The Queen's Golden Jubilee celebrations have ended with a garden party at Balmoral in the Highlands.

It is the culmination of 14 weeks of travelling across the length and breadth of the UK and the tour has been viewed by the Royal Family as an outstanding success.

Since May, the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh have visited 70 cities and towns in 50 counties throughout England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

The Queen, who at 76 is the oldest British monarch to have celebrated 50 years on the throne, has said she was "profoundly moved" by the affection shown to her.

The garden party was the first at Balmoral

After Wednesday's garden party, she and the duke, 81, will take a summer break in the Highlands.

Accompanied by members of the Royal Family, they will recharge their batteries ready for a 10,000-mile Golden Jubilee tour of Canada in October.

The garden party was the first ever at Balmoral, and saw 3,000 people given tea on the lawn of the castle.

The Prince of Wales - without Camilla Parker Bowles - joined his mother and the Duke of Edinburgh for the event.

Garden party caterer Stuart MacBride's 86 staff served 4,000 cups of tea, iced coffee, orange squash or mineral water - alcohol is only served at royal receptions later in the day.

Also on offer were 12,800 sandwiches, cut from 320 loaves, 3,500 fresh strawberry tartlets, a selection of nine different cakes and two shortbreads.

The Queen recently told an audience at the Guild Hall in Preston that the tour had been "a celebration of all that binds us together as a nation".

She thanked "everybody throughout the UK" for the "warmth of the welcome" she had been given.

On Monday the Queen attended the Edinburgh Military Tattoo, where she was greeted by Scottish First Minister Jack McConnell and Castle Governor Major General Robert Gordon.