Beacons marking the Platinum Jubilee will be lit at 9.45 pm sites including the Tower of London, Windsor Great Park, Hillsborough Castle and the Queen’s estates of Sandringham and Balmoral, along with the tops of the UK’s four highest peaks.

The first beacons will be lit in Tonga and Samoa in the South Pacific, and the final one in the central American country of Belize.

The principal beacon outside the Palace – a 21-metre-tall Tree of Trees sculpture for the Queen’s Green Canopy initiative – will be illuminated by a senior member of the royal family, and images will be projected on to the Palace.

UK Bank Holidays to look forward to in 2022

The history of jubilee beacons

Over the next 70 days, as we countdown to the #PlatinumJubilee Central Weekend, we’ll be sharing an image a day of The Queen – each representing a year of Her Majesty’s 70-year long reign.

🧵 Follow along our #70for70 countdown

— The Royal Family (@RoyalFamily) March 24, 2022

Lighting beacons to celebrate Royal Jubilees, Weddings and Coronations is a long-held tradition.

The flaming displays might appear on top of mountains, church and cathedral towers, castle battlements, on town and village greens, country estates, parks and farms, along beaches and on cliff tops.

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In 1897, beacons were lit to celebrate Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee. In 1977, 2002 and 2012, beacons commemorated the Silver, Golden and Diamond Jubilees of The Queen, and in 2016 Her Majesty’s 90th birthday.

On Thursday, there are four types of beacons being lit:

• A free-standing beacon fuelled by bottle gas
• A beacon brazier with a metal shield
• A bonfire beacon
• Bishops Frome Strawman

Platinum Jubilee beacons in Lancashire

Lewis Wilde tests of one of the gas-fuelled beacons he has made which will be used to signal the start of Queen Elizabeth II's Platinum Jubilee. Picture: PA

• Duchy of Lancaster, Lancaster City Council, Lancaster Priory and Lancashire Lieutenancy Office – Lancaster Castle
• Earby Town Council – Bleara Moor, Earby
• Barnoldswick Town Council
• West Bradford Parish Council
• Catterall Parish Council – Queen Elizabeth II Playing Field, Catterall, Garstang, Preston
• Bolton Council
• Bibbs Farm Scout Camp Site and Activity Centre – Heath Charnock, Chorley
• ROCA Committee – 21 Group Royal Observer Corps, Preston – Goosnargh, Preston
• Whittington Parish Council, Whittington. Grindleton Parish Council, Grindleton
• Claughton-on-Brock Parish Council and Claughton Hall Estate – Cobble Hey, Claughton-on-Brock, Preston
• Browsholme Hall and Estate – Browsholme, Clitheroe
• Hambleton Parish Council - Bob Williamson Park, Hamilton
• Warton Parish Council – Summit of Warton Crag, Warton
• Preesall Fleetwood's Charity School – Preesall, Poulton Le Fylde
• Burnley Council, Burnley. Pilling Parish Council – Lane Ends Amenity Area, Pilling, overlooking Morecambe Bay
• Wyre Council – The Mount, The Esplanade, Fleetwood
• Whitworth Town Council – Brown Wardle Hill, Whitworth
• Carnforth Town Council – High School Ridge, Carnforth
• Greater Manchester West County Scout Council – Dunham Park Scout Camo, Altrincham 
• Garstang Town Council – Garstang
• Parish Council and Fylde Borough Council – Fylde
• Hyndburn Borough Council – Accrington Town Square, Accrington
• Preston & District NFU Ladies and J Young, Greenhurst Farm, Allum Scar Lane, Samlesbury
• Preston City Council – Preston Flag Market, Preston. Barton Parish Council, Barton 
• Coppull Parish Council - Springfield Park, Coppull, Chorley
• Ireby with Leck Parish Council – Leck Fell, Leck
• Mellor Parish Council – Viewpoint at Mellor Moor, Mellor
• Chorley Council – Rivington Pike, Rivington
• Hornby with Farleton Parish Council – Castle Keep, Hornby Castle, Hornby
• Bowland Parish council – Mellor Knoll. Grapes Hotel, Stoneclogh, Radcliff, Manchester
• Cliviger Parish Council – Thieveley Beacon.