Queen Elizabeth Led the Tree Lighting from Windsor Castle & Prince William Looked Emotional as He Watched

Yesterday marked the first day of Queen Elizabeth’s Platinum Jubilee. The day started with members of the royal family participating in the Trooping the Colour parade, which was followed by the RAF flypast viewing on top of the Buckingham Palace balcony—where Prince Louis stole the show with his funny facial expressions. To close out the day, the monarch led the lighting of the Principal Beacon, where she made the U.K. shine bright like a diamond.

The queen led the ceremony at Windsor Castle, symbolically setting off a chain reaction, while her grandson, Prince William, saw the final result as the Principal Beacon lit up outside Buckingham Palace. The “Tree of Trees” is being used to honor Her Majesty’s 70-year reign on the throne. Around 3,000 beacons were lit across the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth simultaneously.

The Duke of Cambridge stood outside Buckingham Palace and looked a bit emotional as the tree lit up. He later met with the Chair of The Queen’s Green Canopy, Sir Nicholas Bacon, and the creator of the “Tree of Trees,” Thomas Heatherwic, to talk about how it was crafted for the special event (per People). The royal was also joined by leaders from Scouts, Girlguiding and the queen’s Commonwealth Trust.