Another Historical Diamond Jubilee

Queen Elizabeth at the Diamond Jubilee, 2012. Photo credit: Carfax, Creative Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0. Jewelry history unfolds as we speak*. Even now, preparations are being made across Britain for Queen Elizabeth II’s Diamond Jubilee celebration. Indeed, even the commercial and private banks of England will close on Monday, June 4, and Tuesday, June 5, 2012, so everyone may participate in the celebration. This year's Diamond Jubilee marks the 60^th anniversary of Queen Elizabeth II’s reign. She will be the second reigning monarch to have served the British Empire long enough to celebrate this most exciting of festivals. The last time England celebrated a Diamond Jubilee was in June of 1897. During a time when European monarchs rose and fell as steadily as the North Atlantic tide, September 23, 1896, dawned as a stunning moment in Queen Victoria’s life. She had surpassed her grandfather, George III, as the longest-reigning monarch. Just nine months later, on June 16, 1897, she arrived in Windsor Castle to make preparations for the grand celebration of her Diamond Jubilee. by Angela Magnotti Andrews *Article first published June 1, 2012 on Jewelry-History.com.