More than one million spectators braved cold and wet conditions to watch the once-in-a-lifetime spectacle of the Queen's Diamond Jubilee flotilla.

The record-breaking pageant sailed through the heart of the capital, where crowds gathered to acknowledge the Queen's 60-year reign and celebrate the country's maritime heritage.

The number of revellers exceeded the expectations of organisers, who said an estimated 1.25 million people lined the banks of the Thames.

Guinness World Records hailed the event a world record as 670 verified boats completed the pageant route.

The persistent rain left performers and the public soaked and bedraggled, but the Queen was greeted by a sea of red, white and blue as she looked out from her royal barge surrounded by her family.

She braved the rain without an umbrella and stood beneath an ornate canopy to review the flotilla from her royal barge.

One skipper of a Dunkirk "little ship", Ian Gilbert, 61, from Shepperton in Surrey, summed up the mood of the occasion, describing it as unique. He said: "This isn't going to happen again in our lifetime. I don't think anyone will put a show like this on again in our lifetime.

"We're particularly proud because we had the biggest contingent of any association and I think that shows the importance of these little boats to the country and to the sovereign."

The wet conditions were reminiscent of the Queen's 1953 Coronation, staged 59 years ago yesterday, when spectators waiting in London to see their new monarch were also soaked by the rain.

At the heart of the flotilla was the Queen's royal barge, where she was joined by the Duke of Edinburgh, Prince of Wales, Duchess of Cornwall, Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry.

Around them were other members of the royal family on various vessels and hundreds of tugs, narrowboats, pleasure cruisers, historic vessels and music barges.

When the royal barge sailed past London's South Bank, a popular tourist area filled with bars, restaurants and music venues, spectators left their drinks behind and began whooping at the sight of the Queen and waving union flags.

The monarch stood out against the grey sky, in a white and silver Angela Kelly dress and hat, beaming at all the people who had come out to wish her well.

Kate looked stylish in her red Alexander McQueen dress and matching Sylvia Fletcher Hat from James Lock & Co.

The party atmosphere was found not only on the boats taking part but on land among the revellers. At one spot near Lambeth Bridge the crowds danced to live rock music while others sang the national anthem and drank champagne.

The spectators were seven rows deep, forcing some to scramble up lamp posts or use step ladders or binoculars to get a better view.

Mary Nash from Kent said: "I don't mind I can't see, I am just here for the atmosphere. I can watch it on the television tonight."

Onboard the royal barge the Queen and her family stood for virtually all of their procession down river from Albert Bridge to just past Tower Bridge, which took about an hour and 20 minutes.

When the royal barge had moored, the review of the flotilla began and the Queen watched it pass by, acknowledging the waves of all the crews.

When the final music barge carrying members of the London Philharmonic Orchestra and the Royal College of Music Chamber Choir sailed up to the royal barge it stopped for a short performance.

The wet and gloomy conditions meant a fly-past featuring a Diamond Nine formation of Royal Navy helicopters was cancelled, but fireworks were fired from the top of Tower Bridge and hundreds of hooters, bells and whistles were sounded by the vessels as the pageant came to an end.

London Mayor Boris Johnson, summed up the event: "It has been a magnificent day, the scale of which we haven't seen in our lifetime, with over a million people lining the river to show their admiration for Her Majesty.

"The spectacle of the royal barge and the 1000-strong flotilla was an awesome sight and neither the wind nor the rain could dampen people's spirits."