Queen Elizabeth II Celebrates 60th Year of Ascent to the Throne

Today June 4, Queen Elizabeth II will mark the 60th year of her reign. The British monarch will return to the historic Westminster Abbey, the scene of her coronation in 1953 for a ceremony. Around 2,000 guests are expected to join in the official 60th anniversary celebrations or Diamond Jubilee of the Queen including the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, David Cameron.

In an open letter released on Monday, Her Majesty The Queen expressed her thanks to the public for the support and encouragement that she and her husband have been bestowed through the years. She renewed her dedication to serve and added that she is looking forward to the future “with clear head and warm heart.” The letter was signed “Elizabeth R.” The letter R stands for “Regina,” Latin for “Queen.”

Diamond Jubilee celebration

A number of pageants and parties have been scheduled from June 3-5, 2013 to mark the event. In London around 1,000 boats will be sailing up the Thames – one of the highlights of this year’s festivities.

On Monday, Queen Elizabeth was honored with a 21-gun salute in Edinburgh in Scotland and a 41-gun salute in Hyde Park in London. On the same day, two new photographs of the Queen were released wherein she was wearing a necklace that Queen Victoria wore in 1897 to mark her own Diamond Jubilee.

Six decades on the throne

Queen Elizabeth II is now the oldest British monarch. The reign of Queen Elizabeth II is yet to usurp the record set by her great-great-grandmother, Queen Victoria who served as monarch for 63 years and seven months. Her Majesty The Queen is not just the reigning monarch of the United Kingdom. She is also the Head of State of Australia, Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, The Bahamas, Belize, Canada, Jamaica, Grenada, New Zealand, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, St. Christopher and Nevis, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, countries of the Commonwealth realms.

Successor to King George VI

Queen Elizabeth was crowned when Prime Minister Winston Churchill was in office. Elizabeth, then 27 years old was summoned back to London while traveling in Kenya when her father, King George VI died of complications from a lung operation. She was met at the airport by PM Churchill himself. Her formal installation to the throne was the 38th coronation at Westminster Abbey and the first coronation to be televised worldwide.

Health issues

The Queen is now 87 years old while her husband, Prince Phillip is 91 years old. This year, during the opening of the British Parliament in May, the Queen was accompanied by her eldest son and Heir Apparent to the throne HRH Charles, Prince of Wales. She read the legislative program, one of her official functions. Observers are saying that the presence of the Prince of Wales could mean that toll of office could already be bearing down on the Queen. Earlier this year, she needed to cancel a number of engagements due to gastroenteritis. This Monday, Prince Phillip was unable to attend a gala at St. James Palace for the Diamond Jubilee because according to Buckingham Palace, he was “unwell.” But they confirmed his attendance on the service at Westminster Abbey.

Photo Credit: Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip in 1953