The Queen's Platinum Jubilee: How the UK is Celebrating (#105)

On 6th February this year Her Majesty the Queen will become the first British Monarch to celebrate a Platinum Jubilee, marking 70 years of service to the people of the United Kingdom, the Realms and the Commonwealth after being crowned in 1952 at Westminster Abbey. 

The coronation of Elizabeth II took place on 2 June 1953 at Westminster Abbey in London. Elizabeth II acceded to the throne at the age of 25 upon the death of her father, George VI, on 6 February 1952, being proclaimed queen by her privy and executive councils shortly afterwards. The coronation was held more than one year later because of the tradition of allowing an appropriate length of time to pass after a monarch dies before holding such festivals. It also gave the planning committees adequate time to prepare for the ceremony. During the service, Elizabeth took an oath, was anointed with holy oil, was invested with robes and regalia, and was crowned queen of the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Pakistan, and Ceylon (now Sri Lanka). 

Celebrations took place across the Commonwealth realms and a commemorative medal was issued. It has been the only British coronation to be fully televised; television cameras had not been allowed inside the abbey during her parents' coronation in 1937. Elizabeth's was the fourth and last British coronation of the 20th century. It was estimated to have cost £1.57 million (c. £43,427,400 in 2019).

And that’s why, although the anniversary of the Queen’s reign falls on February 6, the official celebrations always take place at the beginning of June.

Have other royals celebrated this milestone? 

Queen Elizabeth II is the first monarch in the history of the UK to reach the milestone.

Queen Victoria saw her Diamond Jubilee in June 1897, which marked 60 years on the throne. She is the UK's second longest-serving monarch. 

George III also celebrated a significant milestone by becoming the first monarch to serve 50 years. His Golden Jubilee was celebrated in 1809. 

To celebrate this unprecedented anniversary, events and initiatives will take place throughout the year, culminating in a four-day UK bank holiday weekend from Thursday 2nd to Sunday 5th June. The bank holiday will provide an opportunity for communities and people throughout the United Kingdom to come together to celebrate the historic milestone. The four days of celebrations will include public events and community activities, as well as national moments of reflection on The Queen’s 70 years of service.

In addition, initiatives including The Queen’s Green Canopy and the Platinum Pudding competition will create a lasting reminder of The Queen’s Jubilee, while The Queen’s private estates will also join in with special Jubilee themed events offering more opportunities for members of the public to celebrate the historic milestone.

How the UK is celebrating

The Platinum Pudding competition

To mark Her Majesty’s Platinum Jubilee a nationwide baking competition sets out to find a brand-new pudding dedicated to The Queen. The Big Jubilee Lunch and Fortnum & Mason are inviting applications from UK residents aged 8 and over to create the perfect Platinum Pudding recipe.

Five finalists will prepare their pudding for an expert judging panel including Dame Mary Berry, Monica Galetti and Buckingham Palace Head Chef Mark Flanagan. The winning recipe will be made available to the public and the pudding will be enjoyed at Big Jubilee Lunches during the Jubilee weekend, and by generations to come.

The Queen’s Green Canopy campaign

Members of the public are being encouraged to "Plant a Tree for the Jubilee" as part of a unique planting initiative created to mark Her Majesty’s milestone.

Individuals, villages, schools, businesses and scout groups are all among those being encouraged to play their part to enhance the environment by planting trees during the planting season between October to March ahead of the official celebrations.

Some 60,000 trees have already been planted.

Lighting of the beacons

Buckingham Palace has confirmed that the UK's long-running tradition of celebrating Royal Jubilees, weddings and coronations with the lighting of beacons will be continued to mark the Queen's Platinum Jubilee.

Beacons will also be lit in each of the capital cities of the Commonwealth countries for the first time ever to celebrate - spreading across more than 1,500 locations.

May

Simon Brooks-Ward, the event’s producer and director, has said that the celebration will be “very theatrical”, with respectfully “joyful, humorous, fun” elements alongside the reverential.

An acting troupe of “Queen’s Players” will appear, in a nod to Shakespeare, along with the Household Cavalry and King’s Troop Royal Horse Artillery, and “box office artists” in the weeks prior to the main celebrations.

Dame Helen Mirren and Stephen Fry have already helped to launch the event, dubbed A Gallop Through History, staged from May 12-15, and will raise money for charities including those supporting the NHS and key workers.

Sir Mike Rake, the chairman of the Platinum Jubilee's advisory board, said: "After 70 years on the throne and particularly poignantly after the dark and troubling times in the last 18 months, Her Majesty's leadership, steadiness and unwavering devotion during her reign deserve recognition and celebration."

He added: "In 2022, Her Majesty the Queen will have guided the nation through several decades of change, growth and advancement, like none before them, in times of triumph and also in times of trouble.

"In an age of advancement and adversary, the Queen has remained a constant, committed and courageous presence, therefore we have worthwhile and timely celebration."

June

On Thursday, June 2, the Queen will attend the Trooping the Colour. More than 1,400 parading soldiers, 1,000 dancers and musicians and 500 horses will gather at Buckingham Palace and proceed down The Mall to Horse Guard's Parade, joined by Members of the Royal family on horseback and in carriages.

The event will be closed by an RAF fly-past, which will be watched by the Queen and other royals from the Palace balcony. 

And June 3 will see a 'Service of Thanksgiving' take place at St. Paul's Cathedral. 

On June 4, the Queen and members of her family will attend the Derby at Epsom before the Platinum Party at the Palace, which will be staged and broadcast by the BBC.

Buckingham Palace are yet to name the performers but have said the live concert “will bring together some of the world’s biggest entertainment stars to celebrate the most significant and joyous moments from the Queen’s seven-decade reign”. 

Members of the public will be invited to apply to attend via a ballot for UK residents.

Finally, on June 5, people will be encouraged to arrange street parties to join the Big Jubilee Lunch, before the final event of the weekend, the Platinum Jubilee Pageant.

This will feature more than 5,000 people from across the UK and the Commonwealth, against the backdrop of Buckingham Palace and the surrounding streets, as well as a "River of Hope" - made up of 200 silk flags decorated with images of hope drawn by children - that will make its way along the Mall in central London.

It is not yet clear which events the Queen will attend herself.

Sandringham and Balmoral will also be open for visitors to enjoy the celebrations across the long weekend in June.

July

Three special displays marking significant occasions in the Queen’s reign – the Accession, the Coronation and Jubilees – will be staged at the official royal residences from July 2022.

This is set to include a range of portraits as well as the jewellery and outfits worn for each occasion, housed at Buckingham Palace, Windsor Castle and the Palace of Holyroodhouse.

Has anyone beaten this record?

Although she may be Britain’s longest reigning monarch, she is not the longest reigning monarch in the world… currently at the time of recording, she is the 4th out of all monarchs of sovereign states with verifiable reigns by exact dates. 

This is an important definition, as there is a whole list of sovereigns from through history and around the world that have reigns waaaaaaaay longer than even the number 1 on the shortlist I’m about to mention – such as Sobhuza II of Swaziland for 82 years! – but because they are of dependant or constituent states, or their exact reigning dates are unknown or unverifiable – like Pepi II Neferkare who supposedly reigned for 94 years!! - they deserve a list (and an episode) all of their own.

3rd = Prince Johan 2nd of Lichtenstein (aka Johann the Good), reigned for 70 years, 91 days. He was known for being a prominent patron of the arts and sciences during his long reign, as well as being rather unsociable and did not participate in social events. He never married or had any children, like several other members of his family.

2nd = Bhumibol Adulyadej [PRONOUNCED PUMIPON ADULYALEDEH] of Thailand (aka King Bhumibol the Great, titled Rama IX) reigned for 70 years, 126 days and only died in 2016! He has an absolutely fascinating history so check out the notes OR if you’re interested there may be a follow up episode on his life in the not too distant future!

1st = Louis XIV of France (aka Louis the Great, or the Sun King) reigned for 72 years, 110 days, whose significant achievements during his reign which would go on to have a wide influence on the Early Modern Era well into the Industrial Revolution and up to today.