Queen to become first monarch to celebrate Sapphire Jubilee
The Queen is preparing to make history when she becomes the first British monarch to achieve a Sapphire Jubilee.
On Monday 6 February Elizabeth II will have reigned for 65 years, longer than other monarch.
The date marks the anniversary of the day she became Queen back in 1952.
The Queen was 25 when she became monarch, travelling in Kenya when her father suddenly died.
In her more than six decades on the throne, the Queen has had to pass 22 LGBT rights into law, plus most recently signing a pardon for convicted gay and bisexual men.
When the Queen came to the throne, the UK had many pieces of anti-LGBT pieces of legislation on the statute book.
Today, it is internationally recognised as having among the best LGBT rights legislation in the world.
This includes the decriminalisation of homosexuality, equal age of consent, human rights act, government ban on lesbian, gay and bisexual people serving in the armed forces lifted, gender recognition act, same-sex adoptions and same-sex marriage rights – all of which the Queen has signed into law.
The Queen isn’t expected to mark her jubilee with any personal appearances.
According to tradition, royal gun salutes will fire in London on the day in recognition of the occasion.
At 12 noon, a 41-strong gun salute will be staged in the park in front of Buckingham Palace by the King’s Troop Royal Horse Artillery, followed by celebratory music from the Band of the Royal Artillery.
As well as this, 89 horses pulling six First World War-era guns will appear in the park and later a gun salute will be fired at the Tower of London at 1pm.
It’s much more low key than prior anniversaries, however.
A pop concert for her Golden Jubilee, which was held in front of the Palace as well-wishers descended on the Mall once again.
Most celebrations are expected to wait for 70th year reigning, to be marked in 2022.
