The Queen's diamond jubilee preparations - in pictures

A fleet of barges arrives at South Quay Photograph: Dan Kitwood/Getty Images

Mounted soldiers yawn as the military stage a dress rehearsal of the royal carriage procession from Westminster Hall to Buckingham Palace Photograph: Oli Scarff/Getty Images

A dwarf mongoose plays with a flag that has been put up by staff at Blair Drummond Safari Park near Stirling Photograph: Andrew Milligan/PA

The reverse side of the royal mint's first ever gold kilo coin which has been created to mark the jubilee Photograph: David Parry/PA

Kelly Jordan prepares her shop, Charmaine's Florist, featuring a recreation of a first class stamp made of flowers, for the diamond jubilee in Southsea Photograph: Luke Macgregor/Reuters

Local resident John Hardie makes preparations in Moulin, Scotland Photograph: Russell Cheyne/Reuters

A Queen Elizabeth figurine for sale in a shop on Portobello Road in west London Photograph: Reuters

Volunteers collect litter before the river pageant near the Globe theatre in London Photograph: Sean Dempsey/PA

Head groundsman James Quickenden puts up union flags at Blair Drummond Safari Park near Stirling Photograph: Andrew Milligan/PA

Soldiers stage a dress rehearsal of the royal carriage procession from Westminster Hall to Buckingham Palace Photograph: Oli Scarff/Getty Images

Chloe McCaig adjusts her window display at Ruban Rouge Boutique in Bridge of Allan Photograph: Andrew Milligan/PA

A man puts the finishing touches to his boat at South Quay Photograph: Dan Kitwood/Getty Images

Workers clean the road surface of the Mall Photograph: Peter Macdiarmid/Getty Images

A dog in a life vest stands on a boat at South Quay, where many of the boats taking part in the pageant are moored Photograph: Dan Kitwood/Getty Images

Two police officers examine beneath a manhole cover on Whitehall Photograph: Oli Scarff/Getty Images

A matrix road sign warns drivers of traffic problems for the extended weekend Photograph: Peter Macdiarmid/Getty Images