Ruby Jubilee of Elizabeth II
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The Ruby Jubilee of Elizabeth II in 1992 marked the 40th anniversary of the accession of Queen
Elizabeth II Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary; 21 April 1926 – 8 September 2022) was Queen of the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth realms from 6 February 1952 until her death in 2022. She was queen regnant of 32 sovereign states during ...
on 6 February 1952. Contrary to her Silver Jubilee in 1977, there were no widespread public celebrations of the Ruby Jubilee; it was a low-profile event. However, there were some observances to mark the milestone.


Commemorations

Different stamps and coins marking 40 years of Elizabeth II as Queen were released by the United Kingdom (including its Crown dependencies and Overseas territories),
Commonwealth realms A Commonwealth realm is a sovereign state in the Commonwealth of Nations whose monarch and head of state is shared among the other realms. Each realm functions as an independent state, equal with the other realms and nations of the Commonweal ...
and some former
realms A realm is a community or territory over which a sovereign rules. The term is commonly used to describe a monarchical or dynastic state. A realm may also be a subdivision within an empire, if it has its own monarch, e.g. the German Empire. Et ...
of the Queen.


Australia


Royal tour

The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh undertook a royal tour of Australia in February 1992 in order to officiate at celebrations marking the 150th anniversary of Sydney City's Council, during her 40th year as monarch. The Queen officially opened refurbishments to the
Sydney Town Hall The Sydney Town Hall is a late 19th-century heritage-listed town hall building in the city of Sydney, the capital city of New South Wales, Australia, housing the chambers of the Lord Mayor of Sydney, council offices, and venues for meetings an ...
and also the Paddock Stand at Sydney's
Royal Randwick Racecourse Royal Randwick Racecourse is a racecourse for horse racing located in the Eastern Suburbs of Sydney, New South Wales. Randwick Racecourse is Crown Land leased to the Australian Turf Club and known to many Sydney racegoers as headquarters. ...
, headquarters of the
Australian Jockey Club Australian Turf Club (ATC) owns and operates thoroughbred racing, events and hospitality venues across Sydney, Australia. The ATC came into being on 7 February 2011 when the Australian Jockey Club (AJC) and the Sydney Turf Club (STC) merged. The ...
, which also celebrated its 150th anniversary. It was also on this occasion that the Queen certified Randwick as 'Royal'. The Prime Minister of Australia, Paul Keating, also congratulated the Queen for reaching the 40th anniversary of her accession to the throne. It was also on this occasion, that Prime Minister Keating broke royal protocol by placing his hand on the Queen's back, causing outraged British tabloid newspapers to dub him the 'Lizard of Oz'.


''The Royal Ladies'' Coin and Medallion set

The
Royal Australian Mint The Royal Australian Mint is the sole producer of all of Australia's circulating coins and is a Commonwealth Government entity operating within the portfolio of the Treasury. The Mint is situated in the Australian federal capital city of Canberr ...
issued a special commemorative
coin set A coin set, or mint set, is a collection of Uncirculated or Proof coins, released by a mint. Such sets are usually released annually and often called a year set. They include sets of all the circulating coins of that year, as well as sets of comme ...
, both in gold and in silver, to mark the Queen's Ruby Jubilee. Titled'' 'The Royal Ladies','' the set consists of four proof twenty-five dollar coins commemorating the 40th anniversary of the accession of Queen Elizabeth II. The reverses portray Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother, the Princess of Wales, the
Princess Royal Princess Royal is a style customarily (but not automatically) awarded by a British monarch to their eldest daughter. Although purely honorary, it is the highest honour that may be given to a female member of the royal family. There have been se ...
and Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon. The set also includes a medallion.


Canada

An
equestrian statue An equestrian statue is a statue of a rider mounted on a horse, from the Latin ''eques'', meaning 'knight', deriving from ''equus'', meaning 'horse'. A statue of a riderless horse is strictly an equine statue. A full-sized equestrian statue is a d ...
of the Queen was commissioned in 1990 in order to commemorate the Ruby Jubilee and the 125th anniversary of Confederation in 1992. The statue was unveiled on 30 June 1992 during the Queen's 1992 Royal tour of Canada, which took place until 3 July. The statue was unveiled on the grounds of
Parliament Hill Parliament Hill (french: Colline du Parlement, colloquially known as The Hill, is an area of Crown land on the southern banks of the Ottawa River in downtown Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. Its Gothic revival suite of buildings, and their archit ...
, situated across a statue of
Queen Victoria Victoria (Alexandrina Victoria; 24 May 1819 – 22 January 1901) was Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837 until her death in 1901. Her reign of 63 years and 216 days was longer than that of any previo ...
, the first monarch of a confederated Canada. The Queen undertook the royal tour in order to preside over several commemorations relating to the 125th anniversary of
Canadian Confederation Canadian Confederation (french: Confédération canadienne, link=no) was the process by which three British North American provinces, the Province of Canada, Nova Scotia, and New Brunswick, were united into one federation called the Dominion ...
and her Ruby Jubilee. On the same day she unveiled her equestrian statue, the Queen also unveiled two stained-glass windows at
Rideau Hall Rideau Hall (officially Government House) is the official residence in Ottawa of both the Canadian monarch and their representative, the governor general of Canada. It stands in Canada's capital on a estate at 1 Sussex Drive, with the main b ...
, one to commemorate her Ruby Jubilee, the other to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the appointment of the first Canadian-born governor general of Canada, and the 25th year of the Canadian Honours System. She also presented new colours to her regiment, the
Canadian Grenadier Guards , colors = , march = Quick: "The British Grenadiers""Slow: "Grenadiers Slow March""Slow: "Scipio" , mascot = , identification_symbol = White (left side of bearski ...
. The following day, she presided over the swearing in of new members for the Queen's Privy Council of Canada, before presiding over official Canada Day celebrations on Parliament Hill. During the year, the Parliament of Canada also passed a motion of congratulations to the Queen for reaching the milestone.


New Zealand

On 3 March 1992, during the second session of the 43rd New Zealand Parliament, a motion moved by the Prime Minister of New Zealand
Jim Bolger James Brendan Bolger ( ; born 31 May 1935) is a New Zealand retired politician of the National Party who was the 35th prime minister of New Zealand, serving from 1990 to 1997. Bolger was born to an Irish immigrant family in Ōpunake, Taran ...
, in which the House offered their "warm and sincere" congratulations to the
Queen of New Zealand The monarchy of New Zealand is the constitutional system of government in which a hereditary monarch is the sovereign and head of state of New Zealand. The current monarch, King Charles III, ascended the throne following the death of his mot ...
on her Ruby Jubilee. Prime Minister Bolger said, "For 40 years the Queen has led the Commonwealth as a symbol of unity and a rallying point for the constitutional values that form the basis of our political system". He added, "A life of utmost decorum, a record of outstanding public service, and 40 years of political experience at the highest level are all attributes that deserve our affection, respect, and constitutional loyalty". The Speaker Robin Gray said that the anniversary of the Queen's accession coincides with
Waitangi Day Waitangi Day ( mi, Te Rā o Waitangi), the national day of New Zealand, marks the anniversary of the initial signing – on 6 February 1840 – of the Treaty of Waitangi, which is regarded as the founding document of the nation. The first Wai ...
, which "creates a unique bond" between the Crown and the people of New Zealand. The motion was supported by the
Opposition Opposition may refer to: Arts and media * ''Opposition'' (Altars EP), 2011 EP by Christian metalcore band Altars * The Opposition (band), a London post-punk band * '' The Opposition with Jordan Klepper'', a late-night television series on Com ...
and was passed by the House. The House also extended its appreciation to the Duke of Edinburgh and other members of the Royal Family who supported Elizabeth II as Queen of New Zealand and as
Head of the Commonwealth The head of the Commonwealth is the ceremonial leader who symbolises "the free association of independent member nations" of the Commonwealth of Nations, an intergovernmental organisation that currently comprises 56 sovereign states. There is ...
.


United Kingdom

The Royal Anniversary Trust was established in 1990 to create a national programme of educational activities and other events marking the Queen's Ruby Jubilee in 1992. On Accession Day, Prime Minister John Major and Leader of the Opposition
Neil Kinnock Neil Gordon Kinnock, Baron Kinnock (born 28 March 1942) is a British former politician. As a member of the Labour Party, he served as a Member of Parliament from 1970 until 1995, first for Bedwellty and then for Islwyn. He was the Leader of ...
in the
House of Commons The House of Commons is the name for the elected lower house of the bicameral parliaments of the United Kingdom and Canada. In both of these countries, the Commons holds much more legislative power than the nominally upper house of parliament. T ...
gave statements of congratulations to her for reaching the milestone. On the same day, Queen Elizabeth II, wearing a purple outfit and a diamond and amethyst brooch, set out on a walkabout in the village of Snettisham near Sandringham, Norfolk, to mark the 40th anniversary of her accession to the throne. She was greeted by members of the public and they presented bouquets to the Queen. A gala was held at the
Royal Opera House The Royal Opera House (ROH) is an opera house and major performing arts venue in Covent Garden, central London. The large building is often referred to as simply Covent Garden, after a previous use of the site. It is the home of The Royal Ope ...
on 10 February 1992 to mark the 40th anniversary of the Queen's accession. It was attended by the Queen and included a performance of Mozart's Don Giovanni. On 14 February, it was announced that the Queen had agreed to confer city status upon Sunderland as part of celebrations to mark the Ruby Jubilee. Ted Hughes composed a poem ''The Unicorn'' for the Jubilee. On 8 July 1992, a tribute was held at the Fountain Court of Hampton Court Palace to celebrate the Queen's Ruby Jubilee. It was attended by the Queen and Prince Philip. The tribute started after a girl presented a bouquet of red roses to the Queen. It included performances by children from all over the world to represent the Commonwealth. The Youth Ballet performed the 'Royal Kitchen Mice Polka'. A banquet was hosted at
Spencer House Spencer House may refer to: * Spencer House, Westminster, Greater London, England United States * Spencer House (Hartford, Connecticut), listed on the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) in Hartford County * Spencer House in Columbus, Ge ...
by Prime Minister John Major and former Prime Ministers Harold Wilson,
Edward Heath Sir Edward Richard George Heath (9 July 191617 July 2005), often known as Ted Heath, was a British politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1970 to 1974 and Leader of the Conservative Party from 1965 to 1975. Heath a ...
, James Callaghan and
Margaret Thatcher Margaret Hilda Thatcher, Baroness Thatcher (; 13 October 19258 April 2013) was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1979 to 1990 and Leader of the Conservative Party from 1975 to 1990. She was the first female British prime ...
on 27 July 1992 to celebrate the 40th anniversary of The Queen's accession. The royal party that attended the banquet were the Queen,
Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh (born Prince Philip of Greece and Denmark, later Philip Mountbatten; 10 June 1921 – 9 April 2021) was the husband of Queen Elizabeth II. As such, he served as the consort of the British monarch from E ...
, and the
Prince A prince is a male ruler (ranked below a king, grand prince, and grand duke) or a male member of a monarch's or former monarch's family. ''Prince'' is also a title of nobility (often highest), often hereditary, in some European states. T ...
and Princess of Wales.


The Great Event

A grand gala celebration of forty years of the Queen's reign, entitled ''The Great Event'', was held at London's Earl's Court on 26 October 1992. It was organized by the Royal Anniversary Trust and televised throughout the world. The gala was attended by more than 1,700 people, including the Queen, the Duke of Edinburgh; Charles and Diana, the Prince and Princess of Wales; Prince Andrew, Duke of York, Prince Edward, Princess Margaret,
Katharine, Duchess of Kent Katharine, Duchess of Kent, (born Katharine Lucy Mary Worsley, 22 February 1933) is a member of the British royal family. She is married to Prince Edward, Duke of Kent, a grandson of King George V. The Duchess of Kent converted to Roman Ca ...
,
Princess Michael of Kent Princess Michael of Kent (born Baroness Marie-Christine Anna Agnes Hedwig Ida von Reibnitz, 15 January 1945) is a member of the British royal family of German, Austrian, Czech and Hungarian descent. She is married to Prince Michael of Kent, ...
, Prime Minister John Major, the leader of the opposition Labour Party, John Smith, the Secretary-General of the Commonwealth
Chief Emeka Anyaoku Chieftain, Chief Emeka Anyaoku, Royal Victorian Order, GCVO, Nigerian National Honours, CFR, Nigerian National Honours, CON (born 18 January 1933)"Anyaoku, Eleazar Chukwuemeka", in ''Africa Who's Who'', London: Africa Journal for Africa Books L ...
, and the Archbishop of Canterbury,
George Carey George Leonard Carey, Baron Carey of Clifton (born 13 November 1935) is a retired Anglican bishop who was the Archbishop of Canterbury from 1991 to 2002, having previously been the Bishop of Bath and Wells. During his time as archbishop the C ...
. The programme included performances by
Dame Vera Lynn Dame Vera Margaret Lynn (; 20 March 191718 June 2020) was an English singer and entertainer whose musical recordings and performances were very popular during World War II. She is honorifically known as the " Forces' Sweetheart", having giv ...
,
Pearly Kings and Queens Pearly Kings and Queens, known as pearlies, are an organised charitable tradition of working-class culture in London, England. Henry Croft The practice of wearing clothes decorated with mother-of-pearl buttons is first associated with Henry Cr ...
, the Sixties Tiller Girls, pop singer
Cliff Richard Sir Cliff Richard (born Harry Rodger Webb; 14 October 1940) is an Indian-born British musican, singer, producer, entrepreneur and philanthropist who holds both British and Barbadian citizenship. He has total sales of over 21.5 million s ...
and
Lonnie Donegan Anthony James Donegan (29 April 1931 – 3 November 2002), known as Lonnie Donegan, was a British skiffle singer, songwriter and musician, referred to as the " King of Skiffle", who influenced 1960s British pop and rock musicians. Born in Scot ...
.
Darcey Bussell Dame Darcey Andrea Bussell, (born Marnie Mercedes Darcey Pemberton Crittle; 27 April 1969) is an English retired ballerina and a former judge on the BBC television dance contest ''Strictly Come Dancing''. Trained at the Arts Educational Sc ...
and Zoltán Solymosi, members of
the Royal Ballet The Royal Ballet is a British internationally renowned classical ballet company, based at the Royal Opera House in Covent Garden, London, England. The largest of the five major ballet companies in Great Britain, the Royal Ballet was founded in ...
performed the pas de deux from Act II of Swan Lake. More than 500 children, who represented the nations of the Commonwealth, took part during the grand finale. They wore their indigenous dresses and arranged on the stage to form a map of the world.


The Commonwealth Mace

During ''The Great Event'' at London's Earl's Court, the Queen was presented with a special Commonwealth Mace, which was proposed by the Royal Anniversary Trust and approved by the Commonwealth Heads of Government at Harare Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in 1991, to mark the 40th anniversary of the Queen's accession to the throne. The Queen also received fifty-two silver gilt toasting
goblets A chalice (from Latin 'mug', borrowed from Ancient Greek () 'cup') or goblet is a footed cup intended to hold a drink. In religious practice, a chalice is often used for drinking during a ceremony or may carry a certain symbolic meaning. R ...
, one for each of the then members of the Commonwealth. The mace itself was designed by the London-based goldsmith Gerald Benney. The Commonwealth Mace contains five kilograms of 18 carat gold, rubies, and is illustrated with the Royal Coat of Arms, the Commonwealth Symbol, and the emamelled flags of the member states of the Commonwealth.
Geoffrey Munn Geoffrey Charles Munn, OBE, MVO, FSA, FLS (born 11 April 1953 in Hastings) is a British jewellery specialist, television presenter and writer. He is best known as one of the experts on the BBC's ''Antiques Roadshow''. Career Munn's first ...
, an antiques expert, described it as a "most marvellous tribute to Her Majesty’s reign and a lovely thing to see".


''Elizabeth R: A Year in the Life of the Queen''

A documentary film, named '' Elizabeth R: A Year in the Life of the Queen'' was made by the
BBC #REDIRECT BBC #REDIRECT BBC Here i going to introduce about the best teacher of my life b BALAJI sir. He is the precious gift that I got befor 2yrs . How has helped and thought all the concept and made my success in the 10th board exam. ...
...
to mark the 40th anniversary of the Queen's accession. The Royal family watched and approved of the documentary before it was broadcast on television. The film aired on 6 February 1992, the 40th Accession Day of the Queen, and it was also broadcast in more than 25 countries around the world. It gained the largest audience for a documentary in the history of British television and was watched by more than half of the British population in 1992.


Guildhall Jubilee Lunch

On 24 November 1992, a luncheon was held at the Guildhall, London to honour the Queen's Ruby Jubilee, marking forty years on the throne. The event was organised by the
City of London Corporation The City of London Corporation, officially and legally the Mayor and Commonalty and Citizens of the City of London, is the municipal governing body of the City of London, the historic centre of London and the location of much of the United King ...
and attended by more than 500 people including the Queen,
Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh (born Prince Philip of Greece and Denmark, later Philip Mountbatten; 10 June 1921 – 9 April 2021) was the husband of Queen Elizabeth II. As such, he served as the consort of the British monarch from E ...
, The Lord Mayor and Lady Mayoress of London, and
Prime Minister A prime minister, premier or chief of cabinet is the head of the cabinet and the leader of the ministers in the executive branch of government, often in a parliamentary or semi-presidential system. Under those systems, a prime minister i ...
John Major and his wife
Norma Major Dame Norma Christina Elizabeth, Lady Major, (, formerly Johnson; born 12 February 1942) is an English philanthropist who is the wife of former British prime minister Sir John Major. Early life Norma Christina Elizabeth Wagstaff is the daught ...
. Donning a dark green dress and matching hat, the Queen delivered a 'historic' speech, in which she described the year 1992 as her '' annus horribilis'' (a Latin phrase meaning 'horrible year'). In that year, three of her children's marriages crumbled; a fire destroyed more than a hundred rooms in
Windsor Castle Windsor Castle is a royal residence at Windsor in the English county of Berkshire. It is strongly associated with the English and succeeding British royal family, and embodies almost a millennium of architectural history. The original c ...
; a toe-sucking scandal involving
Sarah, Duchess of York Sarah, Duchess of York (born Sarah Margaret Ferguson; 15 October 1959), also known by the nickname Fergie, is a member of the British royal family. She is the former wife of Prince Andrew, Duke of York, the younger brother of King Charles III ...
, and the publication of Andrew Morton's controversial book about Diana, Princess of Wales called ''Diana: Her True Story'' caused a stir in Britain and the monarchy. As a result, the public opinion turned against the Royal Family, and due to this, the jubilee celebrations were toned down. In addition to that,
Mauritius Mauritius ( ; french: Maurice, link=no ; mfe, label= Mauritian Creole, Moris ), officially the Republic of Mauritius, is an island nation in the Indian Ocean about off the southeast coast of the African continent, east of Madagascar. It ...
, one of the Queen's realms, became a republic on 12 March; on 22 October during a state visit to Germany, angry demonstrators in
Dresden Dresden (, ; Upper Saxon: ''Dräsdn''; wen, label= Upper Sorbian, Drježdźany) is the capital city of the German state of Saxony and its second most populous city, after Leipzig. It is the 12th most populous city of Germany, the fourth ...
threw eggs at her, and on 17 December, the Australian government of republican
Paul Keating Paul John Keating (born 18 January 1944) is an Australian former politician and unionist who served as the 24th prime minister of Australia from 1991 to 1996, holding office as the leader of the Australian Labor Party (ALP). He previously serv ...
announced that the Queen would be dropped from the Australian citizenship oath.


See also

*
Silver Jubilee of Elizabeth II The Silver Jubilee of Elizabeth II marked the 25th anniversary of the accession of Queen Elizabeth II on 6 February 1952. It was celebrated with large-scale parties and parades throughout the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth throughout 1977, ...
*
Golden Jubilee of Elizabeth II The Golden Jubilee of Elizabeth II was the international celebration held in 2002 marking the 50th anniversary of the accession of Queen Elizabeth II on 6 February 1952. It was intended by the Queen to be both a commemoration of her 50 years as ...
* Diamond Jubilee of Elizabeth II * Sapphire Jubilee of Elizabeth II *
Platinum Jubilee of Elizabeth II The Platinum Jubilee of Elizabeth II was the international celebration in 2022 marking the Platinum jubilee, 70th anniversary of the accession of Queen Elizabeth II on 6 February 1952, the first British monarch to ever celebrate one. In the Un ...
*
List of monarchs in Britain by length of reign The following is a list, ordered by length of reign, of the monarchs of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (1927–present), the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland (1801–1927), the Kingdom of Great Britain (170 ...
* List of jubilees of British monarchs


Notes


References


External links


Sovereign: A Celebration of Forty Years of Service
{{Authority control 1992 in the United Kingdom British Royal jubilees Elizabeth II Events involving British royalty