Planning a celebration for the Queen's Jubilee bank holiday weekend? We’ve got all the ideas and inspiration you need to host a patriotic picnic to remember. From Union Jack party decorations to British picnic foods and royal picnic spots, this is your complete guide to hosting a Platinum Jubilee party.
When is the Queen’s Jubilee 2022 bank holiday weekend?
Thursday 2nd to Sunday 5th June 2022 is four-day UK bank holiday weekend to mark the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee. Queen Elizabeth II is the first British monarch to celebrate 70 years on the throne.
What better excuse to host an extra special picnic or street party?
Celebrate the Queen's Jubilee with a lavish picnic beneath Windsor Castle
Leeds Castle in Kent has been called 'the loveliest castle in the world
Picnic spots with a royal connection
Lay down your rug at one of these beautiful UK picnic locations with historic links to Great British kings and queens
- Green Park, London: what could be more regal than a picnic in the shadow of Buckingham Palace? Canada Gate is the best entrance to Green Park from the front of the palace itself.
- Leeds Castle, Kent: a spectacular moated castle that was once the private home of Henry VIII. The grounds of Leeds Castle extend for miles, with picnic spots galore.
- Windsor Great Park, Berkshire: lay down your picnic rug at Virginia Water lake, the Deer Park, Cow Pond, or Queen Anne’s Ride. All areas of Windsor Great Park are glorious.
- Powis Castle, Wales: Prince Charles has revealed that the garden here is his personal favourite. It’s National Trust, with deckchairs and picnic benches provided in summer.
- Stirling Castle, Scotland: possibly the most dramatically situated castle in the UK. There’s an entry fee to visit, but the best views are from Kings Knot, a grassy area outside.
Homemade bunting is a perfect sewing project for beginners. For a cheat's version, simply tie red, white and blue ribbons along a cord, or make quick no-sew bunting with pinking shears
Don't hold back, more is more when it comes to table decorations for a Queen's Jubilee party!
Queen’s Jubilee party decorations
It is possible to make or buy red, white and blue party decorations that are stylish too! Our Pinterest board has lots more Union Jack craft ideas to DIY.
- Union Jack bunting: no Jubilee picnic would be complete without Union Jack bunting. Follow this sewing tutorial from Hobbycraft to make DIY fabric Union Flag bunting.
- Jubilee picnicware: paper plates and napkins are practical for feeding a crowd – Talking Tables has lots of Jubilee table decorations. For a posher picnic, opt for eco-friendly Falcon enamel crockery and proper linen napkins you can use again and again.
- Union Jack cake decorations: you could use fondant icing for this, but I love this fruity Union Jack cake using fresh blueberries, raspberries and strawberries.
- Jubilee craft ideas for kids: get the children involved in making simple Jubilee decorations such as patriotic paper chains, red, white and blue ribbon wands and pipe cleaner crowns.
- Jubilee picnic rug: The British Blanket Company has designed a special Jubilee picnic blanket for the occasion. A fresh take on a classic red, white and blue check, it’s woven in Britain from pure wool with a waterproof backing and leather straps.
A nod to traditional red, white and blue, but versatile enough to use year-after-year, The British Blanket Company's special edition picnic rug is made in Britain at a traditional woollen mill
Decorating a cake or trifle with fresh fruit in a Union Jack flag design is simple and effective
Cucumber sandwiches cut into bite sized rounds are easy to eat on a picnic
Party food ideas for a Jubilee picnic
What could be more delectable than a picnic entirely made up of your family's favourite British foods? These classic party food ideas are guaranteed crown-pleasers.
- Coronation chicken: devised for the Queen’s Coronation in 1953 this dish of cold chicken, curry powder and mayonnaise is a must for sandwiches. Here’s an easy Coronation chicken recipe to try.
- Victoria sponge: a teatime favourite of Queen Victoria herself, the original was filled simply with jam. You can add cream or buttercream, if you like. Follow Mary Berry’s Victoria sponge recipe.
- Sausage rolls: recently revealed by a former royal chef as William and Harry’s favourite after-school treat, homemade sausage rolls are always popular at picnic.
- Great British trifle: a real showstopper for a Jubilee street party, top a classic trifle with a Union Jack flag made from fresh fruit.
- Cucumber sandwiches: debatably the least appealing sandwich filling, but on an occasion like the Platinum Jubilee, who are we to argue with tradition? Cut your cucumber sandwiches into bite-sized rounds – with the crusts removed, of course.
2022 Queen's Platinum Jubilee official pudding recipe
A lemon and Swiss roll amaretti trifle is to be the official pudding for the Queen's Platinum Jubilee after winning a competition to find a new dessert. Jemma Melvin created the dessert, inspired by the lemon posset served at the Queen's wedding to Prince Philip. The trifle is made with layers of lemon curd swiss roll, custard, jelly, a mandarin coulis and amaretti biscuits. Here's the official Jubilee pudding Lemon Swiss roll and amaretti trifle recipe.
What could be more quintessentially British than a street party in the pouring rain? Fingers crossed for sunshine on 5th June 2022 for The Big Jubilee Lunch!
How to find a Platinum Jubilee street party
The beauty of a Queen’s Jubilee picnic is that is can be any scale you like, from a small gathering of friends to a large celebration where everyone brings a dish to share. For something even bigger, this year’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations will also see street parties all over the country. Visit The Big Jubilee Lunch website to find out how to join or host a street party where you live on 5th June.
To learn more about other Platinum Jubilee events, including the Platinum Party at the Palace, lighting of the beacons and the competition to invent a new Platinum Pudding, visit the dedicated Platinum Jubilee website. We’ve also compiled many more Jubilee party ideas on Pinterest.
