Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II, 91, and Prince Philip, 96, are the first British monarchs to celebrate their platinum anniversary.
On November 20, 1947, the couple married at London’s Westminster Abbey, attracting worldwide royalty and large patriotic crowds, just two years after World War Two had ended. Former Prime Minister Winston Churchill honoured the marriage saying, “Millions welcome this joyous event as a flash of colour on the hard road we have to travel."
Dinner party
Although no public events are being held 70 years on, a low-key dinner party with close family and friends is being hosted by the Queen and Prince Philp at Windsor Castle.
To commemorate the special occasion a photo was taken by Matt Holyoak of the royal couple posing together in the White Drawing Room at Windsor Palace. Situated in front of two of Thomas Gainsborough’s paintings, their positioning held significance – the couple, George II and Queen Charlotte were famously dedicated to each other for 57-years.
Attached to the queen’s cream Angela Kelly day dress is a ‘Sarab’ encrusted with diamonds, rubies and gold that was designed by Andrew Grima, and was a personal gift from Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, in 1966.
Abbey bells
Prior wedding anniversaries saw the queen and prince celebrate their silver, golden and diamond milestones at the Abbey. This year the Abbey itself will honour the royal couple’s marriage for three hours with bell rings involving 5,070 sequence changes, with the 70 replicating their 70th Wedding Anniversary.
Philip, a naval officer, and the son of Prince Andrew of Greece met Elizabeth when she attended his cousin’s wedding in 1934. Five years after Queen Elizabeth and Price Philips marriage, the queen succeeded her father George VI and has been on the throne for 65 years with Philip by her side, making it the longest reigning rule in British history.
In 1997, on the couples 50th wedding anniversary, Queen Elizabeth said, “He has, quite simply, been my strength and stay all these years.” The couples closeness and long-lasting marriage has also been cemented by their shared sense of humour.
Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip have stood by each other's side throughout focal events in history which you can see in these pictures, as well as seven decades of marriage.
This video of the royal couples 1947 wedding really portrays the happiness and excitement that Britain was experiencing on that Thursday afternoon, 70 years ago.