Three musical knights headline free concert for Diamond Jubilee

The three musical knights will top a bill that also includes Sir Cliff Richard, Annie Lennox and Dame Shirley Bassey and younger stars such as Jesse J, JLS and Ed Sheeran as well as Jools Holland and Madness.

The event is expected to attract half a million revellers to The Mall on Monday June 4. Take That frontman Gary Barlow, who is curating the show, said the line-up was "60 per cent there" and would include performers from the Commonwealth and the USA.

He said Princes William and Harry had requested artists and hinted that Take That could also perform.

"We are hoping there are half a million people watching this concert," he said. "It will hopefully be one of the biggest concerts ever in the UK. It's going to be two-and-a-half hours of amazing live music. I can't wait."

Barlow added: "With Buckingham Palace as a backdrop, it's going to be a fantastic event which transcends multiple decades of music."

Ten thousand seated tickets, released in 5,000 pairs, will be available to UK residents from today until March 2 by online public ballot. The concert will be staged in front of the palace, with the stage encircling the Queen Victoria Memorial, and it is thought giant screens will be erected along The Mall.

The event will be similar to the Party at the Palace that marked the Queen's Golden Jubilee a decade ago but will include rock, pop and classical music as well as songs from musical theatre, rather than having a separate classical concert.

McCartney, John and Jones also played at the Golden Jubilee party. The Queen is said to be "entirely content" with the line-up. Barlow said: "She will probably be heading out when I start to sing and heading back when Cliff starts to sing."

Organisers say the tickets will not be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis. The 5,000 who receive a "Diamond Ticket" will be selected to match the UK's geographical population spread and some tickets will go to charities.

The pop concert in 2002 was opened by Queen guitarist Brian May, who played the National Anthem from the palace roof. It also featured a speech from Prince Charles in which he paid tribute to "mummy".

Barlow said: "That is the moment we remember that concert for. I think we need to come up with something newer and better. Maybe we will fly somebody in."

The concert, to be broadcast live by the BBC, is one of several events being held across the jubilee weekend, with Monday and Tuesday being declared bank holidays.

Tickets for the Diamond Jubilee Concert are available at bbc.co.uk/diamondjubilee