Queen Elizabeth II celebrates Platinum Jubilee

Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II

Prof. M Zahidul Haque

ON February 6, 2022, HM Queen Elizabeth II accomplished the historic milestone to celebrate a Platinum Jubilee marking a 70-year reign. She is the World’s longest-reigning Monarch. In 1952, then Princess Elizabeth acceded to the British throne at the age of just 25 and devoted herself to the service of the people of the United Kingdom, the Realms, and the Commonwealth. It may be mentioned here that at her accession, the Commonwealth was a body of only eight states which has over time grown to a large international organization with 54 countries including Bangladesh as its members. Not only the United Kingdom but the Commonwealth as well saw remarkable progress and modernization under the prudent and dynamic leadership of HM Queen Elizabeth II. In one sentence, HM Queen Elizabeth II is the most accomplished Monarch in the World.M Zahidul Haque  

To celebrate the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee, the United Kingdom has chalked out an elaborate program which includes Trooping the Color Parade, four-day Jubilee weekend, etc. The British Government is preparing for a ‘once-in-a-generation shows’ observing the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee.

One of the most significant programs (also this writer appreciates) of the Platinum Jubilee celebration, is the “THE QUEEN’S GREEN CANOPY (QGC)” – a unique tree planting initiative with a campaign “Plant a Tree for the Jubilee”. Earlier the Queen and the Prince of Wales planted the first Jubilee tree – an oak tree in the Winsor Castle. It may be indicated here that the Queen has planted more than 1500 trees all over the world during her reign. 

While visiting the National Institute of Agricultural Botany, Cambridge to celebrate 100 years of crop research, the Queen planted a hornbeam tree with her own hands grabbing a shovel. This reflects the Queen’s love for plants and the greening of the landscape.

The tree plantation program has also been extended to the Commonwealth countries under the ‘Queen’s Commonwealth Canopy (QCC)’. The objective of the QGC and the QCC is to create awareness among the people of the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth countries to protect the environment in the fight against Climate Change perspective and also to increase cognizance about the value of indigenous forests to save them for the future generations. These initiatives will also help to protect, promote and preserve rainforests (e.g. the Amazon rainforest) and the mangrove forests (the Sundarban mangrove forests) for the greater good of our dear planet-The Earth!

As a part of the Platinum Jubilee celebration, a competition for the people aged 13-25 living in the United Kingdom was jointly organized by the Victoria and Albert Museum (V and A) in conjunction with the Buckingham Palace to design an emblem for the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee 2022. Nineteen-year-old Edward Roberts, a graphic design student from Nottinghamshire studying at Leeds University has won the national competition by designing a beautiful emblem depicting the background of the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee in 2022. This emblem will be prominent in all the Platinum Jubilee celebrations events including jubilee publications, merchandise, official websites, and the Royal Family’s social media accounts. 

Meanwhile, it is a matter of much concern that the Queen has recently been tested positive for COVID-19. But Her Majesty is under pandemic protocol and reportedly improving. We pray for her quick and complete recovery.

Finally, in appreciation of HM Queen Elizabeth II’s historic and unprecedented achievement, this writer wishes to insert a ‘Quote by Entity’ (ref; HM QUEEN ELIZABETH II@ Lilibet_, on Twitter) ‘Sometimes the strongest women are the ones who love beyond all faults, cry behind closed doors and fight battles that nobody knows about”.

(The Writer is a Professor (PRL) at Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University, Dhaka)