By John Ikani
Queen Elizabeth II will on Sunday, become the first British Monarch to reign for 70 years, heralding the start of her Platinum Jubilee year.
The sovereign’s record-breaking reign as Head of State began when she was aged 25 and watching wildlife in a remote part of Kenya with her husband, Prince Philip when her father, king George VI, died aged 56 on February 6, 1952.
However, the landmark date this weekend will see little fanfare, as the 95-year-old Monarch traditionally spends the anniversary of the death of her father in private.
As a result, no public engagements are expected on Sunday, in keeping with previous years.
But four days of festivities are planned for early June, including a military parade and a music concert, street parties, a mass attendance picnic, and a “Platinum Pudding Competition”.
Commemorative coins have been minted to mark the unprecedented milestone.
Revered in Britain, Elizabeth II is seen as the one constant in an era of rapid social and political change, a figurehead of modern Britain and a living link to its post-war and imperial past.
