Queen's Diamond Jubilee Stormont

To mark her diamond jubilee the Queen has attended a celebration party at Stormont. The event itself was ticketed with about a thousand spectators gathering at the entrance of Parliament Buildings on the Upper Newtownards Road in East Belfast.

Inside the grounds were approximately 20,000 well wishers including Northern Ireland MP's, MLA's and security whilst outside were snipers on building tops, such as the roof of the nearby Stormont Hotel.

The Queen's 60 year reign was marked in Belfast not only by the thousands cheering in the grounds of Stormont but the famous handshake with the former IRA commander Martin McGuinness.

Both the Queen and Prince Philip were driven in an open topped vehicle whilst withn the Stormont estate but transferred to a top of the range, bullet proof Range Rover before descending the hill and exiting the estate on to the Upper Newtownards Road.

Whilst wishing the Queen well some lining the exit were angry that many had been encouraged to line part of the exit were it must have been known the Queen wasn't to exit and where they couldn't see her after their long wait.

For many the Queens visit lasted just seconds but made them happy as it is the closest they will ever come to meeting her again.