Queen Elizabeth Nearing Historic Milestone No British Royal Has Ever Reached
Queen Elizabeth II will soon be reaching a major milestone that no other British royal has ever hit. The Queen has been on the throne since 1952, so she will be celebrating her Platinum Jubilee In 2022, Including an extended bank holiday weekend from Thursday, June 2, until Sunday, June 5. There will be several jubilee celebrations over that weekend, Including a "Trooping the Colour" parade, a derby horse race, and a party at the palace.
Several members of the British Royal Family will also receive platinum jubilee medals from Queen Elizabeth II as part of the celebration, including Prince Harry and Meghan Markle in an act of reconciliation. The decision to include Harry and Markle on the list of medal recipients follows the couple's split from the royal family, as they now live in California and were critical of Harry's family in a bombshell Oprah Winfrey interview earlier this year.
The U.K. government unveiled the designs for the platinum jubilee medal on Sept. 25. The medal is intended to be presented to those who served the U.K. as members of the police, fire, and emergency services, as well as prison services and the Armed Forces with at least five years of service. "Her Majesty The Queen's Platinum Jubilee is a wonderful opportunity to recognize the dedication and service of those who, like the Queen, tirelessly serve our country," Culture Secretary Nadine Dorries said in a statement.
The list of recipients also includes members of the Royal Household with at least one year of qualifying service. Harry and Markle, who married in May 2018 and have two children, qualify and are expected to receive a medal, Express reported on Sept. 27. "A wide number of members of the Royal Family will receive the Platinum Jubilee medal in line with the previous two jubilees," a Buckingham Palace spokeswoman told the Express.
There is a more controversial name reportedly on the list of platinum jubilee medal recipients: Harry's uncle, Prince Andrew. Since his connections to Jeffrey Epstein were revealed, Andrew has rarely been seen in public and stepped down from royal duties in 2019. Virginia Roberts Giuffre, who claims to have had sex with Andrew on Epstein's orders three times, is suing Andrew in New York. Andrew, who has denied the allegations, recently won the right to review a sealed 2009 settlement Giuffre reached with Epstein.