The starting bell for the Queen's Diamond Jubilee was unveiled today.
It was revealed by the small 442-year-old London foundry - Britain's oldest manufacturing company - chosen to make the bronze bells for both the royal occasion and the 2012 Olympics.
Staff at the Whitechapel Bell Foundry said they felt "privileged to be part of history" as they showed off the Elizabeth Bell, which will ring from a flotilla on the Thames to launch the Jubilee festivities.
The Queen's bell - one of eight, all named after members of the royal family - has been inscribed "Elizabeth II R" with the words: "The Royal Jubilee bells ring today to the glory of God."
Mould maker Andy Smith, 49, said: "The Jubilee bells will be around for hundreds of years and to be part of history is a great feeling.
"During the Jubilee procession these bells will be ringing and I'll be listening and saying, 'I made those'." Colleague Simon Parsons, 23, joined the foundry six weeks ago and the bells are among the first he has worked on.
"It's something I never thought I'd be doing," he said. "It's part of history. Elizabeth was somewhere between the fifth and tenth bells I've ever made."
The Queen's bell measures more than a yard in diameter, weighs about half a ton and needs special lifting gear.
When the set of eight has been cast, Elizabeth will be tuned to G sharp. The others so far completed are the second, William, and the seventh, Philip.
The other five - Henry, Edward, Andrew, Anne and Charles - will be cast next month before tuning and polishing.
All eight will be delivered by truck to a floating belfry that will lead the 1,000-boat flotilla from Battersea Bridge to Tower Bridge on Sunday, June 3, when they will be rung by members of the Ancient Society of College Youths.
