At the end of four days of celebrations on the occasion of the 70th anniversary of the reign of Queen Elizabeth II of England, the Queen herself, accompanied by her family, went out to the balcony of Buckingham Palace and waved to the crowds cheering for her.
The Queen's recent health problems had left many in doubt whether she would appear in public at all - but this wasn't the only surprise that England's longest-reigning monarch had in store.
In a special show held at Buckingham Palace, a sketch of her was screened alongside Paddington Bear, an immensely popular character from a series of books and films in the UK. Prince Charles, the Queen's son, and grandson Prince William delivered remarks.
Buckingham Palace noted that the Queen is known for her sense of humor. "Her participation in the sketch is no surprise to anyone who knows her. The Queen was not willing to miss the opportunity to sit down with the famous bear for a cup of tea."
The band Queen led the Salute to the Queen event in which the bands Duran Duran and Albo and singers Diana Ross, Alicia Reese, Rod Stewart, and Anra Bottelli took part.
The event itself was attended by more than 20,000 people and was broadcast live to millions of people across the kingdom.
The royal family attended other festive events throughout the weekend throughout the kingdom, including a special horse race dedicated to a queen known for her fondness for racing.