Queen's Platinum Jubilee flypast: When can you see military aircraft over West Berkshire

A large formation of military aircraft will form a flypast to celebrate the Queen's Platinum Jubilee on 2 June.

The annual Trooping the Colour, featuring 1,500 officers and soldiers and 250 horses from the Army’s Household Division on Horse Guards Parade, will be followed by the military flypast

Following the parade will be a military flypast featuring more than 70 aircraft – including the Red Arrows, Spitfires and Hurricanes. This is more than three times the number of aircraft that took part in the Queen’s birthday parade in 2019.

Although the flypast will start in the east side of the country from The Wash, The North Sea and Southwold, towards London and Buckingham Palace, the dispersal will head south and west, over Kent, Surrey, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire, Gloucestershire and Wiltshire.

Weather permitting and if all goes according to plan, then the Berkshire area should see the aircraft between 12.50pm and 1.30pm, after the flypast itself, which is expected to last around six minutes.

Due to the large number aircraft involved, the Secretary of State for Transport has decided that it is necessary to introduce Restriction of Flying Regulations.

There will also be a rehearsal flypast on May 24, or if the weather is poor, May 26 or 27. But these rehearsals will all be on the east side of the country.

The military aircraft will fly over Buckingham Palace where the Queen will be watching from the balcony, before dispersing over Kent, Surrey, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire, Gloucestershire, and Wiltshire.

Defence Secretary Ben Wallace said: “I’m proud that the Armed Forces are leading the nation in celebration with such a spectacular display.

“Throughout the Platinum Jubilee celebrations, we will all enjoy the expertise, skill and talent of our Armed Forces as we celebrate Her Majesty’s 70 years on the throne.”