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The beginnings

Elizabeth Alexandra Mary, as she was then known, was born on 21st April 1926 to King George VI and Queen Elizabeth. She was third in the line of succession when she was born and no one expected her father, the Duke of York, to become king. Yet become king he did and when he died on Wednesday 6th February 1952, Elizabeth Alexandra Mary ascended to the throne. The coronation took place on 2nd June 1953 and so began the second longest reign in British history to date spanning six decades.

A reign to relish

Queen Elizabeth’s reign has seen incredible social and technological change but here are some interesting facts that may not have made the headlines. In any typical year, the Queen will host over 50,000 people at receptions, dinners, lunches and banquets. Imagine trying to get the tea stains out of those tablecloths! The number is dwarfed by the number of honours she has given out during her reign, standing at an incredible 404,500. This is only matched by the number of telegrams she has sent out to couples celebrating their diamond wedding anniversary – 540,000!

The Queen is a practising philanthropist and is currently the patron of more than 600 charities. She has been involved with over 400 of them since 1952. She is also generous with her own staff. Continuing a tradition established by King George V, she has given out Christmas puddings every year and has so far notched up a total of 90,000. She is also an avid animal lover, signified by her ever-present corgi dogs but did you know she actually created her own breed called the ‘dorgi’ when one of her corgis bred with a dachshund called Pipkin which belonged to Princess Margaret? There have since been 10 dorgis – Berry, Brandy, Candy, Chipper, Cider, Harris, Pickles, Piper, Tinker and Vulcan.

The Diamond Jubilee itself

The central celebration of the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee will happen over the weekend between the 2nd and 5th June with parties across the length and breadth of the UK. There is a Jubilee bank holiday on Tuesday 5th and the late May bank holiday has also been moved back a week to form a four-day weekend. The Queen will attend the Epsom Derby on the Saturday before The Big Jubilee Lunch and Pageant in London on Sunday. There will be hundreds of people lining the Thames to see the 100 boats assembled from across the UK so arrive early to make sure you have a good view! The Queen is encouraging people to get together and share lunches on the Sunday in the form of street parties and picnics. If you’re planning on honouring her Majesty by dressing up in your Sunday best, you may want to pack a travel-sized stain remover to deal with those nasty grass or food stains before they take hold. This useful item will prove just as popular as a tray of cakes with your neighbours!

If you fancy journeying into London for a fun-filled family day out you may want to consider attending the two-day Jubilee Family Festival in Hyde Park. As well as live music, entertainment, a Disney Zone and a Parade Ground, there will also be lots of delicious traditional British food available such as pies, pastries, jellied eels and cream teas. Just remember to look out for one another over the weekend, stay safe and have fun!

Discover dogs

There is a section dedicated to man’s best friend where you can meet plenty of breeds you might not be familiar with and attend a full itinerary of displays in the Dog Activity Ring. These will include agility and obedience demonstrations, as well as heelwork to music and flyball. Kids will love seeing Doggie Dancing with the stars of Britain’s Got Talent.

If you’re thinking about getting a dog, there is no better place to start than the London Pet Show. You can see the most popular breeds from the seven major groups (Gundog, Hound, Pastoral, Terrier, Toy, Utility and Working) and get expert advice on size, temperament and exercise requirements so you can find a dog that suits you perfectly. If you already own a dog and are familiar with spending plenty of time on your knees with a can of carpet cleaning shampoo, you can get valuable time-saving health and grooming tips.

Discover cats

There will be countless fabulous felines on display here from Ragamuffins to Snowshoes, Sphinx cats to Siberians. There will be some pedigree players and even two celebs in the form of the Blue Peter cats Cookie and Socks. There will be clinics and talks at the World of Cats and you can also get expert advice on training, care and the right choice of breed for you.

Discover Small furries

In this section you and your own little ones can play with countless pint-sized pets including Chinchillas, Gerbils, Guinea Pigs, Hamsters, Rabbits and Rats. You can find out which of these lovely little creatures would make the best pet for you and your family or see insightful grooming and health demonstrations if you’re looking for care tips for a pet you already own.

Kids will be wowed by the amazing show jumping rabbits from Sweden in the Rabbit Show that takes place at 10.50, 13.30 and 16.10 on each day.

Discover aquatics and exotic animals

If soft and cuddly just isn’t your bag, come to this section to see the weird and the wonderful. Get as close as you dare to birds of prey, creepy crawlies, frogs, lizards, snakes and turtles. Kids will be able to handle these fearsome creatures in a safe environment and under expert supervision:

If the thought of a Royal Python pet leaves you with a racing pulse and sweat stains that need to come out in the wash, there are loads of other exotic breeds on show including miniature ponies and micro pigs.

Click here to find out how you can book tickets to the London Pet Show and don’t forget to pop over to the Vanish stand for their special rates and to check out the new Vanish Carpet Oxi Action Powerspray Pet product.