The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh were joined by members of The Royal Family and other well-known public figures to celebrate their Diamond Wedding Anniversary at Westminster Abbey.
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The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh pictured at Broadlands earlier in 2007. They spent part of their honeymoon there in 1947
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The Abbey, in which Her Majesty (then Princess Elizabeth) and His Royal Highness had married 60 years earlier, was filled with members of the Royal family and other invited guests including former Abbey Choristers, five of whom sang at the Royal Wedding in 1947, Lady Pamela Hicks who was a bridesmaid at the wedding and a couple also celebrating their diamond wedding anniversary on 20 November.
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Members of the Royal family assemble at Clarence House for a family dinner to celebrate the anniversary
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Before The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh's arrival, representatives from faith communities walked down the Abbey's aisle, followed by the Clergy of the Royal Household, the Archbishop of York, representatives from the churches of England and Scotland and political figures including the Prime Minister.
The Abbey choir began the service with an Intriot which was composed by William McKie specially for The Royal Wedding in 1947.
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The Duke of York arrives at the Abbey with Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie
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The service, led by the Dean of Westminster, featured prayers focussing on the institution of marriage and a number of readings, some from well-known faces including Princes William, Dame Judy Dench and Bishops representing Ireland, Scotland, Wales and England, with the Archbishop of Canterbury conducting the blessing.
The Archbishop of Canterbury spoke of the successful marriage of Her Majesty and His Royal Highness:
' ... in the lives of the couple with whom today we join in celebration, that bracing, renewing and hopeful vision of faithful generosity has been for sixty years set so clearly before our eyes.'
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Dame Judy Dench arrives at Westminster Abbey for the service
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Dame Judy Dench read a poem composed by the Poet Laureate, Andrew Motion, for the occasion, ending with the verse:
'And here, today, the diamond proves itself
as something of our own yet not our own -
a blaze of trust, a oneness made of two;
the ornament and lodestar of the crown.'
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The Prince of Wales, Prince William, The Duchess of Cornwall and Prince Harry arrive at Westminster Abbey
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Members of the Royal family attending the service included The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh's four children, six of their seven grandchildren, The Duke and Duchess of Gloucester and Princess Alexandra. All had attend a private family dinner at Clarence House the evening before, hosted by The Prince of Wales.
Immediately after the service, Her Majesty and His Royal Highness attended a short ceremony to unveil a new Jubilee Walkway panoramic panel on the north side of Parliament Square.
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Members of the Royal Family in Westminster Abbey during the service
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The Jubilee Walkway was laid down in 1977 as a lasting memorial to The Queen's Silver Jubilee, and over 10 panoramic panels interpreting different views of London have been unveiled. The latest panel depicts Westminster Abbey and part of its text refers to the Diamond Wedding Anniversary.
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