The Queen: Happy Accession Day.
The Queen has marked the 60th anniversary of her accession to the British throne by rededicating herself to the public. In an Accession Day message, the 85-year-old monarch expressed thanks for statements of support for her Diamond Jubilee year and said: “In this special year, as I dedicate myself anew to your service, I hope that we will all be reminded of the power of togetherness and the convening strength of family friendship and good neighbourliness.”
Let’s hope Prince Charles wasn’t holding out hope of taking the throne any time soon: as Rebecca English wrote in The Daily Mail, the Queen’s message “makes clear that thoughts of retirement are far from her mind” and puts paid to rumours she has been considering abdicating in favour of her eldest son.
Princess Elizabeth became Queen Elizabeth II while on tour in Kenya on 6 February 1952, after her father, King George VI, died suddenly of a heart attack. The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee year is due to be marked by a series of events, including a riverboat pageant on the Thames and a concert at Buckingham Palace during a four-day bank holiday weekend in June.
Queen goes public. The Queen usually spends Accession Day privately, pointed out the BBC, as the date marks the anniversary of the death of her father. For the Diamond Jubilee year, the monarch will mark the date with two engagements in Norfolk – although these will still be relatively low-key: “A significant moment will pass in a deliberately low-key manner with a visit to a town hall and a primary school in Norfolk,” said the BBC’s Peter Hunt.
UK Prime Minister David Cameron described the Queen as “always dedicated, always resolute and always respected, she is a source of wisdom and continuity”, reported The Telegraph.
Souvenirs. Predictably, the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee will be accompanied by a whole host of memorabilia. On the classier (not to mention less expensive) end of the scale, Royal Mail has issued six new stamps to mark the occasion, reported The Daily Express: “These include a new first class diamond blue stamp which replaces the standard gold stamp over the year.” But for those who would like to make more of a statement, why not consider a Diamond Jubilee baseball cap?
The official Diamond Jubilee website has launched, with information on events and a link to send a congratulatory message to Queen Elizabeth II.
Not everyone is celebrating. “The Queen’s diamond jubilee celebrations could damage economic growth in the UK this year, economists have warned,” reported Sky News. According to Sky, the bank holiday could reduce Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by 0.5 percent as workplaces empty, although this will be partially offset by revenue from tourism. And republicans aren’t exactly jumping up and down either: The Guardian reported that anti-monarchy group Republic has urged restraint from schools and media outlets over the Diamond Jubilee.
