LONDON (AP) Queen Elizabeth II stepped gingerly onto the Buckingham Palace balcony Thursday, drawing wild cheers from the tens of thousands who came to join her at the start of four days of celebrations of her 70 years on the throne.

Her fans sported Union Jack flags, party hats or plastic tiaras. Some had camped overnight in hopes of glimpsing of 96-year-old queen, whose appearances are becoming rare, and a chance to watch the Trooping the Color a military parade that has marked each sovereigns official birthday since 1760.

It was an explosion of joy in the massive crowd, one of the first big gatherings since the COVID-19 pandemic began.