A LIVE crowd of 22,000 packed into the Mall and millions of viewers worldwide watched the Queen and Paddington Bear enjoy a cream tea in an enchanting opening to the BBC’s Platinum Party at the Palace.
More than 30 members of the royal family, including Princess Charlotte and Prince George, were in the audience at the special concert staged in front of Buckingham Palace.
It began with a movie-style introduction featuring the Queen and Paddington having a cup of tea, before Her Majesty revealed she carries an emergency marmalade sandwich in her handbag to the surprised bear, voiced as in the movie by Ben Whishaw.
The monarch and Paddington then tapped along to the opening track of We Will Rock You by Queen featuring Adam Lambert as frontman.
For the 2012 Olympic opening ceremony, James Bond famously made an appearance with the Queen – and now it was the turn of everyone’s favourite Peruvian bear who was filmed alongside the monarch.
Among the royal attendees at the star-studded live Jubilee concert were the Prince of Wales, the Duchess of Cornwall, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, the Princess Royal, and the Earl and Countess of Wessex.
Queen guitarist Brian May and drummer Roger Taylor paid tribute to the monarch, who did not attend the party, before they took to the stage, describing her as an "incredible woman" and hinting at the Paddington moment said she was a "very good sport".
Thousands queued in The Mall for much of the day for the musical tribute which will see Alicia Keys, Hans Zimmer, George Ezra, and Eurovision 2022 runner-up Sam Ryder take to the stage.
The Prince of Wales and Duke of Cambridge will also pay tribute to the Queen in front of 22,000 spectators and a television audience of millions.
The concert came at the end of a busy day that saw the royal family travel around the country joining people celebrating the Queen's 70-year reign.
Derby Day was missing the Queen, who has suffered a recurrence of her mobility problems, but her granddaughter Zara Phillips, who joined her family including the Princess Royal at the Epsom Racecourse, said the monarch would have watched at home in her "comfy clothes".
Known for her quick wit and seeing the amusing side of situations, it probably did not take long to persuade the head of state to take part in the filming with Paddington.
Taylor told Sky News: "This is a wonderful occasion, to do this for this incredible woman that's been there all of our lives."
He added: "She's kind of the wallpaper of our lives in the nicest way - she's just always been there like a rock through all the miserable times, all the good times."
And he cheekily said: "Sorry for nicking your name."
May said: "She's extraordinary whether you approve of her or not, you cannot but help but admire this woman, who's done her job so incredibly well for so long, with such dignity and aplomb."
Queen + Adam Lambert kicked off the show in true rock fashion and had the crowed clapping in unison as they played hits like Don't Stop Me Now and We Are The Champions and at one point all the royals waving union flats.
With Boris Johnson watching comic Lee Mack could not resist a reference to the partygate scandal that has dogged the Prime Minister.
He told the crowds: "We are here right outside the gates of Buckingham Palace for the party of a lifetime. And I tell you what, finally you can say the words 'party' and 'gate' - and it's a positive."
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