The May bank holiday weekend will be moved to Thursday 2 June and an extra bank holiday will fall on Friday 3 June 2022.

This means the nation will have a four-day bank holiday weekend to celebrate the Queen’s 70-year reign – the first time any British monarch has reached the historic milestone.

Culture secretary Oliver Dowden said there will be a “blockbuster weekend of celebrations” mixing “ceremonial splendour and pageantry” with artistic and technological displays UK-wide.

A platinum jubilee medal will be awarded to people who work in public service including representatives of the Armed Forces, the emergency services and the prison services. This tradition stretches back to the reign of Queen Victoria when an official medal was designed to mark her 50th anniversary on the throne.

Dowden said: “Her Majesty’s platinum jubilee will be a truly historic moment – and one that deserves a celebration to remember.

“We can all look forward to a special, four-day Jubilee weekend, when we will put on a spectacular, once-in-a-generation show that mixes the best of British ceremonial splendour with cutting edge art and technology. It will bring the entire nation and the Commonwealth together in a fitting tribute to Her Majesty’s reign.”

Britain will also host The Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games and Festival UK 2022.