Jubilee report: Royals ride the river Thames

It was a rainy, royal weekend for the Queen's Diamond Jubilee as massive crowds gathered for the Jubilee River Pageant on the historic Thames.

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A fleet of members of the royal family joined Queen Elizabeth on the HMS President and Spirit of Chartwell in celebrating her 60 years on the throne.

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The iconic Tower Bridge opened for a flotilla of 1,000 ships, boats, yachts and other vessels stretching 11 kilometres long, with British TV personalities, Commonwealth Olympians and international rowers following the Queen's boat.

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Scores of thousands camped overnight by the river to catch a glimpse of the Queen's once-in-a-lifetime appearance and celebrate her time in power, using Union-Jack-adorned tents and umbrellas to protect themselves from the classic British rain.

Prince Philip, Prince Charles, Camilla Parker-Bowles, Prince Harry and Prince William all kept close to the Queen's side as she waved to thousands of cheering fans lining the edges of the river.

Other members of the Queen's family - including Princess Anne, Prince Andrew, Prince Edward, Sophie Rhys-Jones, Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie, Princess Michael of Kent and even the Middleton family - joined the the massive flotilla on the Thames.

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