The Prince of Wales paid an affectionate tribute to his mother at the celebrations for her Golden Jubilee.

Prince Charles told an audience of 12,000 people at a pop concert in the grounds of Buckingham Palace that the nation was deeply grateful to the Queen.

Jubilee timetable

10.35: Royal carriage procession leaves Buckingham Palace 10.42: Queen and Duke of Edinburgh leave Palace in Gold State Coach 11.28: Queen arrives at St Paul's 12.35: Queen and Prince Philip leave St Paul's in royal Bentley 12.40: Queen arrives at Guildhall for champagne reception 15.35: Queen arrives in The Mall 15.50: Queen takes seat on Royal Dais 15.53: Processions begin 17.40: Balcony appearance 17.55: Fly-past

He said: "We feel proud of you; proud and grateful for everything you have done for your country and the Commonwealth over 50 extraordinary years, supported unfailingly throughout by my father.

"You have embodied something vital in our lives - continuity. You have been a beacon of tradition and stability in the midst of profound, sometimes perilous change."

Monday's concert, which was watched by more than a million people on the streets and parks outside the palace and millions more on television, featured some of the world's greatest rock and pop legends.

Sir Paul McCartney, Eric Clapton, Sir Cliff Richard, Sir Elton John, Ozzy Osbourne, Tom Jones, Shirley Bassey, S Club 7, Atomic Kitten, Ricky Martin and Pop Idol Winner, Will Young, were among the stars to perform for the Royal family.

Sir Paul McCartney rocked the crowd

After the show, the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh used the Millennium flame to light the last of a chain of 2,000 beacons which had stretched across the UK and abroad.

The beacon, in front of the Royal Monument, sparked a massive firework display above the palace, bringing a day of celebrations and street parties across the UK to a spectacular close.

But the celebrations are set to continue on Tuesday with a grand display of pomp and pageantry marking her 50 years on the throne.

Ozzy Osbourne was on best behaviour

The Queen is to take part in a procession from Buckingham Palace to a service of thanksgiving at St Paul's Cathedral - the same route the Royals followed 25 years ago for the Silver Jubilee.

Crowds are already gathering in London, anxious to catch a glimpse of the gold state coach as it passes by.

Built in 1762 for King George III, the carriage has been used for every coronation since 1831.

Fly-past finale

The service will be followed by a vast parade of 20,000 people to be led by a Hell's Angels motorbike-rider.

It will also include the world's largest, 5,000-strong, gospel choir.

Aircraft from the last 50 years, including Concorde, will fly over Buckingham Palace as part of the Jubilee finale.

Happy revellers

The police have praised the crowds attending Royal events for their good behaviour, with only one arrest on the night of the palace pop concert.

Concert-goers were well behaved

Deputy Assistant Commissioner Andy Trotter, in charge of Central London policing, said: "Everyone has been good-humoured and everything we could expect.

"It has been a delight for us to police such a happy and co-operative crowd."

Sue Hammond, 54, of Stevenage, said: "These memories will go with me to my grave.

"I still can't quite believe I'm in Buckingham Palace."

Crowd approval

It was a fantastic concert and a great way to celebrate the Golden Jubilee

Peter Foster, concert-goer

Peter Foster, 36, of South London said the Prince of Wales' tribute to the Queen had summed up the mood of the nation.

He said: "This just shows how much the Royal Family has changed.

"I just hope they all enjoyed it as much as we did. They certainly seemed to."

Spectacular fireworks ended Monday's concert

Jubilee celebrations are also spreading across the Atlantic.

The Empire State Building in New York is to be lit up in purple and gold as a tribute to the Queen.

The last time such a gesture was made for a foreigner was when Nelson Mandela visited the city, shortly after his release from prison.

Empire State Building spokesman Howard Rubenstein said: "It is a tribute to her reign and the ongoing friendship between our two nations."

The building is to be lit at sunset (0115 BST Wednesday) and remain on until midnight local time (5am BST).