The Sapphire Jubilee of Elizabeth II on 6 February 2017, marked 65 years of Queen

Elizabeth II Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary; 21 April 1926 – 8 September 2022) was Queen of the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth realms from 6 February 1952 until her death in 2022. She was queen regnant of 32 sovereign states during ...

's reign. The longest-reigning monarch in British history, Elizabeth II was the first British monarch to have a

sapphire jubilee In 2017, the term sapphire jubilee or blue sapphire jubilee was coined for the celebrations to mark the 65th anniversary of the reign of Queen Elizabeth II (see Sapphire Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II). Previously, the sapphire wedding anniversary w ...

. Unlike her

Silver Silver is a chemical element with the symbol Ag (from the Latin ', derived from the Proto-Indo-European ''h₂erǵ'': "shiny" or "white") and atomic number 47. A soft, white, lustrous transition metal, it exhibits the highest electrical ...

Golden Golden means made of, or relating to gold. Golden may also refer to: Places United Kingdom *Golden, in the parish of Probus, Cornwall * Golden Cap, Dorset *Golden Square, Soho, London *Golden Valley, a valley on the River Frome in Gloucestershi ...

and

Diamond Diamond is a solid form of the element carbon with its atoms arranged in a crystal structure called diamond cubic. Another solid form of carbon known as graphite is the chemically stable form of carbon at room temperature and pressure, ...

Jubilees, there were no widespread public celebrations of the Queen's Sapphire Jubilee. Instead, like the February 1992 Ruby Jubilee, the Queen did not undertake any official engagements. As then, she spent the day in "quiet reflection" on the anniversary of the death of her father,

George VI George VI (Albert Frederick Arthur George; 14 December 1895 – 6 February 1952) was King of the United Kingdom and the Dominions of the British Commonwealth from 11 December 1936 until his death in 1952. He was also the last Emperor of I ...

, and undertaking official work at

Sandringham House Sandringham House is a country house in the parish of Sandringham, Norfolk, England. It is one of the royal residences of Charles III, whose grandfather, George VI, and great-grandfather, George V, both died there. The house stands in a estat ...

. She attended a service at St Peter and St Paul Church in West Newton, Norfolk on Sunday 5 February, where she was greeted by crowds of well-wishers. Larger-scale celebrations took place in June 2016, to mark the Queen's 90th birthday, and any extensive celebrations were reserved for a possible

Platinum Jubilee A platinum jubilee is a celebration held to mark an anniversary. Among monarchies, it usually refers to a 70th anniversary. The most recent monarch to celebrate a platinum jubilee is Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom and the other C ...

in 2022. Despite proposals for larger celebrations to mark the 65th anniversary of the Queen's accession in June 2017, including a mooted bank holiday, no such celebrations were held.

Commemoration

The Secretary-General of the Commonwealth, The Baroness Scotland of Asthal, congratulated the Queen for reaching the Sapphire Jubilee as

Head of the Commonwealth The head of the Commonwealth is the ceremonial leader who symbolises "the free association of independent member nations" of the Commonwealth of Nations, an intergovernmental organisation that currently comprises 56 sovereign states. There is ...

and said that she has "been an inspirational monarch. It's clear how much she values the Commonwealth, how dear the Commonwealth family is to her heart, and in return how much the people of our 52 member states value and love her. ... Her wisdom, advice and wonderful support have been invaluable to me since I was elected to office in April 2016".

Australia

On 8 February, in the House of Representatives, Prime Minister

Malcolm Turnbull Malcolm Bligh Turnbull (born 24 October 1954) is an Australian former politician and businessman who served as the 29th prime minister of Australia from 2015 to 2018. He held office as leader of the Liberal Party of Australia. Turnbull grad ...

delivered a statement in which he congratulated the Queen on her Sapphire Jubilee, and said "She is so revered and respected here that few of us can say that we are not Elizabethans". The Leader of the Opposition,

Bill Shorten William Richard Shorten (born 12 May 1967) is an Australian politician currently serving as Minister for Government Services and Minister for the National Disability Insurance Scheme since 2022. He previously served as leader of the opposition ...

, said "Even staunch republicans cannot help but admire the dedication to public duty that the Queen has shown, the life of service that she has led". In the Senate, a motion was introduced by the Senator for Western Australia,

Dean Smith Dean Edwards Smith (February 28, 1931 – February 7, 2015) was an American men's college basketball head coach. Called a "coaching legend" by the Basketball Hall of Fame, he coached for 36 years at the University of North Carolina at Chapel H ...

, in which the Senate extended to the Queen "its continuing appreciation for the gracious manner in which she continues to fulfil her duties as Queen of Australia".

Canada

On Accession Day,

Justin Trudeau Justin Pierre James Trudeau ( , ; born December 25, 1971) is a Canadian politician who is the 23rd and current prime minister of Canada. He has served as the prime minister of Canada since 2015 and as the leader of the Liberal Party since 2 ...

, the

Prime Minister of Canada The prime minister of Canada (french: premier ministre du Canada, link=no) is the head of government of Canada. Under the Westminster system, the prime minister governs with the confidence of a majority the elected House of Commons; as su ...

, congratulated the Queen in a tweet: The

Governor General of Canada The governor general of Canada (french: gouverneure générale du Canada) is the federal viceregal representative of the . The is head of state of Canada and the 14 other Commonwealth realms, but resides in oldest and most populous realm, ...

David Johnston David Lloyd Johnston (born June 28, 1941) is a Canadian academic, author, and statesman who served from 2010 to 2017 as Governor General of Canada, the 28th since Canadian Confederation. He is the commissioner of the Leaders' Debates Commis ...

, congratulated the Queen on her Sapphire Jubilee, and said "This impressive milestone, the first for any sovereign in our history, provides us with an opportunity to express our deepest gratitude for everything Her Majesty has done for the Canadian Crown". In the House of Commons of Canada,

Randy Boissonnault Randy Paul Andrew Boissonnault (born July 14, 1970) is a Canadian politician who has served as Minister of Tourism and Associate Minister of Finance since October 26, 2021. A member of the Liberal Party, he represents the riding of Edmonton C ...

, the member for

Edmonton Centre Edmonton Centre (french: Edmonton-Centre) is a federal electoral district in Alberta, Canada, that has been represented in the House of Commons of Canada from 1968 to 1979 and since 2004. Geography The riding is anchored in the heart of Down ...

, said, "As we reflect on our history throughout Canada's 150th birthday, we also mark and honour the story of our amazing monarch. God save the Queen". During the year, a grove of 65 maple trees was planted in Rockcliffe Park in Ottawa, to mark the Queen's Sapphire Jubilee. On Canada Day, the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall inaugurated Rideau Hall's new doors, as "The Queen's Entrance", in celebration of the Queen's Sapphire Jubilee. Activities were hosted by Lieutenant Governors across the provinces, during the Jubilee year.

The Sapphire Jubilee Snowflake Brooch

At a celebration of Canada's

sesquicentennial An anniversary is the date on which an event took place or an institution was founded in a previous year, and may also refer to the commemoration or celebration of that event. The word was first used for Catholic feasts to commemorate saint ...

Canada House Canada House (french: Maison du Canada) is a Greek Revival building on Trafalgar Square in London. It has been a Grade II* Listed Building since 1970. It has served as the offices of the High Commission of Canada in the United Kingdom since 192 ...

on 19 July 2017, the

presented the Sapphire Jubilee Snowflake Brooch to the Queen as a gift from the Government of Canada to celebrate the Queen's Sapphire Jubilee and to commemorate

Canada 150 The 150th anniversary of Canada, also known as the 150th anniversary of Confederation and promoted by the Canadian government as Canada 150, occurred in 2017 as Canada marked the sesquicentennial of Canadian Confederation. Planning Major pl ...

. David Johnston presented the Queen with the brooch moments before she and the Duke of Edinburgh unveiled a new Jubilee Walkway panel outside Canada House. The brooch was designed as a companion to the Diamond Maple Leaf brooch. The piece was made by Hillberg and Berk of Saskatchewan and consists of

sapphire Sapphire is a precious gemstone, a variety of the mineral corundum, consisting of aluminium oxide () with trace amounts of elements such as iron, titanium, chromium, vanadium, or magnesium. The name sapphire is derived via the Latin "sa ...

s from a cache found in 2002 on Baffin Island by brothers Seemeega and Nowdluk Aqpik.

New Zealand

A motion was introduced in the

Parliament of New Zealand The New Zealand Parliament ( mi, Pāremata Aotearoa) is the unicameral legislature of New Zealand, consisting of the King of New Zealand (King-in-Parliament) and the New Zealand House of Representatives. The King is usually represented by hi ...

, by

Winston Peters Winston Raymond Peters (born 11 April 1945) is a New Zealand politician serving as the leader of New Zealand First since its foundation in 1993. Peters served as the 13th deputy prime minister of New Zealand from 1996 to 1998 and 2017 to 2020, ...

, Leader of New Zealand First, in respect of the Sapphire Jubilee of the Queen and was passed by the House. In the motion, the House congratulated the Queen of New Zealand on becoming the first monarch of New Zealand to reach a sapphire jubilee, marking 65 years on the throne.

United Kingdom

The Sapphire Jubilee featured blue stamps from the Royal Mail, commemorative coins from the Royal Mint, including one worth £50,000, and a reissue of an official 2014 portrait of Queen Elizabeth II by David Bailey. In this official portrait, the Queen wears sapphire jewellery which she received as a wedding present from her father. The Jubilee also involved the ringing of the bells in

Westminster Abbey Westminster Abbey, formally titled the Collegiate Church of Saint Peter at Westminster, is an historic, mainly Gothic church in the City of Westminster, London, England, just to the west of the Palace of Westminster. It is one of the Unite ...

, a 41-

gun salute A gun salute or cannon salute is the use of a piece of artillery to fire shots, often 21 in number (''21-gun salute''), with the aim of marking an honor or celebrating a joyful event. It is a tradition in many countries around the world. Histo ...

by the

King's Troop, Royal Horse Artillery The King's Troop, Royal Horse Artillery, is a ceremonial unit of the British Army, quartered at Woolwich. It is a mounted unit and all of its soldiers are trained to care for and drive teams of six horses, each team pulling a First World War-er ...

Green Park Green Park, officially The Green Park, is one of the Royal Parks of London. It is in the southern part – the core part – of the City of Westminster, Central London, but before that zone was extended to the north, to take in Marylebo ...

, a 62-gun salute by the

Honourable Artillery Company The Honourable Artillery Company (HAC) is a reserve regiment in the British Army. Incorporated by royal charter in 1537 by King Henry VIII, it is the oldest regiment in the British Army and is considered the second-oldest military unit in the w ...

at the

Tower of London The Tower of London, officially His Majesty's Royal Palace and Fortress of the Tower of London, is a historic castle on the north bank of the River Thames in central London. It lies within the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, which is sep ...

and gun salutes in several other places around the United Kingdom.

Theresa May Theresa Mary May, Lady May (; née Brasier; born 1 October 1956) is a British politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and Leader of the Conservative Party from 2016 to 2019. She previously served in David Cameron's cabi ...

, the

Prime Minister of the United Kingdom The prime minister of the United Kingdom is the head of government of the United Kingdom. The prime minister advises the sovereign on the exercise of much of the royal prerogative, chairs the Cabinet and selects its ministers. As modern ...

, congratulated the Queen, saying in part that the occasion was "another remarkable milestone for our remarkable Queen. ... I know the nation will join with me today in celebrating and giving thanks for the lifetime of service Her Majesty the Queen has given to our country and to the Commonwealth. ... She has truly been an inspiration to all of us and I am proud, on behalf of the nation, to offer our humble thanks and congratulations on celebrating this Sapphire Jubilee".

Other tributes

Sapphire Jubilee Community Centre plaque

In September 2017, a new

community centre Community centres, community centers, or community halls are public locations where members of a community tend to gather for group activities, social support, public information, and other purposes. They may sometimes be open for the whole co ...

Collier Row Collier Row is an area of Romford in East London, England, within the London Borough of Havering. It is a suburban development north of Romford town centre, around north-east of Charing Cross. The area is based on a large housing estate built ...

Romford Romford is a large town in east London and the administrative centre of the London Borough of Havering. It is located northeast of Charing Cross and is one of the major metropolitan centres identified in the London Plan. Historically, Romfo ...

, was named the Sapphire Jubilee Community Centre in the Queen's honour. To mark the Queen's Sapphire Jubilee,

Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council Welwyn is a village and civil parish in Hertfordshire, England. The parish also includes the villages of Digswell and Oaklands. It is sometimes referred to as Old Welwyn or Welwyn Village, to distinguish it from the much newer and larger se ...

instituted "The Queen's Sapphire Jubilee Awards", which are awarded to young people aged between 7 and 20 years, to support them to get started, improve and excel in sport, art, dance or drama. The awards are presented to successful candidates at the Annual Council. Penhaligon's released a limited edition version of their Lily of the Valley perfume, to commemorate the Queen's Sapphire Jubilee. Only 65 crystal bottles were produced – one to mark each year since the Queen's accession to the throne in 1952 and the bows on every single bottle were embroidered with a number. It was announced that a percentage of the profits from this product would go towards the

Queen Elizabeth Scholarship Trust The Queen Elizabeth Scholarship Trust (affectionately known as QEST) is an art and Craft (disambiguation), craft educational Charitable trust, trust created to sustain traditional British craftsmanship. It is a British institution committed to helpi ...

. The British Pobjoy Mint released special Titanium coins featuring the Royal coat of arms to mark the Queen's Sapphire Jubilee. The obverse features a portrait of Queen Elizabeth II. Titanium reacts differently with every strike, making each coin unique in terms of colour. The coins also feature a lined effect due to its composition. The Sapphire Ice & Leisure Centre at

, England, named to honour the Sapphire Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II, opened to the public on 3 February 2018. The building is five storeys high and includes an eight-lane pool for competitions and a 56m by 26m ice rink, and is home for the ice hockey team, the

London Raiders The Raiders are an ice hockey team based in Romford, participating in the National Division of the National Ice Hockey League (NIHL), the second tier of British ice hockey. They were known as the Romford Raiders when they were based at the Ro ...

. From an external viewpoint, the combination of the building's rectangular shape and its lightweight facade were used to mimic the appearance of an ice cube. In 2018, the House of Garrard unveiled a 118.88ct royal blue Burmese sapphire presented in a brooch that features a signature cluster setting. The jewel was named in honour of the 65th anniversary of Queen Elizabeth II's coronation, a date traditionally marked by the gift of a sapphire, and pays tribute to the House's role in remodelling the

Imperial State Crown The Imperial State Crown is one of the Crown Jewels of the United Kingdom and symbolises the sovereignty of the monarch. It has existed in various forms since the 15th century. The current version was made in 1937 and is worn by the monarc ...

for the occasion.

Guernsey

In Guernsey, commemorative coins were issued to mark the Queen's Sapphire Jubilee.

References

External links

Sapphire Jubilee
at the website of The Governor General of Canada {{authority control Elizabeth II British Royal jubilees 2017 in the United Kingdom February 2017 events in the United Kingdom