Queen Elizabeth II appeared in good spirits as she kicked off her Platinum Jubilee celebrations Thursday.
The British monarch, 96, and other working members of the royal family appeared on the balcony of Buckingham Palace during the Trooping the Color parade on the first day of the jubilee, a multiday celebration marking an unprecedented 70 years on the throne.
She was last seen in public on May 23 at the Chelsea Flower Show in London, where she was driven around in a golf cart due to her mobility issues.
The queen made two appearances on the balcony this year: the first, when she received a royal salute as troops marched past the palace, and the second, when she and other royal family members watched a traditional flypast by the Royal Air Force.
Related: Why does Queen Elizabeth always wear bright colors?
Breaking with tradition, Elizabeth did not travel from Buckingham Palace to take part in the Trooping the Color parade this year, a ceremonial procession that has marked the birthday of the British sovereign for more than two centuries. (While the queen's actual birthday is in April, her birthday is officially celebrated in June.)
In past years, the queen either rode out on horseback or traveled by horse-drawn carriage to inspect more than 1,200 soldiers, officers and army musicians as they paraded by.
Prince Charles performed this duty on his mother’s behalf this year, joined by his sister, Princess Anne, and his elder son, Prince William.
After the Trooping the Color procession, members of the royal family, including the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and their children — Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis — joined the queen on the balcony of Buckingham Palace to watch the traditional flypast.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex and their children, Archie and Lilibet, are in the U.K. for the jubilee but will not join the queen for the famous “balcony moment."
The queen’s son Prince Andrew was also not present, with the Palace explaining that the flypast was only open to “members of the Royal Family who are currently undertaking official public duties.”