The Queen's Platinum Jubilee: Ticket ballot opens for palace concert

Stars including Cheryl, Gurrumul, Sir Paul McCartney, Peter Kay and Sir Elton John appeared at the Diamond Jubilee concert a decade ago

A ballot for tickets to a star-studded concert at Buckingham Palace, to mark the Queen's Platinum Jubilee, opened to the public on Thursday morning.

Ten thousand free tickets are now available for the Platinum Party at the Palace on 4 June.

The ballot, announced on Wednesday, will close at 23:59 on 23 March.

George Ezra is the first performer to be named on the line-up, which the BBC said it would range from "pop stars to rock royalty to opera singers".

There will be a full live orchestra, while "stars from film, TV and the stage will also tell the story and celebrate some of the most significant cultural moments from the Queen's reign", a statement said.

George Ezra said it was "an incredible honour to be asked" to perform

Five thousand pairs of tickets will be available via the event's official website. Some tickets will also be handed out to selected charities.

The show will take place in front of the palace and will be broadcast live on BBC One and Radio 2.

It will be among the celebrations to mark the Queen becoming the first British monarch to reign for 70 years.

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Charlotte Moore, the BBC's chief content officer, said in a statement: "The Platinum Party at the Palace is set to be one of the highlights of Her Majesty The Queen's landmark Jubilee festivities weekend and one of the biggest concerts in a generation.

"The BBC is honoured to be bringing every moment of this live event to millions watching and listening at home, and on outdoor screens across the UK and around the world."

Robbie Williams, Kylie Minogue and Sir Elton John performed at a Diamond Jubilee concert in 2012, while Queen guitarist Brian May famously played on the roof of Buckingham Palace at a concert 10 years earlier to mark 50 years on the throne.

The latest announcement comes after the palace confirmed on Sunday that the 95-year-old monarch had tested positive for Covid and was experiencing "mild cold-like symptoms".