LONDON – It was a royal day at the races, as Queen Elizabeth II watched a horse with the courtly name of Camelot win the Epsom Derby on Saturday – the kickoff to a four-day celebration of the British monarch’s 60 years on the throne.

Today the queen will make a trip down the River Thames, and then take in a concert — all accompanied by tens of thousands of her subjects, coming out to fete a monarch whose longevity has given her the status of the nation’s favorite grandmother.

An armada of vessels — from historic sailboats and barges to kayaks, lifeboats and military launches — was mustering along the Thames ahead of today’s river pageant. The queen aboard the royal barge will lead the flotilla of 1,000 boats — described by organizers as the biggest gathering on the river in 350 years.

Diamond Jubilee festivities officially began Saturday with a 41-gun salute fired by the King’s Troop, Royal Horse Artillery at Horse Guards Parade in central London.

The 86-year-old monarch and her husband, Prince Philip, visited Epsom race course south of the capital for the Derby, one of the year’s biggest horse-racing meetings. The queen waved to the 130,000-strong crowd as she was driven down the racecourse in a Bentley bearing the Royal Standard — the car’s sun roof kept shut under gray skies — before settling down to watch the races from the royal box.

Dressed in a royal blue coat and matching hat over a blue-and-white floral dress, the queen was accompanied by members of the royal family including her sons Prince Andrew and Prince Edward and Andrew’s daughters Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie.

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The royals were treated to an aerial display by members of the British Army’s Red Devils parachute team before the racing.

The monarch is a racing fan and horse breeder who has attended the Derby for decades and reads the Racing Post each day over breakfast, although unlike many of her subjects she does not gamble.

Edwards’ mistress spilling the beans

RALEIGH, N.C. – John Edwards’ mistress Rielle Hunter is publishing a memoir about her relationship with the former presidential candidate and their daughter.

Jennifer Canzoneri, marketing manager at Dallas-based BenBella Books, says “What Really Happened” is set to be released on June 26.

Edwards and Hunter had an affair while the Democrat was running for the White House in 2008 and have a daughter together, Frances Quinn Hunter.

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On Thursday, a jury acquitted Edwards on one count of illegally accepting campaign contributions and deadlocked on five other charges. He had been accused of orchestrating a plan to use money from campaign donors to hide Hunter while he ran for the White House.

His relationship with Hunter currently remains unclear.

Samberg at end of last SNL season

LOS ANGELES – Andy Samberg has wrapped his seven-season run on “Saturday Night Live,” a spokeswoman for the actor-comedian said Friday.

Samberg won’t return as a cast member next season, according to his publicist, Carrie Byalick. Samberg’s exit follows that of “SNL” cast member Kristen Wiig.

Like other “Saturday Night Live” alumni, Samberg will be seen on the big screen. His new movie with Adam Sandler, “That’s My Boy,” is out this month.

Samberg’s “SNL” highlights reel would feature his satiric rap videos including “Lazy Sunday” and a memorable one with Justin Timberlake about an X-rated gift in a box. The fake music video won a 2007 Emmy Award for best original music and lyrics.

Samberg became a cast member in the 2005-06 season.

– From news service reports


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