The Platinum Jubilee of Elizabeth II is being celebrated in 2022 in the Commonwealth to mark the 70th anniversary of the accession of Queen Elizabeth II on 6 February 1952.[1][2] The celebration plans were formally unveiled in full by Buckingham Palace on 10 January 2022.[3]
In the United Kingdom, there will be an extra bank holiday, and the usual Spring bank holiday will be moved from the end of May to the start of June, to create a four-day Jubilee bank holiday weekend from Thursday 2 June to Sunday 5 June.[4] The British government has promised a "once-in-a-generation show" that will "mix the best of British ceremonial splendour and pageantry with cutting-edge artistic and technological displays".[5] This is the first time that any British monarch has celebrated a platinum jubilee.[6]
Initiatives to commemorate the Platinum Jubilee were also announced by the governments of other Commonwealth nations and territories, including Australia, Canada, Cayman Islands, New Zealand, and Papua New Guinea.
The Queen's Accession Day 2022
As I look ahead with a sense of hope and optimism to the year of my Platinum Jubilee, I am reminded of how much we can be thankful for. These last seven decades have seen extraordinary progress socially, technologically and culturally that have benefitted us all; and I am confident that the future will offer similar opportunities to us and especially to the younger generations in the United Kingdom and throughout the Commonwealth.
Queen Elizabeth II, 2022[7]
In her Accession Day message, the Queen said that she hoped the Platinum Jubilee would bring together families and friends, neighbours and communities. She said that the Jubilee "affords me a time to reflect on the goodwill shown to me by people of all nationalities, faiths and ages in this country and around the world over these years". She thanked everyone for their support, loyalty and affection, and signed the message "Your Servant".[7][8]
Picture and footage of the Queen working from her red boxes at Sandringham House were released to mark Accession Day.[9][10] The Prince of Wales released a statement in which he said that the Queen's devotion to the welfare of all her people inspired still greater admiration with each passing year.[11]
Tributes and messages of congratulations came from leaders all over the world, including US President Joe Biden, Chinese President Xi Jinping, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden, King Harald V of Norway, King Vajiralongkorn of Thailand, UAE President Sheikh Khalifa, and Israeli President Isaac Herzog.[12]
Celebrations throughout the Commonwealth
For the first time, Jubilee Beacons will be lit in every capital city of each Commonwealth country.[13]
The Queen's Baton for the 2022 Commonwealth Games features a platinum strand along its length.[14]
The Royal Mint and the Royal Canadian Mint partnered to create a two-coin set, with each mint designing a coin for the set.[15] The silver coin designed by the Royal Mint has an equestrian portrait of the Queen on the reverse and a royal mantle on the obverse. The silver coin designed from the Royal Canadian Mint has a reverse design that depicts the Queen in 1952, while the obverse has the effigy of the Queen used on Canadian coins since 2003.[16]
Members of the Royal Family will undertake a series of royal tours of Commonwealth countries.[17]
The Commonwealth Day Service at Westminster Abbey on 14 March reflected the Jubilee with a special focus on the role that service plays in the lives of people and communities across the Commonwealth.[18]
Antigua and Barbuda
The Earl and Countess of Wessex visited Antigua and Barbuda in April.[19] Ahead of the visit, the Antigua and Barbuda Reparations Support Commission penned an open letter criticising the royal family's past comments on slavery.[20] During their visit on 25 April, the couple interacted with local craftspeople, creatives and community groups, and visited Sir Vivian Richards Stadium and the National Sailing Academy.[21] At Government House, they presented three Platinum Jubilee medals to three people to recognise their service to national security.[22] During their meeting with Prime Minister Gaston Browne and his cabinet, Browne stated that the country would continue to have the Queen as head of state but said he aspires "at some point to become a republic".[23] He also asked the couple to use their "diplomatic influence" to get "reparatory justice" for Antigua and Barbuda.[23]
Australia
Queen Elizabeth II is the first Australian monarch to celebrate a platinum jubilee.[24] A range of national and community events will be held in Australia.[25] "We plan to hold a range of events to coincide with key dates throughout 2022, to show our respect and appreciation for seven decades of service", Prime Minister Scott Morrison said.[25]
Commemorative stamps and coins were released in Australia. Monuments around the country will also be illuminated, and the lighting of the Queen's Platinum Jubilee Beacon will take place in Canberra.[25] The Australian Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment has also launched a tree planting initiative. The Australian Government will provide up to A$15.1 million of grant funding in 2022 to eligible groups and organisations for community-based tree planting events.[26][27]
Australians will be able to submit a personal message to the Queen.[25] Events, activities, and celebrations in Australia will be announced throughout the year.[25]
Emblem
The Australian Platinum Jubilee Emblem
The Australian Platinum Jubilee Emblem was unveiled by the Australian Government in March 2022. The emblem can be used for official and recognised events in Australia to celebrate the Jubilee.[28][29]
The design is a stylised representation of the Queen's Wattle Spray Brooch, which was gifted to the Queen during her first visit to Australia in 1954. The emblem contains three colours – platinum, gold and purple. The platinum colour represents the Queen's 70 years on the throne, and the purple colour symbolises royalty. The gold is drawn from the golden wattle, Australia's national floral emblem. The font used is Perpetua, that means 'forever' which acknowledges that the Queen is Australia's "first platinum" monarch.[28][29]
Accession Day events
On 6 February, buildings, vice-regal residences, and monuments throughout Australia were lit in royal purple to mark the anniversary of the accession, and the start of the Jubilee year.[30] Statements were released by Morrison and Governor-General David Hurley.[31][32] Tributes were also paid by the governors of the Australian states.[33][34][35]
To mark the start of the Platinum Jubilee year, buildings across Australia were lit in royal purple.
Left to right: the High Court of Australia, the John Gorton Building, the National Library of Australia, and the National Portrait Gallery.
On 6 February 2022, Accession Day services were held in churches across Australia. In Canberra, a Festal Evensong was held at St Paul's Church, Manuka, which was attended by the governor-general of Australia.[36][37] In Victoria, a service was held at St Paul's Cathedral, Melbourne, which was attended by the governor of Victoria.[38][39] In St Kilda, Victoria, a Choral Evensong to celebrate the Jubilee, was held at All Saints Anglican Church, which featured music from the Queen's coronation.[40] Services were also held in St Bridgid's Catholic Church, Cowwarr, and St John's Church, East Malvern.[41] In New South Wales, a Choral Eucharist was held at St James' Church, Sydney, which was attended by the governor of New South Wales.[42][43] Services were also held in St Paul's Anglican Church, Burwood, and Christ Church St Laurence.[41] St Andrew's Cathedral marked the Jubilee through prayers and hymns at all services.[44] In Western Australia, a Choral Evensong was held at St George's Cathedral, Perth.[45] The governor of Western Australia attended and paid tribute to the Queen in his address.[46][47] In South Australia, a service was held at St Paul's Anglican Church, Port Adelaide.[41] A Choral Eucharist was held at St Peter's Cathedral, Adelaide, and was attended by the governor and the premier of South Australia.[48][49] In Queensland, a Choral Evensong was held at St John's Cathedral, Brisbane.[50] In Tasmania, a service was held at St David's Cathedral, Hobart. It was attended by the governor of Tasmania.[51]
Events leading up to June
On 3 February, the governor of Victoria hosted a reception at Government House, Melbourne to mark the Jubilee. Those in attendance included representatives from Victorian organisations to which the Queen and other members of the Royal family have a connection.[39] On 5 February, the governor of New South Wales hosted a tree planting and garden reception to commemorate the Jubilee, at Government House, Sydney. The governor planted a red oak to mark the Jubilee.[52]
From 5 February to 27 February, Parliament House hosted guided tours, titled Platinum Jubilee in portrait. These featured artistic representations of the Queen from the Parliament House art collection, including Sir William Dargie's Wattle Queen, the statue of the Queen in the Queen's Terrace Café, and depictions of the State Opening of Parliament in 1954 and 1974 and the opening of Parliament House in 1988.[53]
On 7 February, the Governor of Tasmania hosted a reception for the Royal Over-Seas League and other Commonwealth societies, to celebrate the Jubilee.[54]
The Crown is above politics, and she has upheld that throughout her reign. A unifying force that highlights good causes and brings people together. And in the moments of trial and testing times that she has known over her life, both personally and as Monarch and Sovereign, she speaks for us all and to us all.
Scott Morrison, Prime Minister of Australia, 2022[55]
On 8 February, a motion introduced by Morrison was passed by the Australian House of Representatives, in which the House offered their "warmest congratulations" to the Queen on her Platinum Jubilee. In the speech, Morrison said, "Her Majesty has been the reigning sovereign for 15 Australian Prime Ministers, 16 Governors-General, 14 British Prime Ministers, around 170 Commonwealth Prime Ministers, and also seven James Bonds – one of whom Her Majesty worked with very closely". The Leader of the Opposition, Anthony Albanese, also offered his congratulations, and said "She is a Queen who has let her humanity show, she has been with us in times of hardship even as she has endured her own".[55][56]
On 13 March, Government House, Brisbane hosted an open day as part of the Jubilee celebrations, allowing the public to tour parts of the building and the gardens of the Fernberg estate.[57]
On 14 March, Commonwealth Day, Governor-General Hurley said, "Across her remarkable reign Her Majesty has led and shaped the Commonwealth. She has kept alive its history while very much moving with the times. She has been a symbol of stability and a driving force of change".[58]
The Royal Queensland Show and the Queensland Government offered a special class in the "Ekka" Cake Decorating competition to commemorate the Jubilee.[59]
A proposal for the government of Queensland to commission a new statue of the Queen was submitted by Jarrod Bleijie, an MP of the parliament of Queensland.[60][61]
Jubilee memorabilia
Australia Post, the Perth Mint and the Royal Australian Mint released commemorative memorabilia.[62]
On 5 April 2022, two commemorative stamps were released by Australia Post: a $1.10 stamp featuring an image of the Queen from 1952 by Dorothy Wilding, and a $3.50 stamp which displays a 2019 photograph of the Queen. A range of collectables accompanied the stamp release.[63]
The Perth Mint released three celebratory coins on 5 April 2022. The coins – two gold, and one silver – feature the shield of the royal coat of arms alongside the floral emblems of England, Ireland, Scotland and Australia on one side; and the Queen's first (1953) and current (2019) coin effigies on the other.[64]
The Royal Australian Mint will release a commemorative 50c coin from 5 May 2022. The coin depicts intertwining golden wattle branches, the national floral emblem of Australia; and the lily of the valley flowers, the Queen's favourite flower. The centre of the coin includes the Queen's royal cypher. Inspired by the 1977 Australian Silver Jubilee 50c coin, the Platinum Jubilee coin also features a fan of 70 crowns set behind a central St Edward's Crown.[65]
Royal tour
The Princess Royal, accompanied by her husband Vice Admiral Sir Timothy Laurence, toured Australia from 9 to 11 April.[66] On the first day of her visit, she opened the 200th Sydney Royal Easter Show, which she first opened with her parents and brother Charles in 1970. She had last attended the event in 1988.[66] She had an engagement as patron of the Royal Agricultural Society of the Commonwealth, before attending a dinner at the Sydney Olympic Park.[66] The couple also met with representatives of the New South Wales Rural Fire Service, the Royal Australian Corps of Signals and Royal Australian Corps of Transport.[66]
Commemorations from June
From 2 to 5 June 2022, buildings and monuments throughout Australia will be illuminated in royal purple.[67]
On 2 June, the Blue Mountains Pipe Band will play the tune Diu Regnare, which has been especially written for the Jubilee, in the Blue Mountains.[68] On the same day, the Queen's Platinum Jubilee Beacon will be lit in Canberra, which will coincide with other beacon lightings throughout the Commonwealth.[69]
From 2 June to 31 December 2022, the National Capital Exhibition will present an exhibition, titled The Queen and Me, celebrating the Queen's 14 visits to Canberra during her 70-year reign. It will feature family photographs, and mementos of the day, and personal stories of what their interactions with the Queen has meant to the people of Canberra.[70]
Aspen Island will be renamed Queen Elizabeth II Island in June 2022
On 4 June 2022, Aspen Island in Canberra's Lake Burley Griffin, an island lying within the Parliamentary Triangle and which features the National Carillon, will be renamed Queen Elizabeth II Island during a special event.[71] "Given the National Carillon was officially opened by Her Majesty in 1970, it is only fitting that Aspen Island should be renamed in recognition of her many years of service to Australia", said Morrison.[72] The ceremony will also include dedicating the new Queen Elizabeth Water Gardens, which will transform the nearby foreshore as well as improve water quality.[25][73]
From 4 June to 13 June 2022, the Australian Parliament House will host special tours featuring representations of the Queen in the Parliament House art collection, such as Sir William Dargie's Wattle Queen and John Dowie's bronze statue of Queen Elizabeth II on Queen's Terrace.[74]
On 5 June, a Service of Thanksgiving for the Jubilee will take place at St John's Anglican Cathedral, Brisbane. The event will be attended by the governor of Queensland.[75]
To mark the Jubilee, Government House, Adelaide, will be open on 5 June for visitors to view public rooms, and see the workings of the House and view the statue of the Queen.[76]
From 10 June to 30 December 2022, the Australian Racing Museum will present an online exhibition featuring collection of objects, photographs and records held in the Museum Collection to commemorate the Queen's Platinum Jubilee. The Queen is the patron of the Australian Racing Museum.[77]
On 18 June, the Blackstone-Ipswich Cambrian Choir will host a concert at St Paul's Anglican Church, Ipswich, to celebrate the Queen's Jubilee. The event will feature music from the Queen's Coronation in 1953, and works with long royal associations, such as Handel's Zadok the Priest and Parry's I was glad.[78]
On 6 August 2022, St John's Cathedral, Brisbane, will host The Queen's Platinum Jubilee Concert, and its proceeds will be donated to Australian Red Cross, to support Australians battling emergencies.[79]
Bahamas
On behalf of the Government and People of The Commonwealth of The Bahamas, we extend to her, our warmest greetings and heartiest congratulations. By any standard, seventy years of service is both historic and remarkable, and we offer Her Majesty our best wishes for her continuing good health and happiness.[80]
Philip Davis, Prime Minister of the Bahamas, 2022
At the Retreat Garden National Park in Nassau, two lignum vitae trees were planted on 28 January. Participants included the members of the Bahamas National Trust, the UK High Commission in Nassau, and crew members of HMS Medway. The British High Commissioner said, "2022 will be a busy year of activity, with the Platinum Jubilee of our shared Head of State, Queen Elizabeth II, linking the UK and The Bahamas in celebration. It is great to have HMS Medway visiting and planting a tree to kick us off in January".[81][82]
A series of commemorative stamps was released by the Bahamas on 17 March 2022.[83]
Royal tour
The Duchess of Cambridge meeting Bahamians during a walkabout in Downtown Nassau, during the Platinum Jubilee Tour of the Bahamas
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge visited the Bahamas from 24 to 26 March.[19][84] During their visit, the couple spent time with communities across the Bahamas and attended a junkanoo parade and the Bahamas Platinum Jubilee Sailing Regatta.[85] In the evening of 25 March, the couple attended a reception hosted by the Governor-General Sir Cornelius A. Smith at the Baha Mar Resort on Cable Beach in Nassau.[86]
Belize
Commemorative Platinum Jubilee medals were awarded to serving frontline members, including those who served during Hurricanes Eta and Iota that flooded much of Cayo, and to those who served during the CO-19 pandemic.[87]
Royal tour
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge visited Belize from 19 to 22 March.[19][88] The couple visited the historic Mayan site of Caracol, explored Belize's world-famous Maya chocolate making, and celebrated the rich culture of the Garifuna community in Hopkins. The Duke and Duchess also learned about the restoration efforts of Belize's barrier reef being led by communities across the country.[89][85] They also scuba-dived to learn more about the second-largest barrier reef in the world.[90] A planned visit to the Akte 'il Ha cacao farm in Indian Creek was scrapped due to local residents' protests over lack of consultation about the local football pitch earmarked for the Duke and Duchess's helicopter landing as well as the residents' ongoing dispute over land with Fauna and Flora International, of which the Duke is a patron.[91]
In the evening of 21 March, Governor-General Dame Froyla Tzalam hosted a reception at the Mayan ruins at Cahal Pech. The Duke and Duchess, Belizean community leaders, and members of the Government of Belize were in attendance.[89]
Canada
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This section needs expansion with: Platinum Jubilee events planned across Canada [1]. You can help by adding to it. (May 2022)
The Jubilee is the first time in Canada's modern era that a Canadian monarch celebrates a platinum jubilee.[92][note 1]
Planning
A series of initiatives to commemorate the Jubilee have been organised by the federal government of Canada.[94] On 11 June 2021, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau had a virtual audience with the Queen, where they discussed preparations for Canadian celebrations of the Jubilee.[95][96] Provincial governments also started planning for the Jubilee in 2021.[97] Private organisations in Canada, like the Canadian branch of Rotary Club, are also preparing their own celebrations.[94]
Platinum Jubilee emblem in Canada
An emblem for the Jubilee in Canada was created by the Fraser Herald of Arms and registered with the Canadian Heraldic Authority in December 2021.[98] The emblem includes Elizabeth II's royal cypher above a light grey coloured numeral 70; the light grey being an allusion to platinum. The cypher and numeral are surrounded by a seven-sided figure, adorned with maple leaves and pearls. The seven sides, maple leaves, and pearls represent each decade of the Queen's reign. Multiple elements of the seven-sided figure also symbolise celebration, with the rounded edges shaped being shaped like a flower petal and the maple leaves being positioned in a manner that resembles fireworks.[99][100] A Platinum Jubilee Flag that features the emblem on a white background was also created, and it will be flown at government houses and events throughout the Jubilee year.[101]
The Department of Canadian Heritage has created a program that provides up to C$5,000 grant to help fund community-based projects and celebrations in Canada in honour of the Jubilee.[94][102] As Canadian Heritage considers the Jubilee an anniversary of significance for the country, larger initiatives will also be eligible to apply for the Commemorate Canada grant.[103] Through the Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee Fund, Canadian Heritage invested $2.14 million to support Jubilee local celebrations in 360 communities, and three national projects. Funded initiatives aim to educate Canadians about the role of the Canadian Crown and celebrate Canadian achievements over the past seven decades.[104]
No plans were made by the federal government to issue a commemorative medal for the Jubilee, with the government having last issued a commemorative jubilee medal during Elizabeth II's Diamond Jubilee. The decision by the federal government was criticized by the Royal Canadian Legion.[105] Several provincial governments have made their own plans to issue jubilee medals; with the governments of Alberta and Saskatchewan planning to issue 7,000 medals each, Nova Scotia issuing 5,000 medals, and Manitoba issuing 1,000 medals.[106][107][108][109] The same legislative act that authorized Alberta's Platinum Jubilee medals also replaced awards created for Elizabeth II's Golden Jubilee with platinum jubilee equivalents, and increased their monetary prizes.[108] The government of Ontario has plans to celebrate the anniversary through existing honours and award programs as well as issuing commemorative Platinum Jubilee lapel pins, although it has no plans to issue jubilee medals.[110]
Accession Day events
Much has changed in the last seven decades. We extended the hand of friendship to nations around the world. We made advancements in medical research, most recently with vaccines. We established the Truth and Reconciliation Commission and took part in its work. We saw the first Canadian named governor general, then the first woman and now, the first Indigenous person.[111]
Mary Simon, Governor General of Canada, 2022
Platinum Jubilee celebrations in Canada were launched by Canadian Heritage on 6 February 2022.[15][103] On the same day, Trudeau and Mary Simon, the governor general of Canada, issued statements congratulating the Queen on her reign, and to mark the Platinum Jubilee.[112][113] Congratulatory statements to the Queen were also made by lieutenant governors,[114] provincial premiers, and the Speaker of the Senate of Canada.[115][116][117] The CEO of the Canadian Nurses Association and the Royal Canadian Geographic Society also extended their congratulations to the Queen on behalf of their respective organisations.[118][119]
Flag raising ceremonies for the Queen's Personal Canadian Flag and the Platinum Jubilee Flag occurred at Rideau Hall and several provincial legislatures and government houses.[101][120] Accession Evensong services were also held in a variety of churches of the Diocese of British Columbia and the Anglican Diocese of Toronto, with the lieutenant governor of Ontario attending a service in Cathedral Church of St. James in Toronto.[121][122][123][124]
Tributes
The Royal Canadian Mint released a series of coins, including the two-coin Jubilee set,[15] a one-ounce platinum coin,[125], a double-portrait proof silver dollar,[126] and coins depicting the Queen's Diamond Diadem.[127][128] Canada Post issued a commemorative stamp, which features a profile of Elizabeth II by Arnold Machin.[129] The Royal Canadian Geographical Society and Canadian Geographic have created a series of commemorative pieces for the Jubilee. The first of the series were released on 6 February.[119]
A pin of the Platinum Jubilee emblem is also being produced and distributed by the Monarchist League of Canada throughout the Jubilee year.[130] Robert Finch, the dominion chairman of the Monarchist League, said in May 2022, that the League has sent out tens of thousands of Jubilee pins. He said that the demand has been "absolutely overwhelming", and is a sign that "while the government may have planned relatively little, Canadians are eager to celebrate their monarch on this momentous occasion".[131]
The Lieutenant Governor's BC Journalism Fellowship and the Lieutenant Governor's Art & Music Award were launched by British Columbia's lieutenant governor as a part of the province's Platinum Jubilee celebrations.[132][133]
In May, the committee for the Royal St. John's Regatta announced it renamed that year's regatta the 2022 Platinum Jubilee Royal St. John’s Regatta.[134] In the same month, A Battery of the 1st Regiment of the Royal Canadian Horse Artillery was also renamed "The Queen's Battery" in honour of the Jubilee.[135] A special call sign for the jubilee was approved by Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada for use by amateur radio operators from 15 May to 14 July.[136]
Plans are in place for lieutenant governors and territorial commissioners to dedicate gardens in honour of the Jubilee in their respective province/territory.[15] Each of the 13 gardens will include plants suited to the local climate. Tobacco was also included where climate and protocols allow, providing the gardens with a representation of the relationship between the Crown and Indigenous peoples of Canada through its treaties. Tobacco seeds were provided to vice-regal offices from plants grown for the Chapel Royal at Massey College. The Ontario Platinum Jubilee Garden will be planted on the grounds of the Ontario Legislative Building in Toronto.[137] Platinum Jubilee gardens in New Brunswick and Saskatchewan will be unveiled at their respective Government Houses.[138][139] In Yukon, the Jubilee Garden will be unveiled at Taylor House on 3 June.[140] Another garden to represent the Crown's relationship with Indigenous Canadians will also be unveiled on 4 June at Mount Pleasant Nature Park in the County of Brant.[141]
Events from February to May
Several Government Houses in Canada have Jubilee events planned.[132][142] Government House in Regina, Saskatchewan plans to host an exhibit about the Queen's connection to the province, and another on the making of the portrait of the Queen that was commissioned for the Diamond Jubilee in 2012.[142] The Alberta Legislature Building will have on-site tours and displays planned for the Jubilee.[143] On 14 March, a time capsule was buried at Government House, British Columbia. The capsule, which is scheduled to be opened in 2072, contains messages of hope for the future from viceroys and commissioners across Canada.[144]
In February 2022, as part of Winterlude 2022, an Ice Sculpture was unveiled at Sparks Street to commemorate the Jubilee.[145] Plans are also in place to decorate Ottawa's ByWard Market in purple.[94] In spring, Ottawa's Confederation Boulevard, and several places in provinces and territories, were decorated with colourful commemorative banners featuring the Jubilee colours.[15]
On 2 March, a special exhibit was unveiled at the Canadian Museum of Nature. It features a display of Canadian currency, postage stamps and specimens of platinum. Several artefacts for the exhibit were loaned by the Bank of Canada Museum, Canada Post, and Royal Canadian Mint.[146][147] Other museums have also planned events for the jubilee, with the Woodstock Museum in Woodstock, Ontario having planned several jubilee-themed programs from April to June;[148] and the Toronto Railway Museum planning to host an online lecture on Canadian royal trains used during the Queen's reign on 19 May.[149]
In May, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police's also sent a contingent from the Musical Ride to the UK to partake in jubilee celebrations at Windsor Castle.[150]
Several local events to celebrate the jubilee are also planned in April and May. On 9 April, the City of Melfort, Saskatchewan held high tea.[151] From Earth Day to 7 June, the Town of Saint Andrews, New Brunswick will plant 70 trees.[152] The Durham Chamber Orchestra held a concert in Ajax, Ontario on 15 May.[153] Amherstburg will hold a jubilee weekend from 20 and 21 May, attended by the lieutenant governor of Ontario.[154] On 26 May, the Strathcona Ceremonial Mounted Troop will take part in local jubilee celebrations held in Armstrong, British Columbia. The event is organized by the Armstrong Regional Co-op, the Canadian Armed Forces, and the Okanagan Military Tattoo Society.[155]
Royal tour
Main article: 2022 royal tour of Canada
The 2022 Royal Tour of Canada —
The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall
Source:Government of Canada
At the invitation of the government of Canada, the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall visited Canada from 17 to 19 May to mark the Queen's Platinum Jubilee.[156] During the three-day tour, the couple visited St. John's, Ottawa, Yellowknife, and Dettah.[157][158]
In St. John's on 17 May, the couple participated in moment of reflection and prayer at the Heart Garden with Indigenous leaders and community members, in the spirit of reconciliation.[159] On 18 May, the Prince of Wales was invested as an Extraordinary Commander of the Order of Military Merit by the governor general. The couple later participated in a wreath laying ceremony at the National War Memorial, and met with Canadian Ukrainian organisations and community members. Later, the Prince participated in discussions on employment and sustainability with participants of The Prince's Trust Canada. In the evening, the governor general hosted a reception at Rideau Hall for the couple.[159] On 19 May, the couple arrived in Yellowknife and Dettah. In Dettah, they visited a Dene First Nation community. The Prince held discussions with local chiefs and elders, and met local food producers at the Prince of Wales Northern Heritage Centre. The Duchess visited Kaw Tay Whee School, and later visited a YWCA transitional housing centre for women and their children. Later, the Prince and the Duchess marked the Jubilee at the Ceremonial Circle with a Platinum Jubilee flag raising, and unveiling a plaque, followed by a presentation of various plants and flowers.[159]
Commemorations from June
A new segment will be added to the annual Northern Lights sound and lights that runs from June to September on Parliament Hill. Historical photos of the Queen's tours of Canada will be displayed through dynamic animation during her reign.[15][160] A Canadian Heritage exhibition, The Queen and Canada, is also planned to operate during those months at Château Laurier. The exhibit features images of the Queen in Canada throughout her lifetime.[15]
Prior to the lighting of the Canadian Jubilee beacons on 2 June, bagpipers across the country will play the bugle calls Diu Regnare and Majesty. On the same day, a specially-scripted proclamation honouring the Queen's reign is planned to be read by town criers in multiple cities across Canada.[94] Other major federal buildings throughout Canada are planned to be illuminated on that day.[15]
Several local events are also planned in June. In Aurora, Ontario, a commemorative bench for the Platinum Jubilee will be formally installed at Queen's Diamond Jubilee Park on 2 June, with a formal celebration of the Queen's reign taking place 4 June.[161] A date during the town's Concerts in the Park series will be dedicated to the Jubilee as a musical tribute.[162] Garden lunch and tea events are planned on 4 and 5 June in Innisfail, Sarnia, and Toronto.[163][164][165] In Dawson City, a Jubilee celebration is planned at the local museum on 11 June, and a Jubilee Picnic at the Commissioner's Residence on 13 August.[140] On 17 June, the Royal Commonwealth Society of Toronto will host the Queen's Platinum Jubilee Gala at the Fairmont Royal York in Toronto.[166]
On 1 July, a "double platinum" themed Canada Day celebration will be held in Pugwash, Nova Scotia, to commemorate the platinum jubilees of Elizabeth II as well as of the local Gathering of the Clans.[167]
Grenada
The Earl and Countess of Wessex were set to visit Grenada in April.[19] However, after talks with the island's government and governor general, the tour was postponed and the couple expressed their hopes to visit the country on a later date.[168] It was reported that representatives of Grenada's National Reparations Committee had planned to meet the couple and discuss Britain and the royal family's past links to slavery in the region.[169]
Jamaica
This year's theme, 'A Common Future, Connecting, Innovating, Transforming', stands as a poignant reminder of the legacy Her Majesty has created and what she has done for the pursuit of the growth and development of this family of nations, and which continues to bind us together through adherence to the common values.[170]
Sir Patrick Allen, Governor-General of Jamaica, 2022
On Accession Day, the Governor-General of Jamaica, Sir Patrick Allen, congratulated the Queen. He said that since her accession in 1952, the Queen has become "a symbol of quiet strength and stability throughout the Commonwealth realms".[171]
A Platinum Jubilee Medal will be presented to members of the Jamaica Defence Force, the Jamaica Constabulary Force, the Department of Correctional Services, the Jamaica Fire Brigade and the Emergency Medical Services.[172]
Royal tour
The Duchess of Cambridge (left) arriving at Norman Manley International Airport in Kingston, during the Platinum Jubilee Tour of Jamaica
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge visited Jamaica from 22 to 24 March.[19][173][85] During the tour, the couple joined young football players in Trench Town, and celebrated the legacy of Bob Marley and other Jamaican musicians. At the Shortwood Teachers' College, the couple met students training to become early childhood education practitioners. At Spanish Town Hospital, the couple met frontline workers, and they later interacted with members of the Jamaica Defence Force at Flankers, near Montego Bay.[89] A demonstration by the Advocates Network, a human rights coalition of Jamaican activists and equalities organisations, took place near the British High Commission in Kingston to ask for an apology and compensation from the Crown for chattel slavery.[174]
At the dinner hosted by the Governor-General at King's House in honour of the couple, the Duke conveyed the "very best wishes" from the Queen of Jamaica to her Jamaican people. He also expressed his "profound sorrow" over slavery, adding that it "should never have happened" and "forever stains our history".[175]
On their final day in Jamaica, the couple attended the inaugural Commissioning Parade for service personnel from across the Caribbean who had recently completed the Caribbean Military Academy's Officer Training Programme.[89]
Kenya
In Aberdare Open Fields, close to Treetops where the Queen received the news of her accession, the Earl of Wessex planted a tree on 16 March 2022.[176]
Malta
Commemorative coins were commissioned by the Central Bank of Malta. The coins were minted by the Royal Dutch Mint.[177][178]
New Zealand
Emblem
Platinum Jubilee emblem in New Zealand
On Accession Day, the New Zealand Platinum Jubilee emblem was unveiled. The emblem, approved by the Queen, was prepared by Phillip O'Shea, New Zealand Herald of Arms.[179] Within a platinum five-sided frame is the Queen's royal cypher, with the Maori inscription "Te Hokotoru Mā Ngahuru", which means "three twenties plus ten", an allusion to the Queen's seventy-year reign.[179] In the base, the years 1952 and 2022 are in gold, and is placed on the Poutama step design in the traditional colours of red-ochre and white. The design represent "steps of service", namely, the seven decades of public service by the Queen.[179]
Commemoration
Tree planting at Government House to launch the Trees that Count Legacy Project for the Jubilee, May 2022
On Accession Day, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern congratulated the Queen and said "As Queen of New Zealand, she has always shown a deep personal interest in the life and wellbeing of our nation. On behalf of all New Zealanders I would like to wish her well for this historic year".[180] Prime Minister Ardern announced that the government will donate $1 million to Trees That Count to assist with tree planting programmes across New Zealand to mark the Platinum Jubilee.[180] Trees That Count is working with the Department of Conservation to support the planting of 100,000 native trees at 15 native restoration projects across New Zealand.[181] The project was launched on 16 May at Government House, where Chief Justice Dame Helen Winkelmann and Kiritapu Allen planted a kauri.[182]
From Point Jerningham, Wellington, a 21-gun salute was fired by personnel from the 16th Field Regiment, Royal New Zealand Artillery, on 7 February.[180][183]
On 9 February, Prime Minister Ardern moved a motion in the House of Representatives congratulating the Queen on her Jubilee, and said that the Queen "has a deep knowledge of Aotearoa New Zealand and cares sincerely for the wellbeing of our nation". The Leader of the Opposition Christopher Luxon said that the Queen's reign has "strengthened the role of a modern monarchy and the important part that it plays in our constitutional arrangements and our system of parliamentary democracy".[184]
Commemorative coins were released by NZ Post to mark the Jubilee.[185][186][187]
Governor-General Dame Cindy Kiro with former governors-general and their spouses at a Platinum Jubilee dinner at Government House, April 2022
On 9 April, Governor-General Dame Cindy Kiro hosted former governors-general at Government House for a dinner in honour of the Jubilee.[188]
At Te Awamutu, a plaque will be erected to commemorate both the Jubilee and the Queen and Prince Philip's visit to Te Awamutu in 1954.[189] The plaque, which has been approved by the Queen herself, will be erected on the old Te Awamutu Post Office building.[190]
Governor-General Dame Cindy Kiro will represent New Zealand at the Platinum Jubilee celebrations in the United Kingdom.[191]
Papua New Guinea
Despite personal tragedies and setbacks in both her personal and public life, the Queen has continued to hold fast to her duty and service throughout the last 70 years. As a nation, we are indeed proud to have the Queen as our Head of State. A nation of a thousand tribes and cultural diversity in a land of diverse biodiversity, we join our voices to congratulate our Queen and Head of State on achieving this historic milestone.[192]
Sir Bob Dadae, Governor-General of Papua New Guinea, 2022
The Government of Papua New Guinea has devised plans to celebrate the Queen's Platinum Jubilee in Papua New Guinea.[193]
On Accession Day, Governor-General Sir Bob Dadae reflected on the Queen's life and said that Papua New Guineans are proud to have Elizabeth II as their Queen.[192][194]
Considerations are being made to reserve a portion of Papua New Guinea's rainforests in honour of the Queen, given how she is "passionate for the preservation of rainforests".[193]
Royal tour
The Princess Royal visited the country from 11 to 13 April.[19] The Princess and her husband Vice Admiral Sir Timothy Laurence were greeted by Prime Minister James Marape upon their arrival, who also hosted a dinner for the couple on the last day of their tour.[195] Among their engagements were visits to a Catholic boarding school, St John Ambulance PNG, the Bomana War Cemetery, Papua New Guinea National Museum and Art Gallery, Port Moresby General Hospital, Vabukori, and Hanuabada.[196]
During the Princess's visit, the Minister for National Events, Justin Tkatchenko, said that the country won't make a transition to a republic, and Papua New Guinea is embracing its monarchy and "making it bigger and better than it was before".[197]
Saint Kitts and Nevis
On Accession Day, the Governor-General, Sir Tapley Seaton, congratulated the Queen on behalf of the government and people of Saint Christopher and Nevis.[198][199]
At Government House in Nevis, tree planting cerem