Bunting, union jacks and Royal Family-themed drinks will be the order of the day at one celebration of the platinum jubilee of the Queen this weekend.

Julie Tomkins, a Briton, who has been living in Bermuda for the past three years, is organising a big party at her Hamilton Parish house on Saturday evening which has been six months in the planning.

Another Briton, Becky Lucking, is also planning a celebration with family members who are visiting from Britain and America.

The platinum jubilee marks the Queen’s 70th year on the throne, a milestone surpassed by no other British monarch.

Ms Tomkins and her husband, Richard, have invited about 50 friends including Britons and Bermudians to their house in celebration.

She said: “I think the Queen is an amazing lady and her jubilee is worthy of a celebration. Seventy years is pretty good going. I like most of the Royal Family — the well-behaved ones.

“We have got some bunting, we will have a few games, canapés and cocktails.”

The cocktails being specially tailored by Blind Pig will take on a royal theme and include Prosecco Royale, a Prosecco with a fruity Crème de Cassis, English Garden with gin, elderflower, lemon, cucumber and mint, and the Windsor Crush with vodka, lemon, pineapple, black syrup and bitters.

Also at the bar will be British favourite Pimms as well as a sparkling wine from Ms Tomkins’ native Sussex.

The games include pin the diamond to the crown and good old British drinking games.

“There will be dancing and music. We will just have a laugh and raise a glass to the Queen,” she said. “I am really looking forward to it. It is in our garden so I hope the weather will be good. It’s nice to get together at long last.”

Ms Lucking has her parents visiting from the UK as well as her brother and his family from the United States. They are planning a very English afternoon tea at her house in Smith’s for which all family members will dress up in Union Jack-themed attire.

Ms Lucking said: “I am not a massive royalist but I do love the Queen for everything she’s done in public service for 70 years. It’s a massive achievement for anyone to work that long.

“She has a lot of respect in the UK for what she has done as the Queen. She does everything with dignity and diplomacy and you never hear a scandal about the Queen, just some of her family members.

“On Saturday afternoon we plan to dress up and have afternoon tea. We have the flags, the bunting and the Union Jack clothing which gets fished out at every opportunity.”

Ms Lucking said her father remembers watching the Queen’s coronation in 1953 when he was eight years old.

She said: “He remembers everyone crowded around one TV to watch a grainy picture of the coronation which was followed by a big tea party in the streets for the children.”

Ms Lucking added that she was happy to see the Queen’s image on the side of the John Swan building in Hamilton but was hoping for a little more fanfare on the island in celebration of the Queen’s milestone.

Commemorations have been planned for Bermuda to join historic celebrations of the Queen’s platinum jubilee including a Queen’s Birthday and Platinum Jubilee Reception at Government House hosted by Governor Rena Lalgie today, the planting of two commemorative trees by Ms Lalgie and David Burt, the Premier, tomorrow, and the annual Queen’s Birthday Parade along Front Street on Saturday.

Are you doing anything to celebrate the Platinum Jubilee? Let us know! E-mail news@royalgazette.com