国际英语新闻:British Queen celebrates Diamond Jubilee with 1,000 boat flotilla on Thames river

LONDON, June 3 (Xinhua) -- British Queen Elizabeth II on Sunday took part in the largest event held to celebrate her 60 years as queen by leading a flotilla of boats in a pageant down the River Thames through central London.

The Queen sailed on the barge the Spirit of Chartwell accompanied by her husband Prince Philip, and members of her immediate family including heir to the throne Prince Charles, and his sons Prince William and Prince Harry, and William's wife Katherine, Duchess of Cambridge.

The Queen, aged 86, led a thousand boats in one of the largest flotilla of boats seen on the Thames since the reign of Charles II in 1662.

The pageant began at 2 p.m., on the Thames in the west London district of Battersea, and travelled 11 km eastwards down the river towards the sea through central London to the Tower of London.

The Spirit of Chartwell, about 25 meters long and four meters wide, was decorated with flowers and gilded carvings and flew the royal flag at its prow.