Queen attends final jubilee festivities without Philip

Queen Elizabeth II

Queen Elizabeth II attended the final day of celebrations for her diamond jubilee Tuesday, but the pomp and splendour were marred by the absence of her husband Prince Philip after he was hospitalised.

Political leaders, foreign ambassadors and royals joined the queen for a service at St Paul's Cathedral ahead of a ceremonial carriage procession on the last of four days of festivities marking her 60 years on the throne.

But 90-year-old Philip, who was taken to hospital with a bladder infection hours before Monday's spectacular jubilee pop concert outside Buckingham Palace, was absent from her side at the cathedral.

The prince, who is the longest-serving royal consort in British history, will remain in hospital for several days, the palace said.

Thousands lined the streets and cheered as the monarch, who was wearing a mint-green silk coat scattered with crystals and a matching hat, waved as she was driven to the cathedral in her state Bentley.

"It's a shame Prince Philip's not here today because he's always been by her side," said make-up artist Judith Chen, who was wrapped up in a Union Jack flag as she waited outside St Paul's to catch a glimpse of the queen.

Rowan Williams, the Archbishop of Canterbury and leader of the world's Anglicans, paid tribute to Philip as well as the monarch in his sermon.

"In all her public engagements, her queen has shown a quality of joy in the happiness of others," said Williams, adding that the same could be said of Philip.

Britain's Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge and Prince William are driven foe a service to celebrate the Diamond Jubilee of Britain's Queen Elizabeth at St Paul's Cathedral in London

"Our prayers and thoughts are very much with him this morning," he added.

The queen's son and heir Prince Charles and his wife, as well as her grandsons Princes William and Harry, were among the royals attending the service in the historic cathedral.

William's wife Catherine wore a nude-coloured lace dress by Alexander McQueen and a hat by Jane Taylor.

With Philip in hospital, the queen will be joined in the ceremonial carriage procession from Westminster to Buckingham Palace by Charles and his wife Camilla.

Members of Britain's royakl famly leave St Paul's Cathedral after a thanksgiving service to mark the Queen's Diamond Jubilee, in central London

The family will then appear on the Buckingham Palace balcony for a Royal Air Force flypast before the queen broadcasts a message of thanks at 1700 GMT.

The monarch insisted on attending Monday's concert in front of the palace -- which featured stars including Paul McCartney, Elton John and Stevie Wonder and was watched by hundreds of thousands of people -- despite her husband's ill health.

The decision was widely praised in the British press, with the Daily Telegraph, Daily Mail and Daily Express all carrying the headline: "The show must go on."

The palace underwent an unprecedented makeover on Monday when it was turned into a giant screen, providing a spectacular backdrop for performers who also included Kylie Minogue, Robbie Williams and Madness, who performed on the palace roof.

Britain's Prime Minister David Cameron and his wife Samatha leave a service of thanksgiving to celebrate the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth at St Paul's Cathedral in central London

The queen appeared on stage after the final set to light a ceremonial beacon, the centrepiece in a chain of 4,200 spanning the Commonwealth, triggering a thunderous firework finale.

Moments earlier, Prince Charles took centre stage to celebrate the "life and service of a very special person", drawing cheers from the crowd as he paid tribute to his "mummy".

The prince expressed regret over the absence of Prince Philip.

"The only sad thing about this evening is that my father cannot be here with us because unfortunately he's been taken unwell," he said, as his sons, Princes William and Harry, watched from the royal box.

Charles urged the crowd to show their support, and they responded by a raising a huge roar and chanting "Philip, Philip".

Philip's new health scare comes less than six months after he suffered chest pains during the Christmas break and was treated for a blocked coronary artery.

He appeared in good health on Sunday as he travelled on the royal barge in chilly conditions during a 1,000-boat river pageant, the centrepiece of the jubilee celebrations.