Featured Photo: Photo by Raph_PH from Flickr. CC BY 2.0. Source.
Sources for post found at the bottom.
For the first ever time for a British Monarch we will be celebrating a Platinum Jubilee which will mark the 70th anniversary of Queen Elizabeth II taking the throne in 1952. The day of this has actually already past (6th February) but it won’t be officially celebrated until the Summer in June as has been traditionally done for past Jubilee’s. this Jubilee will include a four-day weekend (two bank holiday’s) and will not only be celebrated in the United Kingdom but also across the Commonwealth as well. We can expect lots of celebratory events to mark the occasion such as street parties, festivals, displays, many tributes particularly from politicians, and more, although again COVID may mean some things are drawn back. This will take place from 2nd-5th June which includes an extra bank holiday specially for the occasion as well as the usual Spring bank holiday being moved from the end of May to the start of June.
My town will be holding a 4-day long event in our park and so I look forward to seeing what is going to be going down there, and I may also get involved in helping with anything that may come up, such as through one of the social groups I am currently a part of. And also, any excuse to eat some good food.
The last Jubilee took place in 2017 and was called the Sapphire Jubilee and this was also the first ever Sapphire Jubilee of a British Monarch, celebrating 65-years on the throne. I also remember the Diamond Jubilee in 2012 as well which marked the 60th Anniversary of Queen Elizabeth IIs accession to the throne, I remember it well as I was in school at the time and we held a little street-style party at the school which included a barbeque. Queen Victoria was the only other British Monarch to make it to a Diamond Jubilee.
Other monarchs in history have also reached a Sapphire Jubilee as well, such as King Bhumibol of Thailand who made it there only around 4-months before his death and he currently remains the longest reigning monarch of the modern day, Queen Elizabeth II will surpass the length of his reign in 125 days (less than that now) where then she would be almost to the top of that particular list of monarchs behind Louis XIV of France, Queen Elizabeth II would need to rule for over 2 more years to surpass him and reach the top.
There are also other lists as well and the longest, but disputed, rule of a monarch I can find is 95 years (Minhti – King of Arakan, now part of modern-day Myanmar) – it is surely certain that Queen Elizabeth II would not be able to beat that unless she truly is immortal or just somehow manages to live to like 125 years of age – I mean it is not exactly impossible as the oldest recorded person in history managed to make it to 122 years of age (Jeanne Calment 1875-1997), so if the Queen did manage to make it not only would she be the world’s (verified) longest reigning monarch in recorded history, but would also hold the record as the world’s oldest recorded person in history. It probably won’t happen. People who ruled, or who may have ruled into the 90-year range begun on the throne as little kids, although Elizabeth was young when she acceded to the throne (25), she was not kid-young.
This of course will also be Queen Elizabeth II’s first Jubilee without her husband Prince Phillip who died last year. For the occasion we saw the news that Queen Elizabeth II wishes Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, to become Queen Consort when Prince Charles becomes King. Of course, this has caused some annoyance amongst some as many still hold social stigma against Camilla because of the whole Princess Diana thing that took place. But really, this announcement is par the course and really is not anything that we would not have expected, in fact it would have been more shocking and highly irregular if the Queen came out and said she did not want Camilla to become Queen Consort. But alas, this isn’t a TV show, it’s real life.
This was fully what we should have expected. If anyone is shocked by this then you haven’t been paying attention. Sure, there was a time when the official intention was just for her to be Princess Consort, but even then, I am still not surprised. It has probably been assessed that public backlash will not be that great and also short-lived. I myself am interested in seeing a King and Queen on the throne as that has not yet happened in my lifetime.
Queen Elizabeth II has ruled for a very long time! So much so that she has greeted and seen go 14 Prime Minister’s and their administrations, with Boris Johnson being the 15th. This has included 16 Conservative governments, one LibDem-Con Government, and 9 Labour Governments. I reckon the Queen will probably see at least a couple more Prime Minister’s before her time is at an end, unless Boris Johnson superglues himself into Downing Street, which I would not put it past him as a last resort.
But yeah, that is a lot of Prime Minister’s and governments to have had to deal with over her 70-years reign, and although the British monarch does not have as much power as they used to when it comes to their involvement in politics, they still serve a ceremonial position that includes meeting the Prime Minister, meeting other officials, signing laws passed by Parliament, and also other ceremonial duties. You have to wonder if after 70 long years it all gets rather tiresome, at least that aspect of it anyway. But then again you have leaders with power in other countries serving for many decades and they don’t seem to get tired of it, but then again, they actually have power and that can be addictive to shape themselves in history.
For the Queen it is pretty much just nodding and rubber stamping. There may sometimes perhaps be a constitutional incentive for the Queen to break with ceremony, but even then, it would still cause a crisis, and such an incentive to do so would have to be something that is a great threat to the stability/democracy/civil rights of the United Kingdom, there has been no such obvious thing yet, although people from both sides would probably argue there have been points where the Queen should have intervened against something – such as Boris Johnson’s illegal proroguing of Parliament, but then again that was simply dealt with by the legal system as intended – therefore showing the Queen did not have to break with any incentive.
Things would need to be especially grave or dire for the Queen to ever consider not just rubber stamping and nodding. A wrong move could very well mean the end of the monarchy, it is best to just follow convention and remain as neutral and ceremonial as possible in almost every circumstance – and I say almost because, well, you never know. Sometimes history likes to throw curveballs.
Anyway, enough of all that political stuff. This is just meant to be a celebration of how long Queen Elizabeth II has ruled for, reaching the next milestone of which we probably will not see reached again for a long time if ever in our lifetimes’, considering Prince Charles is old and those others next in line will be older than Queen Elizabeth II when she took the throne, most of us will probably not live to see another Sapphire or Platinum Jubilee, or even another Diamond one either.
So, when it comes to moments of history like this, I think it is important to take notice of a most-likely once in a lifetime occasion and use it also as an opportunity to get involved in your local community. It is a time to come together and make some memories which you can talk about with others in the future, such as children perhaps. There are many who choose not to care or take note of these things but I believe they are missing out by excluding themselves. Taking note of something like this does not mean you have to take sides or become political, it just a time to have fun and live in the moment.
History of the Jubilee
Jubilees originally provided a practical structure as a helpful reminder that land was left to fallow on every seventh year, it also said in the Old Testament that Jubilees took place every 7-years. Eventually belief rose that the Jubilee year was special as God would be more bountiful on such years. The Roman Catholic Church officially established Jubilee celebrations in 1300 AD and were marked as years for forgiveness of sins and for reconciliation. Today, these religious Jubilees are celebrated every 25-years with the last one taking place in the year 2000 and the next taking place in 2025.
Jubilees also eventually became a way to celebrate the long reign of monarchs. One of the first British Monarch Jubilees took place on the 50th anniversary of the rule of King George III, 25th October 1809, the celebration took place in both Great Britain and its Colonies. There was a private service at Windsor attended by the King and other members of his Royal Family, and then there was a grand fete and fireworks display at Frogmore. London’s Lord Mayor also went to St. Paul’s Cathedral for a service of thanksgiving and then held dinner at the Mansion House.
Queen Victoria’s Golden and Diamond Jubilees were significant as she was then and for a long time Britain’s longest reigning monarch until she was surpassed by the current Queen Elizabeth II. They are also well remembered due to her reign being a strongly studied and popular one. In June 1887 to begin her Golden Jubilee, Queen Victoria had a quiet breakfast under the trees at Frogmore, where her late husband, Prince Albert, was put to rest. She then travelled via train to Buckingham Palace for a royal banquet in the evening, the feast had a wide attendance, including fifty foreign Kings and Princes as well as the Heads of Britain’s Overseas Colonies and Dominions. Afterwards they went into the ballroom to listen to a band play.
The next day was larger, with Queen Victoria travelling in an open gilded landau to Westminster Abbey, being escorted by Indian cavalry along the way. The procession was a large event to witness, spectators watched from terraced benches that had been set up for the occasion, and also saw soldiers marching past as part of the procession.
On her return to Buckingham Palace, she stood upon the famous balcony meeting cheers as she did so. She then handed out Jubilee brooches to her family, attended a banquet in the evening, then received a long procession of diplomats and Indian princes, and finished off the evening with fireworks in the garden.
Her Diamond Jubilee included a procession and a short service of thanksgiving on the steps of St. Paul’s Cathedral, as by this point, she was too frail to climb the steps, and then the procession continued back to Buckingham Palace.
What will we be Seeing for the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee?
So, what will we exactly be seeing for the Platinum Jubilee? Well, as I already said – there is the 4-day weekend which I reckon almost everyone will be happy about whether they choose to care about the Jubilee or not. The Government has promised 4-days of events which the Government has said will mix the best of British ceremonial splendour and pageantry with cutting edge artistic and technological displays and that it would be a once-in-a-generation-show. A special Platinum Jubilee medal will also be given out to those working in the public service and emergency services, this tradition goes back to Queen Victoria when an official medal was designed for her 50th anniversary on the throne.
The celebrations have been organised by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport alongside the royal household, with the ministry department saying that spectacular moments in the capital and other major cities will be complemented by community events across the UK and the Commonwealth (such as the community event happening in my town that I mentioned at the beginning). So, you will perhaps want to check out the official information sources and media outlets of your local area to discover what may be happening in your area in June during the 4-day weekend, and even see if you might be able to get involved in some way, such as via volunteering if possible – opportunities! You might be even able to use some of these experiences to fill out your CV if needed, or even just to strengthen your social network, and feel proud about being involved with your community, as well as having fun.
The official Royal.uk website says that there will also be year-long celebrations as well to mark the occasion which will include various events and initiatives in the United Kingdom, Commonwealth and around the world, culminating in the 4-days of celebration in June, a time for people to come together, including public events, community activities, and national moments of reflection on the Queen’s 70-year rule.
The first day, Thursday 2nd June, will see the Queen’s birthday celebrated as well, her official birthday is usually held on the second Saturday of June but has been moved forward to fit into the Jubilee weekend. Her birthday celebration will include a parade called Trooping the Colour which will include over 1,400 parading soldiers, 200 horses, and 400 musicians. The parade starts at Buckingham Palace, will move down The Mall to Horse Guard’s Parade, will be joined by members of the Royal Family on horseback and in carriages (just like in fairytales), and it will end with a traditional RAF fly-past, which will be observed by the Queen and members of the Royal Family from the balcony of Buckingham Palace. Those who want to attend this parade in-person will need to obtain tickets.
Beacons will also be lit to celebrate the Jubilee as is traditional for Jubilees as well as for coronations and weddings. Over 1,500 such beacons will be lit across the United Kingdom, on the Channel Islands, on the Isle of Man, and on various UK Overseas Territories. Beacons will also be lit in all of the capital cities of the Commonwealth countries for the first time. A special ceremony will light the Principal Beacon at Buckingham Palace. There will also be a beacon lit on the Royal Parkland at Sandringham which will include live music from the Norwich Pipe Band and the Hunstanton Band.
Friday 3rd June will see a Service of Thanksgiving held at St. Paul’s Cathedral for the Queen’s reign.
Of course, we also have to get horse racing in there as well for Saturday 4th June, the Royal Family have a long history with the sport of horse racing, including using their own horses in such races that they have attended. The Queen, along with members of her Royal Family, will attend The Derby at Epsom Downs.
There will also be a special live concert staged and broadcasted by the BBC from Buckingham Palace called the Platinum Party at the Palace. This will include some of the world’s biggest entertainment stars, those who want to attend in-person will need to obtain tickets. This event will also be screened live at the Royal Parkland in Sandringham.
Then we move on to the final day of the Jubilee weekend, Sunday 5th June, which is when the Big Jubilee Lunch will be encouraged. The Big Lunch itself is actually a community idea that has been an annual tradition since 2009, which aims to have communities celebrate their connections and get to know each other better, coming together in fun, food and friendship. So, the Big Lunch has been incorporated specially into the Platinum Jubilee weekend to bring the Jubilee celebrations into the heart of communities. Over 1,400 people have so far registered to organise a Big Jubilee Lunch.
Another big event is the Platinum Jubilee Pageant which aims to bring together artistic performers, dancers, musicians, military personnel, key workers and volunteers to tell the story of the Queen’s 70-year reign in a festival of creativity. It will be based in London and include pomp and ceremony, street arts, theatre, music, circus, costumes, and cutting-edge technology, and will draw on talent from across the UK and Commonwealth.
A big part of this is known as the River of Hope which will include 200 silk flags that will move down The Mall, made to look like a moving river. Primary and secondary school students are invited to take part in this event tasked with creating a picture of their hopes and aspirations for the planet over the next 7-decades. A number of these creations will be chosen and put on to the silk flags, the flags will be carried by secondary school students in the Pageant.
The flag artwork will include a focus on climate change and will also include messages for the future from children. The digital artwork that is selected will be also shown on screens up and down the country.
There are also things going on that go before and beyond the 4-day celebratory weekend, including some things that have already begun.
The Platinum Pudding Competition is already underway having received its final entries on 4th February (for anyone 8-years or older) and with the first round taking place on the 7th February (the day I am typing this up, may have since past by the time this is up). This competition is set out to find a brand-new pudding dedicated to the Queen, entrants will be narrowed down to 5 finalists (with the final taking place on the week commencing 14th March) who will face an expert judging panel. The judging panel includes Dame Mary Berry (former Great British Bakeoff judge), Monica Galetti (a chef who judges on Masterchef), and Buckingham Palace’s Head Chef Mark Flanagan (so no pressure).
The pudding recipe that wins will be made available to the public at-large and will also be enjoyed at the organised Big Jubilee Lunches on the Jubilee weekend, as well as earning a spot in British culinary history.
The Platinum Jubilee Celebration will be happening from the 12th-15th May at the same arena used by the Royal Windsor Horse Show. The event includes 500 horses and 1,000 performers creating a 90-minute piece of arena theatre including actors, artists, musicians, international military displays, dancers and global equestrian displays. The piece will showcase history from Elizabeth I through to the present day.
The Jubilee year is also being used to plant celebratory trees, called The Queen’s Green Canopy. This project is already well under way with over 60,000 trees having already been planted since the beginning of the growing season two months ago. Communities are encouraged to plant a tree for the Jubilee to celebrate.
This initiative is helping to generate the planting of large celebration trees, the creation of new majestic avenues of trees, urban planting, and the creation of expansive new forests which will benefit future generations. All plantings are also being recorded on to a digital map which will be presented to the Queen at the end of the Jubilee year.
This project is also not just planting new trees but also protecting 70 ancient trees and woodlands that make up a valuable part of the UK’s heritage and history and even includes a programme to train young unemployed people tree planting and management skills. The Queen’s Green Canopy project will go beyond into March 2023.
The Royal Collection Trust will be putting up some special pieces on display to mark the Jubilee year. This will include three special displays to mark significant occasions during the Queen’s reign, covering her accession, coronation, and the Jubilees. These will be staged at the official royal residences from July 2022.
The Summer opening of the State Rooms at Buckingham Palace will also see portraits of the Queen taken by photographer Dorothy Wilding between the years of 1953-56 during the Queen’s very early reign, and also on display alongside this will be items of the Queen’s personal jewellery worn for the sittings of the portraits.
Windsor Castle will have the Coronation Dress and Robe of Estate which was worn by the Queen for her Coronation at Westminster Abbey. The palace of Holyrood house will be displaying outfits worn by the Queen to celebrate the Silver, Golden, and Diamond Jubilees.
There will also be celebrations at Sandringham and Balmoral, the Queen’s private estates, for both local residents and visitors to enjoy.
There may also be other events and activities that have not yet been announced, plus all the various things happening in local communities.
So, it can be an exciting and interesting time for those willing to take part and have fun. I guess the question on some people’s minds now – will the Queen make it to the next Jubilee? It’s certainly very possible.
Thank you for reading this post, if you have any queries please Email me, you can find my Email in the Contacts & Community section. Please also follow The Weekly Rambler on Twitter, Reddit, Pinterest and Facebook which you can access through the buttons at the bottom of this website. You can also use the social media buttons under each blogpost to share with your family, friends and associates.
You can also subscribe to Email notifications at the right-side of this website to know whenever a new post goes up (you can easily unsubscribe from this at any time through a button in each Email notification), or alternatively you can use an RSS Feed Reader.