The United Kingdom is gearing up for a glitzy affair in June as celebrations begin for Queen Elizabeth II's 70 years on the throne, with more than 70 aircraft set to perform a six-minute flyby.

Planes from the Royal Navy, the military and the Royal Air Force (RAF) will soar over Buckingham Palace on June 2, the Ministry of Defense (MOD) has confirmed.

The queen is expected to watch the spectacle, which will take place on the first day of the Jubilee weekend, from the palace balcony with other members of the royal family.

The 96-year-old monarch has limited appearances at the Trooping the Colour event to working royals only and the Duke and Duchess of Sussex and Prince Andrew will not be present on the balcony.

Prince Charles, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Princess Anne are among the royals who will be joining the queen for the historic occasion.

U.K. Defense Secretary Ben Wallace said: "I'm proud that the Armed Forces are leading the nation in celebration with such a spectacular display.

"Throughout the Platinum Jubilee celebrations we will all enjoy the expertise, skill and talent of our Armed Forces as we celebrate Her Majesty's 70 years on the throne."

Prince Harry reportedly told the monarch that he wasn't "keen" for himself and Meghan to appear on the balcony following their decision to step down as senior royals two years ago, although they will travel to the U.K. from California for the celebrations.

The couple's biographer Omid Scobie wrote in a column for Yahoo!: "As is often the case, the reality is much less severe when you hear that Prince Harry had already spoken with his grandmother about the possibility of not attending Trooping the Colour long before last week's announcements.

"I’m told by a source that the Duke of Sussex had actually expressed some time ago that he and Meghan were very keen to be a part of the Jubilee engagements, including the National Service of Thanksgiving at St Paul’s Cathedral, but less so for the formal balcony moment, which was felt on both sides to be more appropriate for their lives prior to stepping back."

Of course celebrations are not limited to the June spectacle, with several events prepared till then. The first of which was a four-day horse show whose finale was attended by none other than the queen herself.

The finale and the queen's presence drew a star-studded cast including Hollywood actor Tom Cruise and British actor Helen Mirren.

The 96-year-old monarch, wearing a gray shawl, was driven to the outdoor spectacle in the grounds of Windsor Castle where she was welcomed by two Royal Canadian Mounted Police officers who helped her from her Range Rover to cheers from crowds.

Singers including Gregory Porter were due to perform in the show.

"She's just a woman that I greatly admire," Cruise said before the event. "I think she's someone who has tremendous dignity and I admire her devotion. What she's accomplished has been historic."

The queen has attended every Royal Windsor Horse Show since its inception 79 years ago, reflecting her keen interest in horse racing and breeding. In a photograph marking her 96th birthday in April, she was pictured with two fell ponies.

After the horse show in a few days time, the queen also made a surprise appearance on Tuesday at a ceremony to mark the completion of a long-awaited London train line named in her honor.

Elizabeth, wearing a bright yellow hat and coat and using a walking stick, was joined by her youngest son Edward and Prime Minister Boris Johnson as she unveiled a plaque at Paddington Station.

"In a happy development Her Majesty The Queen is attending today's event to mark the completion of the Elizabeth line," a Buckingham Palace spokesperson said.

The $24 billion rail project was originally due to be opened in December 2018, but had been repeatedly delayed by issues with safety testing and signalling systems, even before the onset of the pandemic.

Originally named "Crossrail," the Elizabeth line will connect destinations west of London, including Heathrow airport and Reading with Shenfield in the east. It will open to the public on May 24.

Elizabeth has been seen in public on only a few occasions since spending a night in hospital last October for an unspecified illness, after which she was told to rest by her doctors.

She has since carried out nearly all her duties either remotely or in person at her Windsor Castle home and did not attend last week's state opening of parliament.

Johnson said it was "wonderful" to see the queen open the train line, and she was in "such fine form."

The prime minister said it was time to think about a new Crossrail line running north-south through London, which was put on hold during the COVID-19 pandemic.

"I think we should be getting on with that. People say it is all changed, people are working from home. I profoundly disagree," he said. "Public transport is the thing that gives people opportunity."