Diamond Jubilee: Queen Elizabeth II Celebrates her 60-year Reign
February 6, 2012 marks the Diamond Jubilee for the Queen of the British throne. Queen Elizabeth II is the first monarch to rule for 60 consecutive years since her great-great-grandmother, Queen Victoria, celebrated her Diamond Jubilee in 1897.
The Sovereign of the British monarchy may no longer have a political or executive role, but he/she serves as the figure for national identity. A king or queen serves as Head of State — and they are continually recognized for giving “a sense of stability and continuity.” This recognition, along with all that an 85-year-old Queen continues to accomplish, is reason to be in good spirits.
Although the Queen’s 60-year celebration has not received nearly the amount of media attention and worldwide recognition as the royal wedding in 2011, Elizabeth’s festivities are on their way.
In June 2012, the country plans to have a four-day celebration, declaring it a UK bank holiday. According to BBC News, the Queen will be traveling across the UK to visit as many cities as possible. She will also be sending other members of the Royal Family to represent her in 15 other countries where she is considered head of state. In the Queen’s message at the ceremony of her Diamond Jubilee, she thanks all who have supported her and Prince Philip over the years. The Queen goes on to express the teamwork and friendship that those in the wider Commonwealth possess:
“In this special year, as I dedicate myself anew to your service, I hope we will all be reminded of the power of togetherness and the convening strength of family, friendship and good neighborliness, examples of which I have been fortunate to see throughout my reign and which my family and I look forward to seeing in many forms, as we travel throughout the United Kingdom and the wider Commonwealth.” – Queen Elizabeth
After traveling with the Duke of Edinburgh throughout England, the Queen will have a “specially-designed royal barge down the River Thames,” according to BBC News. This will commence the four-day holiday in June. You can visit the website for a full list of events leading up to this event.
While the Royal Family doesn’t have plans to visit the United States during their across-country excursions, the events of the Queen’s Jubilee will be broadcast and celebrated across the globe. For the next several months, people from all over the world will recognize and celebrate Queen Elizabeth II’s on-going role as a symbolic and respected world-leader.
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