Queen's Diamond Jubilee pageant: as it happened 18:07 Guinness World Records has verified that 670 boats completed the full pageant route from Westminster Bridge to HMS Belfast. This will be the new world record, writes Sam Marsden. This is lower than the 1,000 figure quoted by the organisers because they did not include all the working boats (eg police boats), the sailing ships stationed beyond Tower Bridge and the vessels moored along the route (eg HMS Belfast). 18:02 You can almost see the fireworks on Tower Bridge because it's so grey outside. The bridge is closing to the sound of a moaning steam boat. It's spectacular despite the rain-splattered camera view. 17:57 The choir singing the national anthem look frost-bitten. I'm surprised they can sing in tune. 17:48 Here's the Telegraph's Sarah Rainey's last report on the Telegraph boat full of stoical reporters: We can barely feel our fingers, our umbrellas have blown inside out and we're drenched from head to toe. But it was all worth it. The Telegraph readers' boat has passed the Spirit of Chartwell and we all got a brief glimpse of Her Majesty, valiently waving despite the rain. She must be relieved that we're nearly at the back of the Pageant - she has been here for almost three hours - and there are still a few boats to come. "At least she's as wet as we are," one reader says. "If she can stay outside on a day like this, we should all be outside too," says another. When we pass the royal boat, there's a rush inside for a cup of tea and a look back through our rain-fuzzed photographs. The dryer in the ladies' room has broken because so many people are using it to warm their hands. Telegraph photographer Chris Pledger is besieged by ladies cooing over his photographs of the Queen and Kate Middleton. It's been a long five hours but nobody's ready to go home just yet. We're heading back towards Lambeth Pier where the Royal Princess is due to dock in an hour's time. 17:46 The planned fly-past over the pageant has been cancelled because of the bad weather, organisers have said. 17:45 Hannah Furness is with the last few rain-soaked stragglers making their way off Westminster Bridge. She speaks to Sam Jack, 25, from Bishop's Stortford: He suffered a brain injury in Afghanistan in 2009, as part of 33 Engineer Regiment when he was hit by shrapnel, and was attending the pageant with Help for Heroes. "I love serving Queen and country," he said. I think she's brilliant. Today has been brilliant too. We've had great views and a really, really nice time. Seeing all this, it makes me proud to be British. 17:24 The Queen must be freezing and she hasn't had a sit down for hours. But she keeps waving the most familiar wave in the world. Hope she's got a nice mug of cocoa waiting for her at home and perhaps an episode of Springwatch, or Girls. 17:13 Allan Massie explains why we should make the most of this week's celebration in his Telegraph blog: Many of us are unlikely ever to see another, the heir to the throne being 64 this year. So it's quite likely that even the future King William's Silver Jubilee will be 40 or 50 years off. Of course his grandmother may still be with us in ten years' time -- and what sort of Jubilee would that be? What comes after "Diamond"? What do you call a wedding that has endured for 70 years? This is only the second Diamond Jubilee to be celebrated in British history, for, though George III was king for 60 years (1760-1820), he was both mad and blind for the last years of his life, scarcely a call for celebration. 17:12 Our Editor of Blogs Damian Thompson has a wonderful titbit about Beethoven's tribute to our glorious monarchs. He arranged our national anthem as a part-song and you can listen to it below. Damian thinks it's "splendid." It's definitely better than Neil Young and Crazy Horse's rendition: 17:11 Erm...the BBC are now doing horrible histories on the River Thames which seems a) inappropriate and b) embarrassing. 17:06 Nick Collins is still down at the river. I hope he has a warm jumper or a cagoule. He reports: The few remaining diehards are watching the downriver action happen on screen, while the hot dog vendors are serving up what's left of their stock. How many have they sold today, I ask? Too many. In spite of the cloud, the cold and the persistent rain the event seems to have been a success in the eyes of those who waited patiently to see it. Joanne Revitt, 48, said: "It has been superb, far better than I expected. I just can't believe how many boats there were, it was phenomenal. It was absolutely worth waiting for - the Queen looked stunning and I am quite convinced she waved at me as she went past. 17:03 The Queen is now reviewing the pageant boats. 17:00 What a shame the weather dampened lots of street parties today. Look at this sorry sight from the Duke of York Square in Chelsea, sent in by Matthew Holehouse. 16:48 The pageant has broken the world record for the largest parade of boats, reports Sam Marsden. We should find out shortly the precise figure for the number of vessels in the flotilla. 16:42 Boris Johnson with wife Marina Wheeler, Beatrice and Eugenie and the Countess of Wessex. 16:34 It's pouring with rain out there and some of the crowds are dispersing. No sooner was the royal family past than the skies opened again and the crowds dispersed amid the rain. The last boats are still coming past but almost no-one is here to see them - the embankment has almost emptied in the space of half an hour. And Matt Holehouse: The last boats, including the Royal Princess carrying Telegraph readers, have now passed Battersea. It's teaming down; crowds have retreated to the Kings Road. 16:30 Stephen Fry is not amused by today's BBC coverage. He tweeted that it's been "eggier and cheesier than a collapsed soufflé." There's more: Has the BBC ever presented a more mind-numbingly tedious programme in its history? "HRH the queen" said the first ignorant presenter. 16:27 Here's the pageant from the main press centre. Pity about the skyscrapers: Jubilee pageant floats under Tower Bridge (Photo: Tom Bage) 16:24 A tweet from the brilliant fake Queen account is doing the rounds: This kind of thing must bring back very bad memories for the Spanish. ‪#armada 16:22 This is the front page of tonight's special souvenir edition available on the streets of London shortly. 16:21 No one has fallen in the river yet but John Bingham reports on a lucky escape: It looks like New Zealand nearly crashed out of the Commonwealth - but was rescued just in time. As the boatload of young sailors bearing the national flag approached Blackfriars Bridge they seemed to lose power and swung around precariously just ahead of the royal barge. But a police launch was on hand to spare the sailors' blushes, swinging them back into formation. 16:20 Here's a special fact of the day: the bridge will open 45 degrees for the boaters but a full 90 degrees for Her Majesty. 16:19 BREAKING: Tower Bridge is rising. 16:17 Concert pianist and Telegraph blogger James Rhodes has had a genius idea: I'd pay £10,000 to see Philip and her majesty do the Jack and Rose Titanic bow scene at the front of their barge. ‪#jubilee 16:06 A spokesman for First Capital Connect sought to play down the problems to David Millward. Should someone tell them about the Olympics? 16:04 Today's pageant is the most dramatic river show since 1662, when King Charles II feted his new bride Catherine of Braganza in the company of 10,000 vessels, David Hughes reminds us. So, has it been worth the wait? The first part of the parade would have seemed remarkably familiar to Pepys - the rowers and the paddlers - all led by the magnificent Gloriana, built for the occasion and powered by 20 oarsmen. It looks both stunning and timeless. And the entire capital seems to have flocked down to the river to watch. There's not a free inch of riverside space to be had. What better way for a maritime nation to celebrate the Diamond Jubilee of a remarkable woman? 16:02 BBC commentators are now discussing what the Queen does when she goes to the loo. Is this really appropriate? 16:01 Away from the city Jonathan Liew is at a stree party in Goring and Streatley. It sounds like something from a Lewis Caroll book: Goring and Streatly, separated by the River Thames and the Oxfordshire-Berkshire county boundary, are united by the longest street party in Britain. 1km of tables lined up along the two villages' high streets and, I can personally attest, at least that many scones. If you were a foreigner stumbling upon this place, you would simply have to conclude that this was some strange rural hinterland in which the humble scone was elevated to the level of a deity and baked in frightening quantities as a symbol of piety. Speaking of pie, and tea, there's plenty of that too. Men in tweed suits are standing in their front doorways smoking pipes. Somebody's blaring the Dambusters theme out of their upstairs window. Henry VIII's strolling around "looking for a new wife." Labradors cower under the tables. The whole town (s) has just got to its feet to drink a toast to Her Majesty. All this while peering through a dank drizzle that's forcing everyone to wear those translucent ponchos you get at Alton Towers. Is this the most British scene in the world, ever? 15:56 The Queen looked delighted to see one of the incredibly realistic models from War Horse jumping around on the docks. 15:55 It's raining again but spirits are high. Here's John Bingham: Now that the flotilla has arrived in the City the heavens have opened but everyone is too polite to notice. Meanwhile the police seem to be offering a kind of polite form of kettling across London: different sections of the crowd are being held in place by police lines and barriers to stop everyone surging along. Not that anyone seems to mind. One lady at the front of thecrowd has just shouted back to a man who had been waiting longer than her offering to swap places. 15:53 Kate, Wills and Harry look rather spectacular. 15:45 Matthew Holehouse has seen a child in a pink coat sobbing. "She did not see the Duchess of Cambridge," he tweets. Karl Lagerfield has taken the opportunity to decree that Kate has a posterior as nice as her sister's: Elle nous montre qu'elle a une chute de reins aussi charmante que celle de sa soeur Pippa Middleton and her family 15:40 A 41-gun salute is under way at the Tower of London. 15:35 Her Majesty looks a little cold. 15:32 Is the BBC planning on covering the pageant? I'm not sure whether murals by some random artist (see below), interviews and street parties are the most interesting thing about the day... Sky on the other hand are doing a much better job, focussed on the main event. 15:29 Belinda White's not sure about Ben Fogle's jubilee get-up: Just caught sight of adventuring telly totty Ben Fogle rowing along the Thames in a cream shorts and waistcoat combo. We can confirm that shorts suits and three-piece suits are IN this season for men, but the jury's out of Fogle's mash-up of the two trends. Still, at least we can be thankful the dear boy is actually wearing clothes, unlike on his jaunt across the Atlantic. 15:27 Some members of the crowds are admirably keen. David Millward spoke to one lady who went to the Silver Jubilee of George V in 1935: Margaretta Soulsby, 86, slept overnight in the lost children's tent a short distance from Tower Bridge to make sure she had a good view of the proceedings. A true veteran of Royal occasions, she recalled attending the Silver Jubilee of George V in 1935 and has not missed a major event since. My family had ran a tour operator's business from Parliament Street and I had a fabulous view of the Coronation of George Vl. Miss Soulsby, who now lives in West Dorset, estimates she has attended three jubilees, two Coronations, six weddings and four funerals. 15:21 Celebrity spots are low on the ground so far. Babs Windsor, Richard E Grant and here's one more from Nick Collins: Forget the flotilla - the crowd further downstream at Westminster has just spotted the Bruce Forsyth aboard one of the VIP tour boats moored beside the river. He holds up a union jack and waves as a bagpiper standing next to him leads the rabble on the riverbank in a rousing chorus of God Save the Queen. Good old Brucie - Nice to see him, to see him nice. 15:16 The atmosphere around the Telegraph's Tom Chivers doesn't seem quite as celebratory as in other areas: Four hours into our Jubilee vigil and the crowd is getting quite packed in. One man behind us was angrily telling a woman off for trying to get through, pointing out that he's claustrophobic, which does make you wonder what the hell he's doing here. The increasingly restive crowd is laying into the booze a bit more: lots of champagne and such, obviously, but one lady is swigging from a bottle of amaretto and the group on my left is sharing a bottle of Bell's. We're trying to work our whether standing next to the MI6 building makes us more or less safe from terror attacks. 15:07 Oo-er. Belinda White's discovered the idea for Kate's red dress: We thought Kate's Alexander McQueen dress looked familiar - it seems X Factor judge Tulisa and reality TV star Kim Kardashian got there first damn them! Of course, it wouldn't be appropriate for Kate to show off her shoulders, so her version of the bright red dress comes customised with long sleeves. 15:04 There are some lovely stories around the supporters out at the river pageant today. Sarah Butchart from Minting, Lincs, is extending family tradition to the fourth generation today. She was nine when her parents took her to see the coronation. Today she has brought her son Edward and daughter-in-law Kate and granddaughters Laura, 11, and Sophie, 13. "It was a wonderful atmosphere," she remembers. We stood on exactly the same spot as my parents stood to watch the coronation of George VI. I remember the rumour came all the way up that Everest had been conquered. Twins June Palmer and Patricia Roper stayed out all night for the funeral of George VI in 1952 - when it snowed -and again for the coronation the following year - when it poured. Today they are having a very special reunion having spent most of the last 60 years at opposite end of the world after Mrs Roper flew in from New Zealand for their 80th birthday later this month. No sooner had she shaken off the jet lag than she was out with her sister to bag one of the best spots to see the Diamond Jubilee pageant. Mrs Roper went as a £10 pom on the Southern Cross in the late 1950s, she now lives at Mount Maunganui on North Island. 15:02 It's impossible to hear Clare Balding and other presenters covering the pageat for the BBC because of the noise of the fog horns. Subtitles, anyone? 14:57 People are going to great lengths to get a glimpse of Her Majesty. Here's Victoria Ward: Huge crowds on Lower Thames Street are so desperate to get to the river they are offering the stewards bribes of up to £100 to let them through. An onlooker called in to say that the crowds were only three-deep on London Bridge and that there was plenty of room for more onlookers but the public are being barred from getting through. "It's absolute chaos," she said. There are so many people trying to get through. The police are saying it's up to the stewards and the stewards are saying it's up to the police. Meanwhile, everyone's stuck and can't see a thing. 14:56 Much excitement on board the Telegraph - according to Sarah Rainey - as the little ships of Dunkirk sail past. Readers cluster on port side to cheer and wave flags. She tweets: First celebrity spot on the Telegraph boat: Barbara Windsor, waving from a passenger boat. "She's almost royalty," one reader says #jubilee 14:52 Belinda White reports that Chanel creative director Karl Lagerfeld, who is commenting on the event's sartorial action for television channel France 2, has tweeted his approval of the Queen's outfit, saying: "For her role, for who she is, it is hard to imagine a different outfit that the Queen could have sported better." "From a man who doesn't mince his words, that's praise indeed," she says. Here's Belinda on Camilla playing it safe: Another royal revisiting a tried-and-tested design team is the Duchess of Cornwall wearing a cream dress coat by Anna Valentine and a coordinating hat by Philip Treacy. Fashion fact: Camilla wore combos by the same pair for both her own wedding and last year's marriage of William and Kate. If it ain't broke... 14:50 The smaller boats have set sail east down the River Thames. The Queen and Prince Philip look on: 14:44 Here's Hannah Furness from the banks of the river: The crowds are in high spirits as the Royal family make their first appearance on screen. The Queen gets a huge cheer and a spot of patriotic flag waving as she smiles, while the Duchess of Cambridge's red outfit inspires a sigh of admiration. Chilly feet and frizzy hair from this morning's weather are forgotten as anticipation builds ahead of the boats arriving. "If there's one thing Britain does well its pageantry," one gentleman tells me. Its tremendous. An unknown photographer who turned up late has also been given a roaring cheer after officials instructed him unceremoniously off the bridge 14:41 Her Majesty yet again proves why she is (in my opinion) the best dressed woman on earth. Here are the details from Belinda White on her Jubilee outfit: No surprise for royal fashion fans to know that Her Majesty's dress and matching white boucle coat were created by her official designer Angela Kelly. The boucle has been embroidered with gold, silver and ivory spots and embellished with Swarovski crystals to reflect the River Thames, and the outfit is finished with a silk organza frill. The Queen's hat has a swept up brim, the crown of which is made of the same material as the coat and details include feathers hand dyed in Buckingham Palace by one of Angela Kelly's team. More silk organza and Swarovski crystals have been used to decorate this uniquely shaped hat. 14:34 The Queen is aboard her boat! The moment of lift off No surprise for royal fashion fans to know that Her Majesty's dress and matching white boucle coat were created by her official designer Angela Kelly. 14:28 The Telegraph's Victoria Ward is near a crowd who's day has just taken a turn for the worse: A crowd of up to 500 lining a section of the Thames between Blackfriars and Waterloo is furious after a 50-metre three storey passenger boat pulled up and blocked their view. Tony Baron, from High Wycombe, said it moored at around 1.30pm, ruining the experience for the ten-deep crowd, many of whom had been waiting since dawn. "The whopping great thing moored right in front of us and now they're just laughing and joking and enjoying a slap up meal," he said. The crowd is chanting 'move that boat' but they're just raising their glasses towards us and laughing. Nobody cares, it's a disgrace. Mr Baron said around 150 people were aboard the Erasmus, a luxury charter boat featuring a bar and a dance floor. Unfortunately, it showed no signs of moving. 14:26 Boris Johnson: Flotilla is the biggest maritime celebration in hundreds of years 14.25 The Telegraph's fashion desk informs me that The Duchess of Cornwall is wearing an Anna Valentine coat and dress with a Philip Treacy hat. Here's Belinda White, the editor of Fashion online: The Duchess of Cambridge has returned to her favourite label for her Jubilee outfit, wearing a chic scarlett dress by Alexander McQueen, teamed with a coordinating hat by Sylvia Fletcher. McQueen designer Sarah Burton, you will no doubt recall, designed Kate's wedding dress last year. 14:20 The Queen's outfit was designed by Angela Kelly and made by her small in-house Buckingham Palace team. The outfit has apparently been a year in the planning. 14.18 The Duchess of Cambridge was wearing a red Alexander McQueen dress and matching Sylvia Fletcher hat. 14.17 The steam train is in danger of stealing the show 14:15 Her Majesty is on board the launch that will take her to the Royal Barge 14:10 The Queen has arrived at Chelsea Harbour in a stunning cream suit. 14:08 Prince Charles has arrived looking very smart in his regalia. 14:05 The Duchess of Cambridge has arrived on the banks of the river to talk to her subjects. She's wearing a vivid scarlet. Comment to come from our fashion desk very soon: 13:55 What is Adam Boulton wearing?! 13:50 While many are enjoying the show - some of those hoping to watch the Pageant are still trying to get into London. PA reports that frustrated Jubilee revellers turned on rail operators for failing to provide enough trains to get spectators into London comfortably. Services into the capital were packed, with many passengers, including tearful children, unable to board overcrowded carriages. Many took to Twitter to complain that a normal Sunday service appeared to be operating despite the fact that hundreds of thousands of people were planning to travel into London to watch the Thames Pageant. Emma Bradley tweeted: "SW Trains really should have thought this through. Children literally crying cos can't get on the train at Norbiton, New Malden etc. Our very own Iain Martin tweets: Appalling planning by TFL and the train companies. Chaos at Vauxhall, packed trains disgorging passengers onto already packed platforms 13:45 Look who popped into the Telegraph news room! Notice the Jubilee river pageant printed dresses Sarah Colthorpe and I are wearing (River Island, natch) and Jonny Cooper's brilliant wig. 13:36 Here's Matt Holehouse on a slightly unusual Jubilee game. Battersea Bridge, SW3: lady in pith helmet entertains sons Arthur and Teddy with a game of 'spot the rooftop sniper'. And John Bingham's standing near some savvy gentlemen who won't let the celebrations get in the way of earning a few bob: Now that the rain appears to be easing off the pork pies, stilton and champagne are out en masse on the Embankment. Men selling waterproof ponchos have taken to shouting: "Get them now - the rain comes on the price goes up." Inflatable crowns and a bizarre brand of bowler hat with a single flag planted on top (moon landing style) seem to be leading the way in the fashion stakes. Pathe newsreel footage on giant screens is keeping most people occupied - it even seems to have silenced the vuvuzelas. 13:30 No surprise that hot drinks stands on the river are doing well today. It sounds like there aren't enough to go around though. For those who have been guarding their viewing spots since first thing this morning - or even last night - it has been a long and chilly day so far. Some enterprising people have set up burger and hot drinks stands along the embankment - a couple to the left tells me there's a 45 minute wait for a cup of coffee. The neighbouring Ice Cream van, one suspects, isn't doing quite such a roaring trade. Brrr. They should go to Pret A Manger where they're serving a special Jubilee tea. Although AFP's Judith Evans tweets this: Pret a Manger offering "jubilee tea" but guy behind the counter admits: "it's just tea" Crowds clutch their hot drinks. Earl Grey? But the prize for the worst Jubilee food item must go to Ikea, for their "corgi hot dog." 13:25 Ed Cumming's prime spot at the water's front, bagged by the tent he slept in overnight, almost got "teefed," as he put it. Thankfully a new pal stepped in and stopped the rotters making off with it. Here's Ed's latest observation on the hierachy of the day: Am I the only person who finds this "business class bridges" situation appalling? Is nothing safe from the prawn sandwich brigade? 13:18 Lots of smiles despite the murky skies as the boats begin to gather. Not long to go now. Queen's Diamond Jubilee: build up to the pageant as it happened