It was sixty years ago when Elizabeth Windsor became Queen of England. When she was born, nobody could imagine that one day she would be crowned, because it wasn’t her father but her uncle Edward who was the king. However, an unprecedented event turned things over. Edward VIII was in love with a twice divorced American lady called Wallis Simpson, who wouldn’t be accepted as queen by the government. He had to choose between his throne or the woman he loved and he decided to abdicate. So, it was Elizabeth’s father who became king under the name of George VI.
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| The official picture of the Queen on her accession to the throne in February 1952. (Getty Images) |
These days, the people of the United Kingdom are celebrating that their queen has been in the throne for 60 years, and this celebration is called the Diamond Jubilee. They previously celebrated the Silver Jubilee (25th anniversary) and Golden Jubilee (50th anniversary) back in 1977 and 2002 respectively.
The celebrations started in February 2012, but the most important events will take place between the 2nd and 5th of June. One of the most colourful will be the Thames Diamond Jubilee Pageant, a spectacular ceremony in which more than a thousand boats will accompany the Queen’s barge: it will be one of the largest flotillas ever assembled on the river Thames.
The following video summarises the life of Queen Elizabeth with its ups and downs. You can answer the questions after watching it.
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