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CNN Live Today
Queen's Golden Jubilee Celebrations Continuing
Aired June 03, 2002 - 10:09 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: Well even before the musicians could rehearse the opening number of "God Save The Queen," firefighters went to work to save the palace. Take a look at Buckingham Palace, the official London home of Britain's Royal family. A fire broke out in a roof apartment, and evacuations interrupted rehearsals for an outdoor concert that celebrates Queen Elizabeth's 50 years on the thrown. Damage, though, at Buckingham Palace is said to be minimal.
And despite the smoke and all the drama, the show will indeed go on.
Our Christiane Amanpour is in London with a preview of Golden Jubilee celebrations honoring, of course, the Queen.
Christiane, hello.
CHRISTIAN AMANPOUR, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Daryn, well that fire at Buckingham Palace was perhaps just a small example of the very troubled times we live in. The post-September 11 security system here is very much in evidence. We are told that RAF Tornadoes, fighter jets, will be on alert, on standby, to intercept any possible hijacked planes. We're also told that there is an air exclusion zone around London, and there are marksmen on the top of Buckingham Palace behind me and all along the major buildings that oversee this Mall, the big, big avenue leading to Buckingham Palace.
Again, on the one hand, the British government is drawing up contingency plans to possibly airlift thousands of people from India and Pakistan, thousands of British nationals.
But on the other hand, here in Britain, the show, as you say, for the Queen's 50th anniversary of being on the thrown here does go on. The Queen herself starting the day in Windsor, where she has been staying over the last few days. That is the historical castle over there in Windsor not far from London. There was a parade, which she reviewed today. And then she went on walkabout and met various members of her country, various subjects who were there to be presented to her.
Then the Queen drove over to Slough, which is slightly outside of London, and there she ignited, if you like, the live music across England. There was a choir and orchestra and bands there who sang The Beatles song "All You Need Is Love" and that started the live music session of this jubilee. Behind me here at Buckingham Palace you may be able to hear the noise of orchestras and bands that are being put up to entertain the crowds, which are beginning to come here in vast numbers ahead of tonight's performance. There will be Ozzy Osbourne, there'll be Paul McCartney, Elton John, Phil Collins, a whole host of people who have been performing and practicing over the last few days for what's going to be called tonight "The Party at the Palace." This will be a three- hour concert -- a pop concert in really to showcase Britain's leading role, certainly in the '60s and '70s, as the pop leader and the modern music leader of the western world. So that is what's going to be the highlight of today.
We're going to show you now some of the thousands of people who have come up to the Buckingham Palace area. They are lining The Mall there outside Buckingham Palace. As I was driving here, you could see them in Hyde Park, in Green Park, St. James's Park. All the big British parks -- London parks have got big screens set up for tonight's pop concert.
The Queen, we understand, has deigned to spend half an hour tonight at the pop concert. She will have come here after a long day of activities (UNINTELLIGIBLE) -- London -- greater London area and will be here for half an hour of that pop concert. Then she comes out, lights a beacon and that will signify the lighting of between (UNINTELLIGIBLE) all over the British Isles, all over the British Commonwealth and all over many other places from the Antarctic to the Arctic. There will also, we are told, be a spectacular fireworks display later tonight to cap off today's ceremonies and celebrations. And then it continues tomorrow with (UNINTELLIGIBLE) of the continued anniversary celebrations of her jubilee.
Back to you, Daryn.
KAGAN: Now, Christiane, so many questions for you. I don't know if you can tell on that end, but we're having a little bit of trouble with your satellite uplink there, so I'm going to -- I'm going to let you go and we'll bring you back later. And I'll just have to save my questions for our next hour.
Christiane Amanpour in London, thank you so much.
Also want you to know that there is more on the Queen's Golden Jubilee celebrations online at CNN.com. You can get the latest video and party pictures plus a historical timeline of the Queen's reign. The AOL keyword is CNN.
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