Advertisement

41–gun salute marks Queen’s 65 year reign

Buckingham Palace re-released this 2014 portrait of the Queen in 2017 in celebration of her sapphire wedding anniversary. In it, she wears sapphires given to her by her father King George VI as a wedding present in 1947.

Buckingham Palace re-released this 2014 portrait of the Queen in 2017 in celebration of her sapphire wedding anniversary. In it, she wears sapphires given to her by her father King George VI as a wedding present in 1947. Photo: David Bailey via AP

Queen Elizabeth, the world’s longest-reigning living monarch, celebrated her Sapphire Jubilee as Britain commemorated 65 years since she ascended the throne.

The 90-year-old monarch, who became Britain’s longest-reigning sovereign in 2015, did not publicly mark the occasion herself, but a 41-gun royal salute was fired in a central London park to honour the landmark.

Queen sapphire jubilee gun salute

A gun salute in honour of the Queen’s jubilee. Photo: EPA/British Ministry of Defence

“Today’s Sapphire Jubilee marks yet another remarkable milestone for our remarkable queen,” Prime Minister Theresa May said on Monday.

“It is a testament to her selfless devotion to the nation that she is not marking becoming the first monarch to reign for 65 years with any special celebration, but instead getting on with the job to which she has dedicated her life.”

Elizabeth became queen aged 25 on February 6, 1952, following the death of her father George VI, the 40th monarch in a royal line that traces its origin back to Norman King William the Conqueror, who claimed the throne in 1066.

When she overtook her great-great-grandmother Queen Victoria’s record 63 years on the throne, she remarked it was not something to which she had ever aspired, and Buckingham Palace said she would spend Monday at her residence in Sandringham.

However, the queen’s office released a 2014 portrait showing her wearing a suite of sapphire jewellery she received from her father as a wedding gift in 1947.

Elizabeth has cut back on international tours but still regularly performs official duties around Britain and remains hugely popular with Britons, with an approval rating of about 80 per cent.

Advertisement
Stay informed, daily
A FREE subscription to The New Daily arrives every morning and evening.
The New Daily is a trusted source of national news and information and is provided free for all Australians. Read our editorial charter.
Copyright © 2024 The New Daily.
All rights reserved.