Fire Doesn't Slow Queen's Jubilee

Queen Elizabeth II, smiling and relaxed in the spring sunshine, greeted hundreds of well-wishers who gathered Sunday at Windsor Castle to watch her arrival at a jubilee church service marking her 50 years on the throne.

After a rousing Saturday night concert for 12,000 in the grounds of Buckingham Palace to start the Golden Jubilee weekend festivities, the queen and Prince Philip went on Sunday morning to St. George's Chapel at Windsor Castle, while other family members went to services around the country.

In London, on the quietest day of the four-day celebration, the queen's household took the opportunity for an early morning dress rehearsal of the biggest event — Tuesday's elaborate ceremonial processional.

The queen was away from Buckingham Palace on Sunday, when it was evacuated after a fire broke out and smoke billowed from a roof but fire services rapidly brought the blaze under control.

Police said no members of the royal family, celebrating 50 years of the Queen's reign at events around the country, were in the palace at the time.

"Everyone was safely evacuated and the fire is now contained," a police spokesman said, adding fire brigade investigators would determine the cause of the blaze.

Horsemen and foot soldiers went through their paces around the palace, and the rarely used 18th century Gold State Coach emerged from the palace gates, drawn by eight gray horses on a trial run. The ornate 4-ton, 24-foot-long (8 meter-long) coach, built in 1762 for King George III, will carry the queen and her husband to St. Paul's Cathedral.

Warm temperatures, brilliant sunshine and a surge of public affection for the queen have combined to defy early predictions of a lackluster turnout for the jubilee weekend.

Tens of thousands turned out in the streets and parks around Buckingham Palace Saturday night to watch giant video broadcasts of the classical concert taking place before 12,000 seated guests on the palace grounds.

The concert, also broadcast nationwide on radio and TV, was an obvious hit, with champagne for the guests, fireworks with the music, and a flag-waving finale that brought the audience to its feet to sing along.

At Windsor on Sunday morning, more than a thousand people gathered on the lawn in the castle precincts to see the queen arrive by limousine for the multi-denominational service. Afterwards, she witnessed the signing of a covenant on Christian unity by four church leaders who had joined in the service.

Prince Charles and sons, Prince William, 19, and Prince Harry, 17, were in Swansea, Wales, representing the queen at St. Mary's Church.

The jubilee service overlapped the England soccer team's first World Cup match in Japan, and the young princes, like much of the country, are soccer fans.

"Obviously we're sorry to be missing England's opening World Cup game, but of course we're confident that England are going to do well," Prince William said before the service. "We'll both be catching up with progress in the other matches."

Canon Alun Evans, Vicar of Swansea, who was leading the service, said, "I've no doubt that means will be found of letting them know the score." England drew with Sweden, 1-1.

Princess Anne and her husband Commodore Timothy Laurence attended a Jubilee thanksgiving service in Scotland, and Prince Edward and his wife Sophie were at Salisbury Cathedral in southern England.

The next major jubilee event is a pop music concert at the palace on Monday, starring Paul McCartney, Eric Clapton, Ozzy Osbourne and Phil Collins, along with many others.

A chain of 2,000 beacons and bonfires will be lit around the world to mark the event, ending with a huge fireworks display launched from the roof of Buckingham Palace.

Hundreds of street parties are scheduled around the country on Monday and Tuesday, which are national holidays. A parade is planned in Windsor on Monday.

In Tuesday's procession, the queen and Prince Philip will ride through London in the golden coach, accompanied by the music of choirs and brass bands along the route to St. Paul's Cathedral for a thanksgiving service.

Elizabeth, 76, was 25 when she became queen upon the death of her father, George VI, in 1952.

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