Hundreds of people across Suffolk and Essex turned out to watch the Queen’s birthday flypast soar overhead today - as the event overcame high winds.

East Anglian Daily Times: The Queens birthday flypast Picture: PETER HADDENThe Queens birthday flypast Picture: PETER HADDEN (Image: Peter Hadden)

However, some of the older planes which had been expected to take part did not join in, due to the weather conditions.

The Dakota, Lancaster, Spitfire and Hurricane did not appear, while the helicopters also joined the flypast at a later stage than originally planned.

East Anglian Daily Times: The Queen with members of the royal family on the balcony of Buckingham Palace. Picture: GARETH FULLER/PA WIREThe Queen with members of the royal family on the balcony of Buckingham Palace. Picture: GARETH FULLER/PA WIRE

But the other planes in the flypast, including the iconic Red Arrows display team, flew over the area as planned, delighting onlookers.

The planes mustered over Southwold, then flew directly over Ipswich and passed close to Colchester and Chelmsford before entering London south of Stapleford Aerodrome.

Tracy Excell from Woodbridge tweeted, "Love living on the flight path for Queen's Birthday flypast - Typhoons and Red Arrows just now from my window."

And Daniel Hill, from Ipswich, tweeted, "Gotta love seeing the flypast go right over your house!"

Kirsty Ghirawoo said on Facebook, "We were at wherstead and saw BAe 146, four Typhoons, and the Red Arrows went right over our heads! It was awesome."

But another Facebook user, Antony Perkins, said: "Shame not as many as normal because of operations elsewhere and weather."

When the planes arrived in London, the royals watching the spectacular display after the Trooping of the Colour included a new face - Prince Louis.

Prince William held his 13-month-old son in his arms as the toddler made his first appearance on the balcony in front of the crowds and appeared a natural.

After the flypast of RAF aircraft, the national anthem was played and Louis joined the crowds in clapping after it ended.

While his older brother and sister, Prince George and Princess Charlotte, stood nearby with their mother, the Duchess of Cambridge, he waved at the crowds enthusiastically and carried on waving as his father carried him inside.

Squadron Leader Ben Smy, the lead planner of the flypast, said before the event: "This is a complex mission for our aircrew to fly and requires our pilots to have a good handle on maths. By the time the formation reaches Buckingham Palace, each wave of aircraft will be just 30 seconds apart and flying between 1,000 and 1,200 feet high.