Diamond Jubilee Boat Ride Brings Royal Family Up The Thames In Barge (PHOTOS)

No one throws a party in the rain like the Brits.

In honor of Queen Elizabeth II 's Diamond Jubilee , over a thousand boats took to the Thames River on Sunday. Fighting teeming rain that grew worse by the hour, boats of all shapes and sizes saluted the royal barge, The Spirit of Chartwell, as it carried Queen Elizabeth and the whole royal gang (yes, Kate included) in the largest flotilla the Thames has seen since 1662.

Despite the weather, the royal family was spiffy as ever. As Grazia noted during the BBC's live commentary, the queen stood out in pearly white against the red, gold and blue, her only concession to the weather being a white-trimmed umbrella and a cozy wrap that came on halfway through the pageant.

Kate also eschewed heavy layers for a trim red Alexander McQueen dress, paired with a matching fascinator and those trusty tan L. K. Bennett heels. When the weather turned ugly, she tied on an ever-so-British tartan scarf.

It seemed like everyone in England was crowded around the river, with crowds making cakes, singing songs, playing instruments and cheering on the queen. Even the Middleton family got into the spirit, with Pippa and James Middleton waving from aboard the Elizabethan.

The highlight of the day? When the Royal Barge passed under the iconic Tower Bridge, which opened up to let the boat through. Afterwards, the royal family moved to the HMS President to watch the rest of the pageant.

Check out the Diamond Jubilee pageant, including Kate's awesome red outfit, below. Happy Jubilee Weekend, everyone!

CORRECTION: A previous version of this article stated that the royal family rode aboard the Gloriana, not the Spirit of Chartwell. We regret the error.