The 96-year-old queen is Britain’s longest-reigning monarch and the first to reach the milestone of seven decades on the throne. Elizabeth smiled broadly Thursday as she spoke with her great-grandchildren and looked up as the British military aircraft roared over the palace. The six-minute display included Typhoon jets flying in a formation spelling out the number “70.” The jubilee is being commemorated with a four-day holiday weekend. The celebration of Elizabeth’s reign includes a service of thanksgiving on Friday at St. Paul’s Cathedral in London, a concert at Buckingham Palace on Saturday and a pageant staged by thousands of performers drawn from schools and community groups around the country on Sunday.
