In a rare televised address marking the end of four days of events in honour of her Diamond Jubilee, Queen Elizabeth II said she found the celebrations to be "a humbling experience."
The Queen's speech followed a Royal Air Force fly-past and military salute during which thousands of adoring fans gathered outside the gates Buckingham Palace to pay their respects.
"I will continue to treasure and draw inspiration from the countless kindnesses shown to me in this country and throughout the Commonwealth," the 86-year-old Queen said in the two-minute broadcast, which aired in Britain and the other 53 nations in her realm.
Earlier Tuesday, thousands of cheering, Union Jack-waving fans were enthralled as the Queen stood on a balcony during the military honours.
The Queen was joined by her son Prince Charles and his wife Camilla, her grandson William and his wife Catherine, and younger grandson Harry.
After the fly-past, a military salute was carried out while the massive crowd sang 'God Save The Queen.'
The Queen beamed, waving and smiling at the adoring crowd with her family alongside her.
She appeared to say: "Amazing" as she looked out at the throngs. Then the crowd shouted "hip, hip, hooray," in her honour.
The four days of celebrations marking the Queen's 60 years on the throne began on Saturday.
Brave Face
Though there was much to celebrate Tuesday, there was also some concern surrounding the absence of Prince Philip, Queen Elizabeth's 90-year-old husband who was taken to hospital Monday with a bladder infection.
However, the Queen put on a brave face, smiling broadly and waving to the thousands of people who lined the roadways along the royal procession route Tuesday morning as the group left St. Paul's and travelled to Westminster Hall for a luncheon.
"She's obviously having just a wonderful time despite the fact Philip isn't with her this morning," royal biographer Christopher Warwick told CTV's Canada AM.
Earlier in the day the Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams, credited the Queen with her years of service to the nation, and for serving with joy and generosity.
"We are marking six decades of living proof that public service is possible and that it is a place where happiness can be found," Williams told the royals and dignitaries at St. Paul's Cathedral.
"This year has already seen a variety of Jubilee creations and projects. But its most lasting memorial would be the rebirth of an energetic, generous spirit of dedication to the common good and the public service, the rebirth of a recognition that we live less than human lives if we think just of our own individual good."
After the luncheon at Westminster Hall -- a medieval hall and the oldest surviving part of the Palace of Westminster -- the Queen rode in a state landau as part of a procession back to Buckingham Palace. The landau, designed in 1902, was drawn by a team of Windsor Grey horses.
A few anti-monarchist demonstrators were outside the cathedral Tuesday morning, chanting slogans including "Republic Now!" and "9,500 Nurses or 1 Queen?"
