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LONDON – Elton John sang "I'm Still Standing," Stevie Wonder crooned "Isn'tShe Lovely," and Paul McCartney sent "All My Loving" as musicalroyalty celebrated Queen Elizabeth II's 60-year reign with aconcert outside Buckingham Palace on Monday. But the joy wastempered by news that the queen's husband, Prince Philip, had beenhospitalized with a bladder infection. Palace officials said the prince, who will turn 91 on Saturday, wastaken to the King Edward VII Hospital in London from Windsor Castleon Monday as a precaution and will remain under observation for afew days. As the Diamond Jubilee show ended, Prince Charles took the stageand encouraged concertgoers to make some noise for his father. Thecrowd responded with a roar and chants of "Philip." The heir to the throne paid tribute to his mother, addressing heras "Your Majesty — Mummy" and leading the crowd in threecheers for the monarch. Despite Philip's illness, many members of the royal family,including Charles, his wife Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, andPrinces William and Harry sat in a royal box to watch the show,performed on a specially erected stage outside the palace. The queen was cheered as she arrived partway through the show,wearing a gold lame cocktail dress under a dark cape. It wasdecided before Philip's illness that she would watch only part ofthe concert. The queen is not a noted pop music fan, and appeared to be wearingyellow ear plugs as she observed the concert. Some 12,000 contest winners watched the show from an enclosed area,while a huge crowd stretched down the Mall, the wide boulevardleading up to the palace. The lineup featured a full hand of knights — McCartney, John,Cliff Richard and Tom Jones, all "Sirs" — along with DameShirley Bassey and younger artists including JLS and Kylie Minogue. The show opened in a blaze of sound and color, as a scarlet-cladmilitary band joined Robbie Williams onstage for his hit "Let MeEntertain You." Black Eyed Peas star Will.i.am performed "I GottaFeeling" with songstress Jessie J. In true something-for-everyone mode, performances ranged frompianist Lang Lang playing Gershwin to American soprano ReneeFleming to 64-year-old Grace Jones hula-hooping her way through"Slave to the Rhythm." Performers from around the world sang a special jubilee songwritten by Andrew Lloyd Webber and "Take That''s Gary Barlow. It was the veteran entertainers who went down best. The crowdroared along to Cliff Richard's "Congratulations," and cheeredBassey singing — fittingly — "Diamonds are Forever."Prince Harry could be seen singing along — "Why, why why?"— as Tom Jones belted out "Delilah," while Prince William andhis wife Catherine joined in on John's "Crocodile Rock." Ska band Madness performed 80s hit "Our House" on the palace roof,changing the lyrics to "Our house, in the middle of one's street." The queen may not like to rock'n'roll but she has plenty of fansamong rock's elite. Before the show, Elton John paid tribute to the monarch'sconstancy. "She's not trendy, she doesn't follow any fads," John told the BBC."She's stoic, she's brilliant, she's wise, she's funny, and we'reall really happy to be here." McCartney closed the concert playing "Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da" on aUnion Jack guitar before the queen took the stage with her family— but without Philip, who until Monday had been her constantcompanion throughout the jubilee celebrations. He had joined the queen and senior royals on the River Thames incold and blustery weather Sunday for a pageant in honor ofElizabeth's 60 years on the throne The prince, who married then-Princess Elizabeth in 1947, has cutback on official engagements in recent years but still maintains abusy schedule. He spent four nights in the hospital over Christmasafter suffering chest pains and underwent a successful coronarystent procedure to clear a blocked artery. The palace said Philip was "understandably, disappointed aboutmissing this evening's Diamond Jubilee Concert," as well as a St.Paul's Cathedral service and other jubilee events planned forTuesday. "I'm very sorry he's going to miss the concert because he's reallypart of the celebration," said Canadian tourist Marielle Demorsce."He's part of the 60 years, he's put in a lot of work with thequeen to appear all over the world and we love him too so verymuch." The jubilee was being marked around the world in members of the54-nation Commonwealth of former British colonies. At the end of the concert, the queen lit the last in a chain ofmore than 4,200 commemorative beacons that have been set alight inBritain and abroad. One beacon was lit in Kenya at the Treetops Hotel, where Elizabethwas informed of her father's death in 1952, making her the queen. Although not everyone has embraced the jubilee —anti-monarchists have protested, and some 2 million Britons usedthe four-day holiday weekend to leave the country — many saidit gave them a sense of pride. "Sixty years on the throne is a remarkable achievement," said47-year-old Dean Caston, who joined the crowds outside the palaceon Monday. "People knock Britain and how depressed we are, but thisweekend you can see we have got a lot to be proud of." ___ Associated Press Writer Robert Barr contributed to this report.Jill Lawless can be reached at Twitter.com/JillLawless. The e-commerce company in China offers quality products such as Printed Denim Fabric Manufacturer , China Wool Blend Fabric, and more. For more , please visit Dyed Woven Fabric today!
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