Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee Kicks Off With Pomp

LONDON (AP) — Four days of celebrations honoring Queen Elizabeth II’s 70 years on the throne are getting underway.

Formal celebrations for the Platinum Jubilee begin on Thursday with Trooping the Color, a review of British military traditions.

The queen is expected to join members of her family on the balcony of Buckingham Palace at the end of the event as 70 planes fly overhead.

The 96-year-old Elizabeth is Britain’s longest-reigning monarch and the first to serve for seven decades.

During a four-day holiday weekend, neighborhood organizations are expected to hold street parties around the country.

The jubilee is giving people a chance to reflect on the the huge changes that have taken place during the queen’s reign.