Queen Elizabeth’s Platinum Jubilee

Good afternoon and a warm welcome to you on this special day.

It’s a joy to be here in the splendid Dower House garden celebrating the Platinum Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II. One of the ways of celebrating this important event that has been recommended is by ” The Queen’s Green Canopy”. This is an initiative encouraging organisations and people nationally to plant a tree commemorating the occasion. Through Her Majesty’s reign, she has planted 1500 trees. We have planted a Scots Pine. The Scots Pine can live for 700 years, so you have plenty of time to see it, but you may wish to visit today after tea.

The 70th anniversary of Her Majesty’s accession to the throne in February 1952 certainly deserves celebration. It is a unique event the likes of which we have never seen before, and of course, will never see again. Those of us old enough to have been around at the time, - and besides me, I am sure there are a substantial number of you here - who can recall the occasion of the 21 year old Princess’s fairy tale marriage to a handsome Naval Lieutenant and their hasty recall from Kenya by the sudden unexpected death of her father some four years after.

With no prior preparation, she immediately committed her life to the service of our country, a role she has excelled in to this day. Her courage, fortitude, and many other qualities have seen her through many a trial and secured the lasting respect and affection of the bulk of the people in our country, the Commonwealth and elsewhere.

Here we are 70 years later with her Majesty now 96 years old, still fulfilling her duties, as far as her health will allow, a shining light to us all. It is thus both a pleasure and an honour for me to unveil this plaque commemorating our participation in the “Queen’s Green Canopy” celebration. May I invite you to rise and drink a toast to Her Majesty wishing her many more years as our beloved Queen.