Queen Elizabeth's Plane Caught in Lightning Storm; Aborts Landing And Circles Over London For 15 Minutes

Queen Elizabeth II's plane was caught in a lightning storm while traveling to Windsor for the Platinum Jubilee celebrations. The electrical storm forced the jet to abandon the landing at RAF Northolt in north London in the first attempt.

The 13-seater plane circled for around 15 minutes until it was deemed safe enough to make a second attempt to land, according to The Sun.

Plane of Queen Elizabeth II was caught in a lightning storm and circled over London for 15 minutes
Plane of Queen Elizabeth II was caught in a lightning storm and circled over London for 15 minutes Twitter

Buckingham Palace Confirms Incident

A spokesperson for Buckingham Palace confirmed that the Queen's flight was delayed due to a lightning storm. But there were no safety concerns as all the correct procedures were taken to ensure the safety, according to the spokesperson.

"The Queen had more than a bumpy flight on her way back from Balmoral to Windsor. Her jet stuck in a lightning storm," said Chris Ship, ITV News journalist.

Queen Elizabeth II Traveled to Balmoral For a Short Break

On Thursday, the monarch had traveled to Balmoral for a short break ahead of the Platinum Jubilee celebrations, which will begin on Thursday to mark 70 years of her reign.

Trooping The Colour is the first event when thousands are expected in central London for the Queen's Birthday Parade and the accompanying pomp and pageantry. The Queen will later appear on the palace balcony for a traditional RAF flypast, according to Sky News.

Platinum Jubilee Celebrations to Begin on Thursday

But the Duke and Duchess of Sussex and Prince Andrew will be absent from the Royal Balcony, where the queen will make an appearance. However, the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester, the Duke of Kent, Princess Alexandra, and Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence will appear.

The monarch will be flanked by Prince Charles, his wife Camilla, grandson Prince William and his wife Kate.

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