance marking the Queen‘s 70 years on the throne.

It will come 20 years after guitarist Brian May performed God Save The Queen on Buckingham Palace‘s roof during a show marking the Golden Jubilee in 2002.

Alicia Keys and Andrea Bocelli will also play during the three-stage, two-and-a-half-hour event on Saturday June 4.

The line-up will also include Duran Duran, Bond composer Hans Zimmer, Ella Eyre, Craig David, Mabel, Elbow and George Ezra.

The evening will also feature appearances from sports figures and stars of the stage and screen.

Sir David Attenborough, Emma Raducanu, David Beckham, Stephen Fry, Dame Julie Andrews, The Royal Ballet and Paralympian swimmer Ellie Simmonds will all make appearances.

Eurovision star Sam Ryder and Diversity’s Ashley Banjo are among the stars praising the Queen’s service ahead of their performances at the BBC’s Platinum Party at the Palace concert.

The special event celebrating the Queen’s 70-year Jubilee will be opened by Queen + Adam Lambert, while soul singer Diana Ross will close the concert, which will be broadcast live on BBC One on Saturday evening.

Ryder, who was runner-up in the recent Eurovision song contest while representing the UK, is among the star-studded line-up who will entertain a live crowd of 22,000 people and a television audience of millions.

Speaking backstage about the monarch’s 70 years on the throne, Ryder, 32, said he feels it is ‘so selfless to give your entire life to that service’.

He added: ‘How many of us could say that we could do that? It’s breathtaking. The way that she carries herself, it reminds us that strength can be gentle. 

‘I think that’s so important, to me all the time. To carry yourself in a way where you’re bringing so many people together in unity and solidarity but doing it with such a subtle kindness.’

The singer revealed that he got the call to do the Jubilee concert while on the bus home from Eurovision last month, which left him feeling like he was ‘overflowing with joy’.

Banjo, 33, will be performing with his dance troupe Diversity during the concert, teasing that in honour of the historic occasion they will be doing ‘something special’ and ‘different’ which reflects across history while also looking to the future.

He also told PA that to describe the Queen as an ‘icon’ is an understatement, adding: ‘She’s just an extremely special person, such a unique human for the country and the world.’

Broadcasters Roman Kemp and Kirsty Young will lead the BBC’s live coverage of the event, which is being broadcast on BBC One, BBC iPlayer and BBC Radio 2.

Reflecting on the Queen’s reign, Kemp, 29, told PA: ‘People don’t understand the actual service that gets put in sometimes, I think.

‘Over that amount of time, the things that she’s done for the country, in terms of bringing awareness to certain causes, bringing awareness to things that need to be shouted about and being able to back it up, whether it be finances or press or whatever, it’s been amazing.’

He also noted the tourism that the monarch brings to the UK, adding: ‘She basically travels to countries all around the world showing who we are as Brits and that’s something that should never be snubbed and it should be celebrated.’

The Royal Ballet will also feature during the special concert, with ballet dancer Lauren Cuthbertson saying it is ‘the most incredible feeling’ to have been selected to perform in honour of the Queen.

The concert, being held outside Buckingham Palace, also features performances from Duran Duran, Craig David, Alicia Keys and Sir Rod Stewart.

Other famous faces from the worlds of sport, stage and screen who are part of the event include Sir David Attenborough, tennis star Emma Raducanu, David Beckham, Stephen Fry and Dame Julie Andrews, with the evening also featuring a specially recorded performance from Sir Elton John.

The Prince of Wales and Duke of Cambridge will take to the stage to pay tribute to the Queen during the star-studded Jubilee concert.