Queen Elizabeth II Celebrated as Longest Serving British Monarch While Battling Mobility Problems
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Queen Elizabeth II is celebrating 70 years on the British throne and the United Kingdom is throwing street celebrations.
Why it matters
Queen Elizabeth II, head of the Commonwealth, is the longest-serving British monarchy in history. The 96-year-old queen, ascended to the throne on Feb. 6, 1952, following the death of her father, King George VI.
Seventy years on the British throne is a once-in-a-generation celebration.
According to Time Magazine, she is the world’s third longest-ruling monarch in modern history.
The big story
As she gets older, Queen Elizabeth has suffered physical challenges identified as episodic mobility in recent months, which prevented her from traveling and participating in national events.
What’s happening
The Queen and members of the royal family gathered on the Buckingham Palace balcony for the 70-aircaft flypast.
Thousands of people flocked to central London for the jubilee celebrations, which began with the Queen’s birthday parade, known as Trooping the Colour.
The Platinum Jubilee celebration included the traditional Trooping the Color birthday parade, a star-studded concert led by Diana Ross and thousands of street parties across the UK.
