Regina Elisabeta a II-a, șaizeci de ani de domnie

Acum șaizeci de ani, în ziua de 6 februarie 1952, urmând decesului Regelui George al VI-lea, Principesa Elisabeta a fost proclamată Regina Elisabeta a II-a a Marii Britanii și Irlandei de Nord. În zilele de 6 și 7 februarie 1952, ea a fost proclamată regină în toate celelalte regate ale Commonwealth. Textul proclamației din Marea Britanie a sunat astfel:

“Upon the intimation that our late Most Gracious Sovereign King George the Sixth had died in his sleep at Sandringham in the early hours of this morning the Lords of the Privy Council assembled this day at St. James’s Palace, and gave orders for proclaiming Her present Majesty.

WHEREAS it has pleased Almighty God to call to His Mercy our late Sovereign Lord King George the Sixth of Blessed and Glorious memory, by whose Decease the Crown is solely and rightfully come to the High and Mighty Princess Elizabeth Alexandra Mary:

WE, therefore, the Lords Spiritual and Temporal of this Realm, being here assisted with these His late Majesty’s Privy Council, with representatives of other Members of the Commonwealth, with other Principal Gentlemen of Quality, with the Lord Mayor, Aldermen, and Citizens of London, do now hereby with one voice and Consent of Tongue and Heart publish and proclaim that the High and Mighty Princess Elizabeth Alexandra Mary is now, by the death of our late Sovereign of happy memory, become Queen Elizabeth the Second, by the Grace of God Queen of this Realm and of all Her other Realms and Territories, Head of the Commonwealth, Defender of the Faith, to whom Her lieges do acknowledge all Faith and constant Obedience with hearty and humble Affection, beseeching God by whom Kings and Queens do reign, to bless the Royal Princess Elizabeth the Second with long and happy Years to reign over us.

Given at St. James’s Palace this Sixth Day of February in the year of our Lord one thousand nine hundred and fifty-two”.

Pe Youtube puteți viziona aproape șase minute de film-document, cu secvențe din memorabila zi de 7 februarie 1952, când Regina a coborât din avion, la Londra, urmată de Principele Philip. La coborâre, Majestatea Sa era salutată de Guvernul său, în frunte cu Sir Winston Churchill, prim-ministrul. Majestatea Sa avea 25 de ani.

Filmul se numește The Queen’s Accession 1952 și poate fi vizionat la adresa:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V1vYE8V9-OQ&list=PLAE2F5D6EDDF65E79&feature=plcp

După șaizeci de ani, Regina Elisabeta a II-a inaugurează șirul manifestărilor din anul Jubileului de Diamant al Domniei, printr-un mesaj adresat națiunilor cărora le este Regină:

“Today, as I mark 60 years as your Queen, I am writing to thank you for the wonderful support and encouragement that you have given to me and Prince Philip over these years and to tell you how deeply moved we have been to receive so many kind messages about the Diamond Jubilee.

In this special year, as I dedicate myself anew to your service, I hope we will all be reminded of the power of togetherness and the convening strength of family, friendship and good neighbourliness, examples of which I have been fortunate to see throughout my reign and which my family and I look forward to seeing in many forms as we travel throughout the United Kingdom and the wider Commonwealth.

I hope also that this Jubilee year will be a time to give thanks for the great advances that have been made since 1952 and to look forward to the future with clear head and warm heart as we join together in our celebrations.

I send my sincere good wishes to you all.

ELIZABETH R”.

Începând de alaltăieri, 6 februarie 2012, funcționează un site Internet dedicat Jubileului de Diamant al Domniei Reginei Elisabeta al II-a:

http://www.thediamondjubilee.org/

Manifestările publice legate de Jubileu sunt numeroase și se vor desfășura pe tot parcursul anului. Cele mai importante vor avea loc în lunile mai și iunie, la Londra și la Windsor.

Familia Regală a României va fi reprezentată la Jubileul din Marea Britanie de Majestățile Lor Regele Mihai I și Regina Ana.