ONE'S BEST FRIEND
Queen pats pet dorgi as she reads cards celebrating 70 years on the throne
THE Queen beams with delight — poring over treasured memorabilia as she prepares to mark her Platinum Jubilee.
The 95-year-old was filmed in Windsor Castle’s Oak Room viewing homemade cards, artwork and a fan presented to Queen Victoria for her Golden Jubilee in 1887.
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And she cheerily greets one of her curious dogs who sidles over to investigate.
The footage was taken ahead of the Queen’s Accession Day tomorrow, commemorating her father King George VI’s death and her becoming monarch at the age of 25.
It shows her in good spirits, wearing two art deco aquamarine and diamond clip brooches given to her by her beloved “Papa” as an 18th birthday present in 1944.
She also wore them for her televised Diamond Jubilee speech in 2012 and when she addressed the nation on the 75th anniversary of VE Day in 2020.
As she leafs through cards and gifts from her Golden and Diamond jubilees she comments at one point: “This is quite fun.”
Inspecting the fan, signed by Victoria’s family and the then-prime minister, the Marquess of Salisbury, she says: “Extraordinary isn’t it? And it still shuts.”
Candy, a dorgi — a cross between a dachshund and a corgi — suddenly appears. Stroking its head, the Queen smiles, saying: “And where did you come from? I know what you want.”
Platinum Jubilee cards decorate the room, including one featuring a picture of her as a young woman surrounded by flowers with the words “70 Glorious Years”.
The Queen studies one, made from bottle tops and bearing the words “Ma’am You’re The Tops”, from her 2002 Golden Jubilee She remarks: “That’s good — simple but ingenious.”
A fingerprint portrait created by nursery and primary school pupils in Leicestershire delights her, too.
A letter from a nine-year-old boy called Chris is titled: “A Recipe For A Perfect Queen”.
It lists ingredients such as “500ml of royal blood”, a “dab of jewels and posh gowns” and “a dash of loyalty”.
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The Queen — who receives more than 100,000 pieces of correspondence in a jubilee year — chuckles and says: “That’s quite fun.”
Also on display are recipes and pictures of entries to the Platinum Pudding competition to find a dessert to rival the Victoria sponge.
An aide tells her: “People have been very creative.” The Queen replies: “Very complicated. Looks like they’re all going to end with crowns on them.”
The film is the first time aides have released images of the Queen since her Christmas Day address. She has not been on an official engagement since December 15 and remains on doctors’ orders to rest.
The Sun revealed in October that she had spent a surprise night in hospital after pulling out of a trip to Northern Ireland.
And she suffered a back sprain on the morning of Remembrance Sunday that made her miss the ceremony. It came after a punishing 19 engagements in as many days.
The Queen, who lost husband Prince Philip in April, has been on so-called light duties since the health scare and had to cancel plans for Christmas at Sandringham owing to Covid fears.
Looks like they're all going to end with crowns on them.
The Queen
Since filming in Windsor, she has flown by helicopter to the Norfolk Estate and will mark Accession Day privately, royal insiders said.
But she has been spotted driving around the grounds.
She traditionally spends the anniversary there and is expected to stay until the end of the month. It was where her father died, aged 56, in 1952 while she was on holiday with Philip in Kenya.
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She was crowned at Westminster Abbey the following year.
Britain will mark the Queen's 70 years on the throne with a four-day bank holiday in June.
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Tell us your Jubilee stories
MILLIONS joined in the Queen’s three previous Jubilees – Silver, Golden and Diamond. Did YOU put up the bunting and hold a party in 1977, 2002 or 2012?
We would love to hear YOUR jubilee memories and see your photos of how you celebrated the Queen’s great milestones.
Email them to [email protected]te. We’ll publish the best.
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