Tag: Queen Elizabeth

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Puddings, pageantry for Queen Elizabeth’s platinum jubilee

In her Christmas Day message, the Queen said she hoped her Jubilee “will be an opportunity for people everywhere to enjoy a sense of togetherness”…reports Asian Lite News

The UK will celebrate Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee this year with a pudding contest, pageantry and public holidays, Buckingham Palace said Monday.

Elizabeth was proclaimed Queen on February 6, 1952, after the death of her father, George VI, although her coronation was in 1953. At 95, she will become the only UK monarch to have ruled for 70 years and she has called for Jubilee celebrations to promote a mood of unity.

In her Christmas Day message, the Queen said she hoped her Jubilee “will be an opportunity for people everywhere to enjoy a sense of togetherness”.

Events reflecting Britain’s national passions include a nationwide competition to create a new pudding for the Jubilee, with a panel of judges picking the winner, among them the head chef at Buckingham Palace and veteran television presenter Mary Berry.

There is also an ongoing drive to “plant a tree for the Jubilee”, with the Queen to receive a digital map showing them all.

The main celebrations will be held over a four-day long weekend, kicking off with public holidays on Thursday June 2 and Friday, June 3.

On Thursday, June 2, the Queen’s Birthday Parade will see more than a thousand soldiers, horses and Army musicians perform a Trooping of the Colour ceremony in central London, marking the Queen’s official birthday (her actual birthday is in April) with “military pageantry”.

Continuing a tradition dating back hundreds of years, people will light beacons in over 1,500 towns, cities and villages, across the country that evening.

On Friday, June 3, there will be a service of thanksgiving for the Queen’s reign at St Paul’s Cathedral in London.

On Saturday, June 4, the BBC is to host a live concert called Platinum at the Palace, promising “some of the world’s biggest entertainment stars”.

On Sunday, June 5, people can apply to hold neighbourhood parties as part of a nationwide “Big Jubilee Lunch”. Over 200,000 such events are expected.

There will also be a street pageant in London billed as an “awe-inspiring festival of creativity”, including performers from the Commonwealth countries.

After these main events, the Queen’s Coronation dress and robe will be on display at Windsor Castle.

The programme of mass events makes no mention of Covid restrictions.

Previously the 1977 Silver Jubilee saw nationwide street parties and the Queen processing through London in her carriage, as well as the release of the Sex Pistols’ punk anthem “God Save The Queen”.

The Golden Jubilee in 2002 saw the public revive the tradition of street parties, while the 2012 Diamond Jubilee, ahead of the London Olympics, featured a flotilla of 1,000 boats on the River Thames.

The royal family has faced unwelcome publicity recently, with US legal action targeting Prince Andrew, the Queen’s second son, over alleged sex with a minor, as well as the Queen’s grandson Harry and his wife Meghan airing racism claims.

ALSO READ-Man arrested in Windsor was planning to kill the Queen

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Queen Elizabeth receives Oman’s Sultan at Windsor Castle

Sultan Haitham bin Tarik also met with Prince Charles of Wales at Clarence House in London…reports Asian Lite News

Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II on Wednesday hosted Oman’s Sultan Haitham bin Tariq and his wife, Sayyida Ahad bint Abdullah, at Windsor Castle.

As a Royal felicitation to His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tarik and, in recognition of the historical ties binding the Sultanate of Oman and the United Kingdom, Queen Elizabeth II, has conferred the honorary Knight Grand Cross of the Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George on His Majesty the Sultan.

Queen Elizabeth receives Oman’s Sultan at Windsor Castle

This conferment ceremony took place on Wednesday during His Majesty the Sultan’s meeting with the British monarch at Windsor Castle, Berkshire county, within the context of His Majesty’s current private visit to the United Kingdom.

The 95-year-old monarch has cut back on her engagements since an overnight hospital stay in October that raised fears for her health and prompted doctors to advise rest.

Queen Elizabeth receives Oman’s Sultan at Windsor Castle

The two heads of state, and Sayyida Ahad, 51, were pictured smiling and shaking hands, Asharq Al-Awsat reported.

The Sultan of Oman, a former culture and heritage minister who studied at Oxford University, came to power after the death of his cousin, Sultan Qaboos, last year.

Earlier on Wednesday, Sultan Haitham bin Tarik met with Prince Charles of Wales at Clarence House in London.

ALSO READ: Indian Navy sail training ship visits Oman

The meeting discussed aspects of the bilateral cooperation between the two countries in various areas in light of the advanced relations binding the two countries and their peoples.

The meeting was attended by Sayyid Shihab bin Tarik Al Said, Deputy Prime Minister for Defence Affairs, Sheikh Abdulaziz bin Abdullah Al Hinai, Ambassador of the Sultanate of Oman to the UK and Bill Murray, UK Ambassador to Oman.

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-Top News COVID-19 UK News

UK sets out post-Covid plans in Queen’s Speech

The Queen Elizabeth II said the government’s priority is to “deliver a recovery from the pandemic” which will “level up opportunities across all parts of the United Kingdom, supporting jobs, businesses and economic growth”, reports Asian Lite newsdesk

Queen Elizabeth II has announced a series of bills as the UK government pledged to “level up” the country while recovering from the pandemic crisis.

She was speaking at the House of Lords, the upper house of the British Parliament, to set out the government’s legislative agenda for new parliamentary session.

The Queen said that the government’s priority is to “deliver a recovery from the pandemic” which will “level up opportunities across all parts of the United Kingdom, supporting jobs, businesses and economic growth,” Xinhua news agency reported.

Boris Johnson(IANS)

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Boris Johnson has said the government “won’t settle for going back to the way things were”, the BBC reported.

He promised to end the “criminal waste of talent” in parts of the UK by spreading opportunity more evenly.

“We intend to unite and level up across the whole of our United Kingdom because we one nation Conservatives understand this crucial point – that you will find flair and imagination and enthusiasm and genius distributed evenly across this country while opportunity is not,” BBC quoted Johnson as saying at the House of Lords.

He said there is a need to change that because “it is not just a moral and social disgrace, it is an economic mistake. It is a criminal waste of talent.”

“And though we cannot for one moment minimise the damage that Covid has done – the loss of learning, the NHS backlogs, the courts delays, the massive fiscal consequences – we must use this opportunity to achieve a national recovery so that jabs, jabs jabs becomes jobs, jobs, jobs,” he said.

Meanwhile, Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer slammed the prime minister and said the government programme lacked urgency and ambition.

He said the UK needed a Queen’s Speech that rose to scale of the moment. He claimed, the speech was “packed with short-term gimmicks and distant promises”.

Sir Keir seized on the absence of new legislation to fix the funding of adult social care – something he said the prime minister had promised on the steps of Downing Street two years ago.

Many of the measures in the Queen’s Speech are aimed at the Conservatives’ new electoral strongholds in the Midlands and north of England, according to the report.

According to BBC, among the planned new laws are a Skills and Post-16 Education Bill for England, with loans for adults wanting to retrain and more powers to deal with failing colleges; a bill aimed at deterring asylum seekers from crossing the English Channel; a bill to ease planning controls and increase housebuilding in England; plans to improve bus and train service connectivity in England; new laws to scrap the Fixed-term Parliaments Act, meaning it will be easier for Mr Johnson to call an early general election before 2024.

Meanwhile, the prime minister also committed to setting up a “full, proper” public inquiry into the government’s handling of the pandemic, which could begin in the coming year, in response to a question from Lib Dem leader Sir Ed Davey.

ALSO READ-Queen thanks all for support and kindness

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-Top News Defence UK News

Global Britain Back in Action

Defence Secretary Ben Wallace said the deployment of carrier strike group is a “symbol of Global Britain in action, and powerfully demonstrates our commitment to India, the Indo-Pacific region, and confronting threats to international order”, reports Asian Lite News

The UK’s carrier strike group, led by HMS Queen Elizabeth is set sail to India in the autumn on its maiden operational deployment as a representation of the ‘Indo-Pacific tilt’ in its foreign policy, the British High Commission (BHC) said on Monday.

The BHC statement said that the HMS Queen Elizabeth Carrier will sail to India, Japan, South Korea, Singapore, and the wider region.

“The Carrier will visit West Coast Ports where it will engage in a series of events to maximise bilateral relations benefitting both countries’ trade and political alliances. The ship will conduct a series of joint exercises with Indian military forces in the Indian Ocean, expanding our interoperability and enhancing our capabilities to defend against shared threats and protect our democratic values,” the statement added.

Throughout the deployment, the UK will support freedom of passage through vital global trading routes and demonstrate commitment to a recognised international system of norms and behaviours that benefit all countries.

It will also help to establish a maritime partnership with India to support our mutual security objectives in the Indian Ocean.

The UK Government’s landmark review of foreign, defence, development, and security policy, published last month, committed the UK to become the European country with the broadest, most integrated presence in the Indo-Pacific in support of trade, shared security, and values.

Secretary of State for Defence, Ben Wallace MP said UK and India are natural defence partners, particularly in world-class research, development, and training.

“The UK and India are natural defence partners, particularly in world-class research, development, and training. The Carrier Strike Group’s collaboration with India will build the foundations for this relationship to flourish even further,” said Wallace.

“The deployment is a symbol of Global Britain in action, and powerfully demonstrates our commitment to India, the Indo-Pacific region, and confronting threats to international order.”

Last December, UK Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab travelled to meet Prime Minister Modi and External Affairs Minister Jaishankar in New Delhi to make progress towards agreeing a landmark UK-India roadmap for greater joint cooperation, including on defence and security, trade, health, and climate change.

Later this year, the UK has invited Prime Minister Modi to attend the G7 Summit in Cornwall, UK, in recognition of India’s role as the world’s largest democracy and as a vital partner to the UK in tackling global challenges like climate change and coronavirus.

The Carrier Strike Group will travel over 26,000 nautical miles from the Mediterranean to the Red Sea, from the Gulf of Aden to the Arabian Sea, and from the Indian Ocean to the Philippine Sea.

The Strike Group will also comprise Type 45 destroyers HMS Defender and HMS Diamond, Type 23 anti-submarine frigates HMS Kent and HMS Richmond, and tanker and storage ships Fort Victoria and RFA Tidespring.

The UK and India have a bi-annual exercise programme across all the services where Indian and British forces undertake joint exercises: Exercise Ajeya Warrior for the Army, Exercise Konkan for the Navy, and Exercise Indra Dhanush for the Air Force.

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Prince Philip Laid to Rest

Royal Family remember duke's lifetime of service (Credit : DPA) (Not for sale)

Coronavirus social distancing measures forced Queen Elizabeth II to sit alone during the funeral for her husband, Prince Philip, at the St George’s chapel in Windsor Castle, reports Asian Lite News

Prince Philip’s coffin has been interred in the royal vault of St George’s Chapel.

It was placed on a catafalque on a marble slab and lowered into the vault by an electric motor, dpa news agency reported.

The vault was created between 1804 and 1810 for George III, who died in 1820 and is one of three kings buried there. The other two are George IV and William IV.

Horns were played as his coffin was lowered down.

A blessing was given by the Archbishop of Canterbury before the choir sang the national anthem, “God Save the Queen.”

Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh

The members of the royal family looked up as the choir sang while the queen bowed her head.

The 94-year-old monarch was then led out of the church by the archbishop and followed by her family members.

Prince William, her grandson, was seen glancing back at the vault as he left his pew.

Queen sits on her own at funeral

Coronavirus social distancing measures forced Queen Elizabeth II to sit alone during the funeral for her husband, Prince Philip, at the St George’s chapel in Windsor Castle on Saturday.

Her expression was not captured by cameras during the service, however, other members of the Royal family appeared sombre, the dpa news agency reported.

Queen Elizabeth II sits on her own at Prince Philip’s funeral (Credit : DPA) (Not for sale)

Prince Edward, the queen and Prince Philip’s youngest child, was seen touching his forehead with his hand during a performance by the choir. He was later seen gazing at the coffin of his father.

Several of the Royals read the order of service throughout the funeral, while others were seen staring into the distance.

Each member of the Royal family – and their specially chosen guests – were all seen wearing formal black clothes and black face masks.

Also Read – Britons mourn death of Prince Philip

They were all spread around the chapel in their seats to comply with the current Coronavirus restrictions in place in England.

Royal Family remember Duke’s lifetime of service

The ceremonial royal funeral will remember Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburg and husband of Queen Elizabeth II, for his “unwavering loyalty” to the Queen, service to the nation and “courage”.

The duke’s association with the Royal Navy and love of the sea will also be a focus but no sermon will be delivered, in line with his wishes, the BBC reported.

More than 730 members of the armed forces are taking part in the event, but there is a limit of 30 mourners at St George’s Chapel, under Covid rules.

Prince Philip interred in the royal vault of St George’s Chapel (Credit : DPA) (Not for sale)

Representatives from military units with a special relationship to the duke are positioned in the castle’s Quadrangle, with music provided by the Band of Royal Marines Commando Training Centre, the Band of the Scots Guards and the Combined Bands of the Royal Air Force.

Prince Philip died at Windsor Castle on Friday 9 April, aged 99.

His coffin was carried the short distance to St George’s Chapel on a modified Land Rover, which the duke himself helped to design.

The funeral procession from the castle to the chapel was headed by the Band of the Grenadier Guards, the Major General’s party, and military service chiefs.

Vice Admiral Sir Timothy Laurence and the Earl of Snowdon also walked behind the coffin, trailed by members of the duke’s household staff.

The Queen, 94, travelled with a lady-in-waiting in the state Bentley at the end of the procession.

Following the procession, a Royal Marines bearer party carried the coffin into the service.

Topless protester runs through crowd of people at Windsor Castle (Credit : DPA) (Not for sale)

A reduced choir of four singers will feature but the congregation will follow Covid restrictions and not sing.

A ceremonial gun fire at nine locations across the UK, and in Gibraltar, marked the start and end of the national minute’s silence.

Heathrow Airport said no planes would land or take off for six minutes to coincide with the silence and all major sporting events have been rescheduled to avoid a clash with the funeral.

William, Harry chat as they depart chapel together

Princes William and Harry left St George’s Chapel together and were seen chatting after the funeral service of Prince Philip on Saturday.

Prince Harry, who is also known as the Duke of Sussex, appeared to thank the Archbishop of Canterbury before speaking with Kate, the duchess of Cambridge and Prince William’s wife, dpa news agency reported.

Princes William, Harry chat as they depart chapel together ( CREDIT : dpa) (Not for sale)

He was joined on his other side by Prince William and the two brothers carried on walking together while chatting.

It appeared their conversation was relaxed, with Prince William maskless as they walked and talked outside while Prince Harry kept his mask on.

While the duo have faced difficulties in their relationship over the last few months, however, they appeared to be friendly to each other at the service.

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-Top News Obituary UK News

Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, Dies at 99

Prince Philip, the consort of UK’s Queen Elizabeth II, passed away on Friday, the Buckingham Palace announced. He was 99.

“It is with deep sorrow that Her Majesty The Queen has announced the death of her beloved husband, His Royal Highness The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. His Royal Highness passed away peacefully this morning at Windsor Castle,” the statement said, the BBC reported.

He had recently been in hospital.

Hailing from the Greek and Danish families, Prince Philip was also the nephew of Lord Louis Mountbatten, the last Viceroy of India, under whom the country became Independent.

Living in Britain and joining the Royal Navy in 1939, he married Princess Elizabeth in 1947, five years before she became the Queen.

The couple had four children, eight grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren.