Beacon lit at Edinburgh Castle for Queen’s Platinum Jubilee

A beacon has been lit at Edinburgh Castle as part of celebrations for the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee.

It is one of more than 2,022 lit on Thursday June 2 as part of the official programme announced by Buckingham Palace for the Jubilee weekend.

At Edinburgh Castle a young army cadet piper started the event by playing Diu Regnare, a unique tune specially written for the Jubilee by Pipe Major Stuart Liddell.

An army cadet bugler then officially announced the lighting of the beacon with a specially written bugle call, entitled Majesty.

A Platinum Jubilee beacon is lit by Lord Provost Robert Aldridge and Commander of Edinburgh Garrison Lieutenant Colonel Lorne Campbell at Edinburgh Castle

At 9.45pm the beacon was jointly lit by the newly appointed Lord Provost of Edinburgh and the army’s commander of Edinburgh Garrison.

Edinburgh’s Lord Provost Robert Aldridge said: “We are proud to be part of this momentous celebration. It is only appropriate that this unique milestone in history is marked with music.

“What more fitting location for the lighting of a beacon than from Edinburgh Castle where it can be seen from the streets below.”

Elsewhere in Scotland beacons were lit at places including Paisley Abbey, outside Marischal College in Aberdeen and at East Beach in Lossiemouth.

Thousands of town criers, pipers, buglers and choirs performed ahead of the lighting of the beacons throughout the UK, Channel Islands, Isle of Man, UK Overseas Territories and within the Commonwealth countries at 9.45pm on Thursday.

Bruno Peek, Pageantmaster of the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Beacons, said: “It is wonderful to see the range of support for beacon lighting, which will highlight both the diversity and the unity of the nation and the Commonwealth.

“The Queen has lit up our lives for 70 years through her dedicated service and commitment.

“We would like to light up the nation and the Commonwealth in her honour.”

The Queen lit the first of her Platinum Jubilee beacons, sending a spark of light around the globe and heralding the start of celebrations throughout the Commonwealth.

With the touch of her hand the head of state illuminated a globe and sent a river of light from her Windsor Castle home to Buckingham Palace, where the Duke of Cambridge watched as the Tree of Trees sculpture was bathed in light.