Icons & Legends / Royalty
A once-in-a-generation-show". The first time that any British monarch has celebrated a platinum jubilee. At the time of this Jubilee, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II is the third-longest reigning verified sovereign monarch in history.
The Platinum Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II, marking 70 years on the throne, is being celebrated in 2022 in the Commonwealth of Nations to mark the 70th anniversary of the accession of Queen Elizabeth II on 6 February 1952. She rose to the throne in 1952 at the
age of 25 upon the death of her father King George VI. Per TIME’s Feb. 18, 1952, story on the transition of power, “as British officers, for the first time in 51 years, directed their wardroom and regimental toasts ‘to the Queen’ instead of ‘to the King,’ Britons felt in their bones that Elizabeth will be good for them.” In her honour, there will be numerous celebrations and a four-day bank holiday from June 2 to June 5.
In the United Kingdom, there was an extra bank holiday on 3 June, and the usual Spring bank holiday was moved from the end of May to 2 June, to create a four-day Jubilee bank holiday weekend from Thursday 2 June to Sunday 5 June. The British government has promised a "once-in-a-generation show" that will "mix the best of British ceremonial splendour and pageantry with cutting-edge artistic and technological displays".
Queen Elizabeth is the world’s third longest ruling monarch, at least in modern history. She is two years away from becoming the longest reigning monarch in Europe. The current record-holder for longest-reigning monarch is French King Louis XIV, who ruled as an absolute monarch for approximately 72 years from 1643-1715, beginning when he was about four years old.
“She’s become the longest-reigning monarch in British and Commonwealth history,” as Carolyn Harris, historian and author of Raising Royalty: 1000 Years of Royal Parenting, puts this milestone in context. The previous record-holder was Queen Elizabeth’s great-great grandmother Queen Victoria, who ruled for about 64 years from 1837 to 1901 and was known for being a trendsetter.
The Queen Makes Surprise Appearance as Jubilee Pageant Ends.
Queen Elizabeth II lights principal beacon as ceremonies take place across the Commonwealth.
Queen Elizabeth is the world’s third longest ruling monarch, at least in modern history. She is two years away from becoming the longest reigning monarch in Europe. The current record-holder for longest-reigning monarch is French King Louis XIV, who ruled as an absolute monarch for approximately 72 years from 1643-1715, beginning when he was about four years old. Based out of his palace in Versailles, he engaged in three wars and was a staunch patron of the arts, supporting writers like Molière during a period nicknamed “Le Grand Siècle” “the Great Century.” After Louis XIV, the next longest reigning monarch is Thailand’s King Bhumibol Adulyadej (Rama IX), who was on the throne for about 70 years from 1946 until his death in 2016.
Initiatives to commemorate the Jubilee were also announced by the governments of other Commonwealth nations and territories, including Australia, Canada, Cayman Islands, New Zealand, and Papua New Guinea.
Video Credit:
1. Paddington Bear joins the Queen for afternoon tea at Buckingham Palace. YouTube, uploaded by Guardian News. Accessed June 5, 2022.
2. Platinum Jubilee LIVE: The Queen's Birthday Parade. YouTube, uploaded by The Royal Family Channel. Accessed June 1, 2022.
3. Platinum Jubilee: How the first day with the Queen and Royal Family unfolded. YouTube, uploaded by Sky News. Accessed June 1, 2022.
4. Queen lights principal beacon as ceremonies take place across the Commonwealth | Platinum Jubilee. YouTube, uploaded by The Telegraph. Accessed June 3, 2022.
5. Queen Makes Surprise Appearance as Jubilee Pageant Ends. YouTube, uploaded by The Royal Family Channel. Accessed June 6, 2022.
Resources:
1. As Queen Elizabeth II Marks Her Platinum Jubilee, Who Is the Longest Reigning Monarch? Time100. Accessed June 1, 2022.
1. Australia Celebrates the Queen's Platinum Jubilee. www.pm.gov.au. Accessed June 1, 2022. (The Australian Jubilee events were kicked off by the new prime minister Anthony Albanese on Thursday when he lit a beacon to the Queen in the country's capital, Canberra. It is one of more than 2,000 beacons lit around the UK and Commonwealth for the Jubilee and symbolically led by the Queen, who lit the Buckingham Palace beacon.)
2. Elizabeth II. en.wikipedia.org. Accessed June 1, 2022.
3. Live Updates / Britain celebrates Queen Elizabeth II's 70 years on the throne. nbcnews. accessed June 1, 2022. (The nation holds 4 days of parades, parties and pageantry to salute its longest-serving monarch.)
4. Platinum Jubilee of Elizabeth II. en.wikipedia.org. Accessed June 1, 2022.
5. Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Central Weekend 2022. www.royal.uk. Accessed June 1, 2022
6. The Queen's Platinum Jubilee Beacons. Queen's Jubilee Beacons. Lighting up the UK and Commonwealth for the Queen’s Jubilee. Accessed June 1, 2022.
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