Millions of Britons and tourists braved dank grey weather across Britain today to organise street parties as Queen Elizabeth II led a spectacular 1000-strong flotilla on River Thames in London as part of Diamond Jubilee celebrations to mark 60 years of her reign.

Many royal enthusiasts who arrived in London from various parts of the country and abroad camped along the Thames overnight to occupy vantage positions to watch today's Thames Diamond Jubilee Pageant, the highlight of the celebrations, over a seven-mile stretch.

There were reports of hundreds of passengers being stranded at train stations en route to London due to overcrowded trains heaving with royal enthusiasts heading for the pageant.

The pageant is one of several events planned for the extended weekend until June 5. Sixth in the pageant order was an Indian music group comprising 50 musicians from the Shree Muktajeevan Pipe Band and Shree Muktajeevan Dhol Academy, who played a mixture of traditional Indian melodies, Scottish tunes and Bollywood anthems on bagpipes and percussion.

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