This year the United Kingdom celebrates the Platinum Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth - as the first British monarch to mark 70 years of service to the nation.
To mark this significant occasion, Malta Post is issuing a special miniature sheet depicting the Queen and Prince Philip on their 1954 Royal visit to Malta. The image, courtesy of the National Archives of Malta, shows the royal couple being driven through Floriana flanked by flag-waving children. Arriving by sea on the royal yacht Britannia, the Queen and her family were escorted by 15 ships of the Royal Navy. Her first stop was the unveiling of a plaque at the base of the War Memorial in Floriana which records the names of 2,301 officers and men of the Commonwealth who gave their lives during WW2.
On February 6, 2022, when the Queen reached 70 years on the throne, she became the first British monarch ever to make it to a Platinum Jubilee. She had already broken the record of the longest-reigning British monarch back in September 2015 when she overtook Queen Victoria who had reigned for 63 years and 216 days.
What makes the moment particularly noteworthy is that in addition to being the first to reach 70 years of service, the Queen will almost certainly be the only British monarch ever to mark a Platinum Jubilee. A reign of such length requires not only living a long life but also coming to the throne young; she became Queen in February 1952 aged just 25 when her father died at age 56. With future monarchs looking set to consistently take over when they are older, it is almost impossible to see how any future king or queen can manage 70 years on the throne.
As we celebrate Queen Elizabeth's historic 70th year on the throne, it is the perfect time to look back at her extraordinary life in the spotlight. Over the years, she's become known for her colourful wardrobe, her pet corgis, and her profound sense of duty, standing as a symbol of both British tradition and modern ideals.
