The Queen has been greeted by a tremendous fanfare as she went to St Paul's Cathedral for a service of thanksgiving in celebration of her Diamond Jubilee.

Within the walls of the historic building, Prime Minister David Cameron and the Prince of Wales were among the great and the good from home and abroad gathered to pay tribute.

But the Duke of Edinburgh, the Queen's companion throughout her reign, was absent after being admitted to hospital on Monday with a bladder infection.

The Queen did not travel to the service alone but was joined by one of her ladies in waiting Diana Marion, The Lady Farnham.

During an extended Bank Holiday weekend her 60-year reign has been marked by a serious of spectacular national events - a River Thames pageant watched my more than a million people and a music concert last night where a host of famous names performed.

But on Tuesday the life of the head of the Church of England was being honoured in a religious context through prayers and hymns.

It has also announced that the Queen will give a message of thanks for this weekend's Diamond Jubilee celebrations in a special address to be broadcast at 6pm on Tuesday evening. The address, lasting just over two minutes, was recorded in the Presence Room in Buckingham Palace before the Jubilee Concert.

The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, was giving the thanksgiving sermon at St Paul's Cathedral, paying tribute to the Queen's lifelong dedication to her nation.

In recent days the Archbishop has spoken about his experiences of the monarch, highlighting not just her insight and judgment but also her "real personality". Reflecting fondly on their one-to-one meetings, the Archbishop said: "I found in the Queen someone who can be friendly, who can be informal, who can be extremely funny in private - and not everybody appreciates just how funny she can be - who is quite prepared to tease and to be teased, and who, while retaining her dignity always, doesn't stand on her dignity in a conversation."

The service is a religious acknowledgement of the life of the Queen who has reigned for 60 years and is head of the Church of England.