Elizabeth II's Silver Jubilee and her domestic and international visits proved very popular with her subjects.

The Silver Jubilee of Elizabeth II marked the twenty-fifth anniversary of Queen Elizabeth II's accession to the throne of the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and other Commonwealth realms. It was celebrated with large-scale parties and parades throughout the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth throughout 1977, culminating in June with the official "Jubilee Days," held to coincide with the Queen's Official Birthday. The anniversary date itself was commemorated in church services across the land on 6 February 1977, and continued throughout the month. In March, preparations started for large parties in every major city of the United Kingdom, as well as for smaller ones for countless individual streets throughout the country. A Silver Jubilee is a celebration held to mark a 25th anniversary. ... Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Windsor) (born 21 April 1926) is Queen of 16 independent nations known as the Commonwealth Realms. ... The Commonwealth Realms, shown in pink A Commonwealth Realm is any one of the 16 sovereign states of the Commonwealth of Nations that separately recognise Queen Elizabeth II as their monarch. ... The Commonwealth of Nations, usually known as the Commonwealth, is an association of 53 independent sovereign states, almost all of which are former territories of the British Empire. ... For the album by Ash, see 1977 (album). ... The Queens Birthday or Queens Official Birthday is celebrated as a public holiday in several Commonwealth countries (usually Commonwealth realms). ... February 6 is the 37th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... For the album by Ash, see 1977 (album). ...

The beginning of Jubilee

On 4 May, both British Houses of Parliament presented addresses of loyalty and deference to the Queen. She replied to them and stressed that the year 1977 would finally bring unity to the entire Commonwealth, as was the Jubilee's goal. Immediately after the Jubilee addresses of 4 May, the Queen left Buckingham Palace on a goodwill trip across the country; she wanted to take this time to meet as many of her loyal subjects as time permitted before she needed to come back to London for festivities. May 4 is the 124th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (125th in leap years). ... The Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the supreme legislative body in the United Kingdom and British overseas territories. ... May 4 is the 124th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (125th in leap years). ... Buckingham Palace and the Victoria Memorial. ... London is the capital city of England and of the United Kingdom, and is the most populous city in the European Union. ...

National and international goodwill visits

Elizabeth II reads the Speech from the Throne in the Parliament of Canada during her Jubilee visit to Ottawa. Sitting to her right is Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau.

No monarch before Elizabeth II visited more of the United Kingdom in such a short span of time (the trips lasted three months). All in all, the Queen and her husband Prince Philip visited a total of 36 counties. The trip started with record crowds gathering to see the Royals in Glasgow on 17 May. After moving to England (where a record one million spectators came to greet the couple in Lancashire) and Wales, the Queen and Prince Philip wrapped up the first of their trips with a visit to Northern Ireland. Among the places visited during the national trips were numerous schools, which were the subject of a television special hosted by presenter Valerie Singleton. From the govt of Canada: http://www. ... From the govt of Canada: http://www. ... Queen Elizabeth II reads Canadas Speech from the Throne in 1977 The Speech from the Throne (or Throne Speech) is an event in certain monarchies in which the monarch (or a representative) reads a prepared speech to a complete session of parliament, outlining the governments agenda for the... The Parliament of Canada (French: Parlement du Canada) is Canadas legislative branch, seated at Parliament Hill in Ottawa, Ontario. ... Motto: Template:Unhide = Advance Ottawa/Ottawa en avant Location City Information Established: 1850 as Bytown Area: 2,778. ... Stephen Harper is the current Prime Minister of Canada. ... Trudeau redirects here. ... The Duke of Edinburgh The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh (Philip Mountbatten, formerly Prince Philip of Greece and Denmark) (born 10 June 1921, Greece) is the husband of Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom. ... A county is generally a sub-unit of regional self-government within a sovereign jurisdiction. ... For other uses, see Glasgow (disambiguation). ... May 17 is the 137th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (138th in leap years). ... Royal motto (French): Dieu et mon droit (Translated: God and my right) Englands location (dark green) within the United Kingdom (light green), with the Republic of Ireland (blue) to its west Languages English Capital London Largest city London Area – Total Ranked 1st UK 130,395 km² Population –mid-2004... Lancashire is a county and duchy palatine in the North of England, bounded to the west by the Irish Sea. ... National motto: Cymru am byth (Welsh: Wales for ever) Waless location relative to most of the British Isles (other parts of the UK shown on the map are in pink). ... Dieu et mon droit (motto) (French for God and my right)2 Northern Irelands location within the UK Languages English (De facto) 3, Irish, Ulster Scots 4 Capital and largest city Belfast First Minister Office suspended Secretary of State for Northern Ireland Peter Hain MP Area  - Total Ranked 4th... A television presenter is a British term for a person who introduces or hosts television programmes. ... Valerie Singleton (born 9 April 1937) is a British television and radio presenter, best known for her many years as the female presenter of the popular childrens series, Blue Peter. ...

Later in the summer, the Queen and Prince Philip embarked on a Commonwealth visit that first brought them to island nations such as Fiji and Tonga, following up with longer stints in New Zealand and Australia, with a final stop in Papua New Guinea before going on to the British holdings in the West Indies. The final stop on the international tour was a trip to Canada, in which Prince Charles joined the couple to greet the crowds. In Canada, the Queen became the first sovereign to read the Speech from the Throne in that country. The Caribbean or the West Indies is a group of islands in the Caribbean Sea. ... The Prince of Wales The Prince Charles, Prince of Wales (Charles Philip Arthur George Mountbatten-Windsor) (born 14 November 1948), is the eldest son of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. ... Queen Elizabeth II reads Canadas Speech from the Throne in 1977 The Speech from the Throne (or Throne Speech) is an event in certain monarchies in which the monarch (or a representative) reads a prepared speech to a complete session of parliament, outlining the governments agenda for the...

For full list of visits and events see List of Royal Visits and Events during 1977

June celebrations in London

On 6 June, the Queen lit a bonfire beacon at Windsor Castle, whose light spread across the night in a chain of other beacons throughout the country. On 7 June, crowds lined the procession to St Paul's Cathedral, where the royal family attended a Service of Thanksgiving alongside many world leaders, including United States President Jimmy Carter, as well as all of the former living Prime Ministers, stretching back from Harold Macmillan all the way to Harold Wilson. The service was followed by lunch in the Guildhall, hosted by the Lord Mayor of London. At the reception, the Queen was quoted as saying, "...when I was twenty-one I pledged my life to the service of our people and I asked for God's help to make good that vow. Although that vow was made in my salad days, when I was green in judgement, I do not regret nor retract one word of it." June 6 is the 157th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (158th in leap years), with 208 days remaining. ... This page discusses Beacons, fires designed to attract attention. ... Windsor Castle: The Round Tower or keep dominating the castle, as seen from the River Thames. ... June 7 is the 158th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (159th in leap years), with 207 days remaining. ... St Pauls Cathedral from the south St Pauls Cathedral is a cathedral on Ludgate Hill, in the City of London, and the seat of the Bishop of London. ... Members of the Royal Family on the balcony of Buckingham Palace after the Trooping the Colour ceremony Close relatives of the monarch of the United Kingdom are known by the appellation The Royal Family. ... James Earl Jimmy Carter, Jr. ... The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the head of Her Majestys Government and so exercises many of the executive functions nominally vested in the Sovereign, who is head of state. ... Maurice Harold Macmillan, 1st Earl of Stockton, OM, PC (10 February 1894 – 29 December 1986), was a British Conservative politician and Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1957 to 1963. ... James Harold Wilson, Baron Wilson of Rievaulx, KG, OBE, FRS, PC (11 March 1916 – 24 May 1995) was one of the most prominent British politicians of the 20th Century. ... The Guildhall The Guildhall complex in c. ... Michael Berry Savory. ...

Elaborate street parties were thrown across the country, like this one in Plymouth.

After the luncheon, the procession drove the royals down The Mall to Buckingham Palace, where an estimated one million people lined the pavements to see the family wave to onlookers. A further 500 million people around the Commonwealth watched the day's events on live television. 7 June was the day that streets and villages threw elaborate parties for all their residents, to honour the Queen and their country's rich history. Many streets strung bunting (the little flags were usually modeled in pattern after the Union Jack) from rooftop to rooftop across the street. In addition to parties, many streets decorated motor vehicles as historical events from Britain's past, and drove them about town, organizing their very own parades. In London alone there were over 4000 organized parties for individual streets and neighbourhoods. Throughout the entire day, onlookers were greeted by the Queen many times as she made several appearances for pictures from her balcony. Plymouth is a city in the South West of England, or alternatively the Westcountry, and is situated within the traditional county of Devon. ... The Londoner:Kawasaki, Japan The Londoner, one of the most prolific and biggest malls in the world is located in Kawasaki, Japan. ... Buckingham Palace and the Victoria Memorial. ... June 7 is the 158th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (159th in leap years), with 207 days remaining. ... Bunting can refer to: The act of laying down a bunt, a type of offensive play in baseball. ... Flag Ratio: 1:2 Union Jack is the commonly used name for the Union Flag of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. ... London is the capital city of England and of the United Kingdom, and is the most populous city in the European Union. ... Neighbourhood is a creative-euphoric musical project led by Fabian Szewczyk and Greg Ganczewski (UK/Poland). ... A balcony comprising a balustrade supported at either end by plinths. ...

On 9 June, the Queen made a Royal Progress trip via boat down the River Thames from Greenwich to Lambeth, in a re-enactment of the famous progresses taken by Queen Elizabeth I. On the trip, the Queen officially opened the Silver Jubilee Walkway and the South Bank Jubilee Gardens, two of numerous places named after the festivities. In the evening, the Queen presided over a fireworks display and was subsequently taken by a procession of lighted carriages to Buckingham Palace, where she greeted onlookers yet again from her balcony. June 9 is the 160th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (161st in leap years), with 205 days remaining. ... A Royal Progress was a tour of their kingdom by a monarch and his or her entourage. ... The Thames (pronounced []) is a river flowing through southern England and connecting London with the sea. ... Greenwich (pronounced grenn-itch , or by the locals) is a town, now part of the south eastern urban sprawl of London, on the south bank of the River Thames in the London Borough of Greenwich. ... Lambeth is a place in the London Borough of Lambeth. ... Elizabeth I (7 September 1533–24 March 1603) was Queen of England, Queen of France (in name only), and Queen of Ireland from 17 November 1558 until her death. ... Tourists in a vis-a-vis, Prague The classic definition of a carriage is a four-wheeled horse-drawn private passenger vehicle with leaf springs (elliptical springs in the 19th century) or leather strapping for suspension, whether light, smart and fast or large and comfortable. ...

The Jubilee in popular culture

Before, during, and after the events of Jubilee, the event was addressed in many mediums of popular culture throughout the Commonwealth.

The most infamous event marking the Jubilee was the Sex Pistols' release of the vehement anti-monarchy song "God Save the Queen." The song was seen as an attack on both the royal family (which the Sex Pistols called a "fascist regime") and the United Kingdom as a nation. Originally titled "No Future," the end of the song calls for an end to "England's dreaming," as there will be "no future." On 7 June, the high day of celebrations, the Sex Pistols attempted to interrupt the Jubilee festivities by playing their song from a boat on the River Thames, but they were arrested after a brief scuffle. Despite overwhelming public approval for the royal family, there was enough discontent within the British public that many agreed with the song's message, and subsequently bought enough copies during Jubilee Week to rocket "God Save the Queen" to #2 on the UK pop charts (amid claims, never proved or disproved, that it had sold enough copies to hit #1 but had been kept off for political reasons). During the festivities and in the immediate aftermath, radio stations were under strict orders not to play the tune. Sex Pistols were, despite their short existence, a very influential English punk band. ... God Save the Queen (B-side Did You No Wrong) was the second single by punk band the Sex Pistols. ... June 7 is the 158th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (159th in leap years), with 207 days remaining. ...

The soap opera Coronation Street wrote an elaborate Jubilee parade into the storyline, having Rovers' Return manageress Annie Walker dress up in elaborate costume as Elizabeth I. Ken Barlow and "Uncle Albert" played Sir Edmund Hillary and Sherpa Tenzing respectively. The first TIME cover devoted to soap operas: Dated January 12, 1976, Bill Hayes and Susan Seaforth Hayes of Days of Our Lives are featured with the headline Soap Operas: Sex and suffering in the afternoon. A soap opera is an ongoing, episodic work of fiction, usually broadcast on television... Coronation Street is Britains longest-running television soap opera, and the UKs consistently highest-rated show. ... Annie Walker with Betty Turpin. ... Elizabeth I (7 September 1533–24 March 1603) was Queen of England, Queen of France (in name only), and Queen of Ireland from 17 November 1558 until her death. ... Kenneth Barlow (born 9 October 1939) is a character in the long-running British soap opera Coronation Street. ... Albert Tatlock Albert Tatlock was a fictional character on the British soap opera Coronation Street. ... Sir Edmund Hillary in 1957 after accompanying the first plane to land at the Marble Point ground air strip - Antarctica Sir Edmund Percival Hillary KG ONZ KBE (born July 20, 1919) is a New Zealand mountaineer and explorer. ... Tenzing Norgay (May 29(?) 1914 – May 9, 1986) was a Nepalese Sherpa mountaineer. ...

Lasting impact

Various places were named after the Jubilee. The under-construction Fleet Line of the London Underground was re-named the Jubilee Line, though it did not open until 1979. Other places named after the Jubilee were the Silver Jubilee Walkway and the South Bank Jubilee Gardens. The nickname the Tube comes from the circular tube-like tunnels through which the small-profile trains travel. ... The Jubilee Line is a line on the London Underground, coloured silver grey on the Tube map. ... This page refers to the year 1979. ...

Apart from names, the Jubilee also saw the borough of Derby granted the status of a city. Derby (pronounced dar-bee ) is a city in the East Midlands of England. ... Historically, city status was associated with the presence of a cathedral, such as York Minster. ...

Similar parties and parades were planned for the Golden Jubilee in 2002. Queen Elizabeth II makes an official appearance at the CBC Headquarters as part of her Jubilee goodwill tour, October 2002. ... For album titles with the same name, see 2002 (album). ...

External links

• Silver Jubilee page from royalinsight.gov.uk
• The Queen's Silver Jubilee address (4 May 1977), from the BBC
• This day in history (7 June 1977), from the BBC
• [1] advice on holding a street party

Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom
Ancestry: Descent | Ancestors
Commonwealth: Prime Ministers | Queen of Canada | Queen of Australia | Queen of New Zealand
Overseas Visits: State visits | Commonwealth visits
Titles: British titles and honours | Commonwealth titles and honours
Public Celebrations: Silver Jubilee | Golden Jubilee | Queen's Birthday