Newspaper headlines: 'Queen kicks off the party' and 'airport shambles'

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By BBC News
Staff
RANALD MACKECHNIE

An official photograph of the Queen has been released ahead of celebrations to mark her Platinum Jubilee

A new photographic portrait of the Queen adorns many of the front pages. The 'i' has a silhouette of the Queen's head - filled with a collage of images of her seven decades as monarch, with the headline: '70 not out.'

The Daily Mail picks up on the Queen's hope that the Jubilee will allow people to make happy memories. It says the message of goodwill clearly extends to her own family - as it emerged she had invited Harry and Meghan to attend today's Trooping the Colour.

Under the words, 'Four day party starts,' the Daily Mirror's headline is: 'For our Queen, For our Britain.' The Daily Express has the headline: 'A grateful nation salutes you Ma'am.' 'It is a moment that has been 70 years in the making', the paper says.

The Times says the new official photograph illustrates the Queen's 'enduring, pared down style.' The Daily Telegraph's headline quotes from her Platinum Jubilee message: 'We look to the future with confidence and enthusiasm.' The paper says the new image, more relaxed than the previous jubilee photographs - in which the monarch was dressed in full regalia, complete with crown or tiara and sash - captures the Queen looking comfortable and content. In a tongue-in-cheek cartoon referencing the travel chaos across Britain, the paper shows an illustration of holiday-goers with the caption: 'As our special tribute to Her Majesty we've cancelled 70 flights today'.

The Daily Telegraph also gives front page coverage to advice to passengers that they should travel with only one small cabin bag - and buy toiletries and clothes abroad. It quotes a union leader suggesting that travelling without having to check in baggage is a way of avoiding delays.

The Guardian leads on criticism of Boris Johnson by the committee on standards in public life - over plans to overhaul the way the ministerial code is policed. The standards watchdog, it says, is accusing Mr Johnson of failing to allay fears that he and his ministers are above the rules.

Crowds of sightseers lined the Mall leading to Buckingham Palace on Wednesday

The Times says supporters of the prime minister are rallying in the face of revolt - amid growing concern in government about the risk of a confidence vote. Johnson supporters, it says, are accusing Tory rebels of being 'self indulgent, narcissistic and contemptuous.' It quotes a cabinet minister as saying Boris Johnson doesn't care whether he wins any confidence vote by 100 or 10 - and 'colleagues are frothing at the mouth in a way the public is not.'

In a leader column, the paper says Boris Johnson is in trouble - and the uncomfortable truth for Downing Street is that many Conservatives observe the government's 'spasmodic' work and see no 'project' beyond the fulfilment of Mr Johnson's personal ambition.

The Financial Times leads on a warning from JP Morgan Chase's chief executive to investors to brace themselves - as the war in Ukraine and the US Federal Reserve both rock markets. The paper notes that Jamie Dimon last week referred to global economic threats as 'storm clouds' - but on Wednesday ratcheted up his rhetoric: "I said they're storm clouds, they're big storm clouds here. It's a hurricane," the paper quotes him as saying at a financial services conference.

The Daily Mail gives front page coverage to Amber Heard's defeat in her defamation trial against Johnny Depp: 'Amber's shattering £7 million courtroom humiliation' is its headline.