Royal Barge ready to sail

Florists are busy adorning the royal barge with freshly cut blooms

Queen Elizabeth II’s Diamond Jubilee barge is already decked with flowers as final preparations are made for Sunday’s Diamond Jubilee River Pageant.

More than one million people are expected to line the banks of river Thames to witness a splendid 1,000 flotilla sail through London.

The flotilla will include the Queen’s magnificent gilt-edged floating palace, to a fleet of narrow boats, steam boats, rowing boats, barges and more than 40 Dunkirk “little ships” that have been used during the War to evacuate Allied forces in France.