Rule Britannia! Royal Celebrations at Kent’s Royal Palace 2nd & 3rd June

Use your Key to the Castle ticket to join a great British street-party atmosphere and celebrate the Diamond Jubilee 1950s Weekend at Leeds Castle, “the loveliest castle in the world”.  2 & 3 June

Celebrate all things British from the coronation year in 1953, at a former Royal palace. Leeds Castle has been home to six Medieval Queens during its 900 year history and a preferred residence of Henry VIII.

Enjoy the patriotic atmosphere all weekend with cream teas, iconic 1950s cars, steam engine rides and our Great Water flotilla. Bring a picnic and watch the Diamond Jubilee Thames Pageant and flotilla, broadcast from London on a big screen. 

A craft marquee will be available for children to make crowns, rosettes and other patriotic items. There will be musical entertainment, kite flying and face painting. Small additional charges apply.

Visit the Leeds Castle shops for an exciting new range of Diamond Jubilee gifts including mugs and teddy bears. Prices start from £2. All items feature the official emblem for the Queen’s Jubilee, as created by 10 year old Katherine Dewar from Chester. Katherine won the national competition for children aged between 6 and 14, run by the BBC television programme Blue Peter.

After the excitement of the weekend, Leeds Castle will carry on the daytime celebrations into the Sunday evening with live music, vintage newsreel of the Coronation an open air film screening of the musical “Grease”! Following the film will be a magnificent 15 minute fireworks display to music to conclude this memorable day.

The film is rated PG. Gates open at 6pm for the evening event. Tickets are available from 2 April and must be pre-booked. They cost £20 for adults and £15 for children (under 16 years). Please call the Leeds Castle box office on 01622 880008 or book online at leeds-castle.com/events.

Your Key to the Castle ticket is valid for the daytime weekend event. Tickets cost £19.75 for adults; £17.50 for seniors and visitors with disabilities (carer goes free); £12.50 for children (under 4’s free). Tickets are valid for 12 months so you can pay once and visit all year round.

Leeds Castle is located near Maidstone in Kent just off Junction 8 of the M20 and only one hour’s drive from London. Grounds open at 10am daily and the castle is open from 10.30am. Last admission is 4.30pm and gates close at 6pm (April to September).