Prince George and Princess Charlotte Turn Up Again with Parents Kate Middleton and Prince William at the Platinum Party at the Palace

Prince William Kate Middleton Prince George Princess Charlotte — (Image credit: Getty Images)

Performers like Alicia Keys, Diana Ross, Elton John, Duran Duran, and Queen played for a crowd of 22,000 at Buckingham Palace tonight, all part of the Platinum Party at the Palace celebrating Her Majesty's Platinum Jubilee.

It was the Queen herself—though not physically there due to ongoing mobility issues—who kicked off the show with a humorous sketch alongside Paddington Bear. When Paddington Bear quipped he always had a sandwich on him, the Queen replied “So do I,” pulling one out of her handbag. (Now we finally know what she’s been carrying all of these years!)

“Happy Jubilee, ma’am,” he says, tipping his hat, “and thank you for everything.” “That’s very kind,” she warmly replies. *cue tears*

After a busy day in Wales, four of the Cambridges—minus Prince Louis—attended the show, sitting in the royal box: Kate Middleton, dazzling in white; Princess Charlotte, beautiful in red; and a dapper looking Prince George and Prince William. They waved Union Jack flags along with the crowd as Queen and Adam Lambert opened the show with a rendition of “We Are the Champions” and clapped along to the music throughout the show.

Though Her Majesty, Prince Harry, and Meghan Markle weren’t in attendance, plenty of other royals were, ranging from Prince Charles and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall to Princess Beatrice, Princess Eugenie, and Zara Tindall.

In addition to the star-studded performers, other celebrity hosts who appeared either onstage or via video included Sir David Attenborough, Dame Julie Andrews, David Beckham, and U.S. Open tennis champion Emma Raducanu. The concert featured three stages linked by walkways “to create a 360-degree experience” in front of Buckingham Palace and the Queen Victoria Memorial, PEOPLE reports. “Alongside these are 70 columns of light representing each year of the monarch’s seven-decade reign,” the outlet writes.

And, as glittering as tonight’s lineup was, perhaps the most moving moments came from two of Her Majesty’s heirs, Charles and William, who spoke of the Queen at the event.

“Tonight has been full of such optimism and joy—and there is hope,” William said, speaking of protecting our planet. “Together, if we harness the very best of humankind, and restore our planet, we will protect it for our children, for our grandchildren, and for future generations to come.”

Charles, appearing emotional, paid tribute to both his mother and his father, the late Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh.

"Your strength and stay is much missed this evening, but I am sure he is here in spirit," Charles said of Philip. "My Papa would have enjoyed the show and joined us wholeheartedly in celebrating all you continue to do for your country and your people."

Charles encouraged the crowds to cheer so loud that the Queen could hear them all the way at Windsor Castle.

"On behalf of us all, I wanted to pay my own tribute to your lifetime of selfless service," the Prince of Wales said. "Your family now spans four generations. You are our Head of State. And you are also our mother."

Tomorrow concludes the four-day Platinum Jubilee celebrations with the Platinum Jubilee Pageant. Ed Sheeran will perform for the finale and the national anthem will be sung.

Explore More

Rachel Burchfield is a writer, editor, and podcaster whose primary interests are fashion and beauty, society and culture, and, most especially, the British Royal Family and other royal families around the world. She serves as Marie Claire’s Senior Celebrity and Royals Editor and has also contributed to publications like Allure, Cosmopolitan, Elle, Glamour, Harper’s Bazaar, InStyle, People, Vanity Fair, Vogue, and W, among others. Before taking on her current role with Marie Claire, Rachel served as its Weekend Editor and later Royals Editor. She is the cohost of Podcast Royal, a show that was named a top five royal podcast by The New York Times. A voracious reader and lover of books, Rachel also hosts I’d Rather Be Reading, which spotlights the best current nonfiction books hitting the market and interviews the authors of them. Rachel frequently appears as a media commentator, and she or her work has appeared on outlets like NBC’s Today Show, ABC’s Good Morning America, CNN, and more.