She's 89 and today she became the longest ruling queen of the United Kingdom in history.
Elizabeth was characteristically modest when commenting on the event, "Inevitably a long life can pass by many milestones - my own is no exception -but I thank you all and the many others at home and overseas for your touching messages of great kindness."
I can remember the day of her coronation very well. I was a 12 year old boy living in North Dakota, about 50 miles from the Canadian border. At that location our a.m. radio could pick up stations from Regina, Saskatchewan, and Winnipeg, Manitoba.
Of course the stations were carrying the coverage of the event live from London and I listened to it all day.
By this age, I had become engrossed in the tales of Sherlock Holmes and was a budding Anglophile so the radio broadcasts were like a dream to me.
63-plus years ago now.
Congratulations, Elizabeth!
I remember watching it on black and white TV and reading about it in LIFE magazine a week later...lots of pictures as I recall.
ReplyDeleteI've seen a series of photo shoots of Queen Elizabeth with each of the American Presidents throughout her reign from Truman through Obama. Some hilarious shots!
ReplyDeleteI just heard about it half an hour ago, you are ahead of us... My mother was following everything she was doing being married on the same year. If not for her jewels she is pretty discreet...
ReplyDeleteShe had been reserved, wise, and gracious. Few monarchy's have remained as strong as the English throne and I believe credit goes to her Majesty Elizabeth Regina, especially in this age of populism in culture and politics. She is an example of class.
ReplyDeleteQueen Victoria never would have made it in the TV age with that sour puss of hers.
ReplyDeleteI was too young to remember her coronation, but I would have been as intrigued as you had I been a bit older. (I'm an unrepentant Anglophile, too.) :)
ReplyDeleteShe has made quite a record for herself! I don't remember the coronation but I do remember a trip to Canada when I saw a portrait of this young and beautiful queen and I couldn't stop talking about it to my parents. That must be when I became an anglophile.
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