Elizabeth II Warning: You are not logged in. Your IP address will be publicly visible if you make any edits. If you log in or create an account, your edits will be attributed to your username, along with other benefits.Anti-spam check. Do not fill this in! === Diamond Jubilee and milestones === [[File:Day 194 - West Midlands Police - Royal Diamond Jubilee Visit (7555521830).jpg|thumb|Visiting [[Birmingham]] in July 2012 as part of the Diamond Jubilee tour]] The [[2012 Diamond Jubilee]] marked 60 years since Elizabeth's accession, and celebrations were held throughout her realms, the wider Commonwealth, and beyond. She and her husband undertook an extensive tour of the United Kingdom, while her children and grandchildren embarked on royal tours of other Commonwealth states on her behalf.<ref>{{Multiref|{{Cite news |date=7 March 2012 |title=Prince Harry pays tribute to the Queen in Jamaica |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-17281585 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120318154923/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-17281585 |archive-date=18 March 2012 |access-date=31 May 2012 |work=BBC News |mode=cs2}}; | {{Cite press release |title=Their Royal Highnesses The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall to Undertake a Royal Tour of Canada in 2012 |date=14 December 2011 |publisher=[[Government of Canada]] |url=https://www.canada.ca/en/news/archive/2011/12/their-royal-highnesses-prince-wales-duchess-cornwall-undertake-royal-tour-canada-2012.html |ref=none |access-date=31 May 2012 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180520183506/https://www.canada.ca/en/news/archive/2011/12/their-royal-highnesses-prince-wales-duchess-cornwall-undertake-royal-tour-canada-2012.html |archive-date=20 May 2018 |mode=cs2}}}}</ref> On 4 June, Jubilee beacons were lit around the world.<ref>{{Cite news |title=Event News |url=https://www.diamond-jubilee-beacons.buzzsites.co.uk/pages/event_news_162371.cfm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181116075010/https://www.diamond-jubilee-beacons.buzzsites.co.uk/pages/event_news_162371.cfm |archive-date=16 November 2018 |access-date=28 April 2016 |publisher=The Queen's Diamond Jubilee Beacons |mode=cs2}}</ref> On 18 December, the Queen became the first British [[sovereign]] to attend a peacetime [[Cabinet of the United Kingdom|Cabinet meeting]] since [[George III]] in 1781.<ref>{{Cite news |date=18 December 2012 |title=UK to name part of Antarctica Queen Elizabeth Land |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-20757382 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130128080212/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-20757382 |archive-date=28 January 2013 |access-date=9 June 2019 |work=BBC News |mode=cs2}}</ref> Elizabeth, who opened the [[Montreal Summer Olympics]] in 1976, also opened the [[2012 Summer Olympics]] and [[2012 Summer Paralympics|Paralympics]] in London, making her the first [[List of people who have opened the Olympic Games|head of state to open]] two [[Olympic Games]] in two countries.<ref>{{Cite news |date=24 July 2012 |title=Canada's Olympic Broadcast Media Consortium Announces Broadcast Details for London 2012 Opening Ceremony, Friday |url=https://www.newswire.ca/en/story/1011615/canada-s-olympic-broadcast-media-consortium-announces-broadcast-details-for-london-2012-opening-ceremony-friday |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150402092404/https://www.newswire.ca/en/story/1011615/canada-s-olympic-broadcast-media-consortium-announces-broadcast-details-for-london-2012-opening-ceremony-friday |archive-date=2 April 2015 |access-date=22 March 2015 |agency=PR Newswire |mode=cs2}}</ref> For the London Olympics, she portrayed herself in [[Happy & Glorious|a short film]] as part of [[2012 Summer Olympics opening ceremony|the opening ceremony]], alongside [[Daniel Craig]] as [[James Bond]].<ref>{{Cite news |last=Brown |first=Nicholas |date=27 July 2012 |title=How James Bond whisked the Queen to the Olympics |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-19018666 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190419193112/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-19018666 |archive-date=19 April 2019 |access-date=27 July 2012 |work=BBC News |mode=cs2}}</ref> On 4 April 2013, she received an honorary [[BAFTA]] award for her [[patronage]] of the film industry and was called "the most memorable [[Bond girl]] yet" at a special presentation at Windsor Castle.<ref>{{Cite news |date=4 April 2013 |title=Queen honoured with Bafta award for film and TV support |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-22035942 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130407054746/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-22035942 |archive-date=7 April 2013 |access-date=7 April 2013 |work=BBC News |mode=cs2}}</ref> [[File:Official Opening of the Borders Rail - 21086557488.jpg|thumb|Opening the [[Borders Railway]] on the day she became the longest-reigning British monarch, 2015. In her speech, she said she had never aspired to achieve that milestone.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Berry |first=Ciara |date=9 September 2015 |title=A speech by The Queen at the Borders Railway, Scotland |url=https://www.royal.uk/queens-speech-borders-railway-scotland-9-september-2015 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220606155117/https://www.royal.uk/queens-speech-borders-railway-scotland-9-september-2015 |archive-date=6 June 2022 |access-date=8 September 2022 |work=The Royal Family |mode=cs2}}</ref>]] On 3 March 2013, the Queen stayed overnight at [[King Edward VII's Hospital]] as a precaution after developing symptoms of [[gastroenteritis]].<ref>{{Cite news |date=4 March 2013 |title=Queen leaves hospital after stomach bug |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-21659635 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130304151251/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-21659635 |archive-date=4 March 2013 |access-date=4 March 2013 |work=BBC News |mode=cs2}}</ref> A week later, she signed the new [[Charter of the Commonwealth]].<ref>{{Cite news |date=11 March 2013 |title=Recovering Queen signs Commonwealth charter |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-21737817 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161024024324/https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-21737817 |archive-date=24 October 2016 |access-date=23 October 2016 |work=BBC News |mode=cs2}}</ref> In 2013, because of her age and the need for her to limit travelling, she chose not to attend the biennial [[Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting]] for the first time in 40 years. She was represented at the [[2013 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting|summit in Sri Lanka]] by Prince Charles.<ref>{{Cite news |date=7 May 2013 |title=Queen to miss Commonwealth meeting |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-22431757 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210125220445/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-22431757 |archive-date=25 January 2021 |access-date=7 May 2013 |work=BBC News |mode=cs2}}</ref> On 20 April 2018, the Commonwealth heads of government announced that she would be succeeded as Head of the Commonwealth by her son Charles, which the Queen stated as her "sincere wish".<ref>{{Cite news |date=20 April 2018 |title=Charles to be next Commonwealth head |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-43840710 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180420141358/https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-43840710 |archive-date=20 April 2018 |access-date=21 April 2018 |work=BBC News |mode=cs2}}</ref> She underwent [[cataract surgery]] in May 2018.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Collier |first=Hatty |date=8 June 2018 |title=The Queen undergoes eye surgery to remove cataract |url=https://uk.news.yahoo.com/queen-undergoes-eye-surgery-remove-141520545.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210308052447/https://uk.news.yahoo.com/queen-undergoes-eye-surgery-remove-141520545.html |archive-date=8 March 2021 |access-date=19 March 2021 |work=[[Evening Standard]] |via=Yahoo! News |mode=cs2}}</ref> In March 2019, she gave up driving on public roads, largely as a consequence of a car accident involving her husband two months earlier.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Nikkash |first=Roya |date=31 March 2019 |title=Queen slams brakes on driving in public |url=https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/queen-slams-brakes-on-driving-in-public-5q5k8dchn |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190331174928/https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/queen-slams-brakes-on-driving-in-public-5q5k8dchn |archive-date=31 March 2019 |access-date=31 March 2019 |work=The Times |mode=cs2}}</ref> On 21 December 2007, Elizabeth surpassed her great-great-grandmother, Queen Victoria, to become the longest-lived British monarch, and she became the [[List of monarchs in Britain by length of reign|longest-reigning British monarch]] and [[List of longest-reigning monarchs|longest-reigning queen regnant]] and female head of state in the world on 9 September 2015.<ref>{{Multiref|{{Cite news |date=6 September 2014 |title=Elizabeth Set to Beat Victoria's Record as Longest Reigning Monarch in British History |url=https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2014/09/06/elizabeth-set-to-beat-victorias-record-as-longest-reigning-monarch-in-british-history_n_5777134.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140926132141/https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2014/09/06/elizabeth-set-to-beat-victorias-record-as-longest-reigning-monarch-in-british-history_n_5777134.html |archive-date=26 September 2014 |access-date=28 September 2014 |work=[[HuffPost]] |mode=cs2}}; | {{Cite news |last=Modh |first=Shrikant |date=11 September 2015 |title=The Longest Reigning Monarch Queen Elizabeth II |work=Philately News |url=https://philatelynews.com/the-longest-reigning-monarch-queen-elizabeth-ii |access-date=20 November 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171201033651/https://philatelynews.com/the-longest-reigning-monarch-queen-elizabeth-ii |archive-date=1 December 2017 |ref=none |mode=cs2}} }}</ref> She became the oldest living monarch after the death of [[King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia]] on 23 January 2015.<ref>{{Multiref|{{Cite news |date=24 January 2015 |title=Queen Elizabeth II is now world's oldest monarch |url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/international/world/queen-elizabeth-ii-becomes-worlds-oldest-monarch/article6818895.ece |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200102192250/https://www.thehindu.com/news/international/world/queen-elizabeth-ii-becomes-worlds-oldest-monarch/article6818895.ece |archive-date=2 January 2020 |access-date=20 November 2017 |work=The Hindu |mode=cs2}}; | {{Cite news |last=Rayner |first=Gordon |date=23 January 2015 |title=Queen becomes world's oldest monarch following death of King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia |work=The Telegraph |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/queen-elizabeth-II/11364902/Queen-becomes-worlds-oldest-monarch-following-death-of-King-Abdullah-of-Saudi-Arabia.html |url-status=live |url-access=subscription |access-date=20 November 2017 |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/bB0Fi |archive-date=10 January 2022 |ref=none |mode=cs2}}{{Cbignore}}}}</ref> She later became the longest-reigning current monarch and the [[List of current state leaders by date of assumption of office|longest-serving current head of state]] following the [[death of King Bhumibol]] of Thailand on 13 October 2016,<ref>{{Multiref|{{Cite news |date=13 October 2016 |title=Thailand's King Bhumibol Adulyadej dies at 88 |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-37643326 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161013123050/https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-37643326 |archive-date=13 October 2016 |access-date=23 April 2022 |work=BBC News |mode=cs2}}; | {{Cite news |last=Addley |first=Esther |date=13 October 2016 |title=Queen Elizabeth II is longest-reigning living monarch after Thai king's death |work=The Guardian |url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2016/oct/13/queen-elizabeth-ii-is-longest-reigning-living-monarch-after-thai-kings-death |url-status=live |access-date=23 April 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220423145926/https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2016/oct/13/queen-elizabeth-ii-is-longest-reigning-living-monarch-after-thai-kings-death |archive-date=23 April 2022 |ref=none |mode=cs2}}}}</ref> and the [[Lists of state leaders by age|oldest current head of state]] on the [[resignation of Robert Mugabe]] of Zimbabwe on 21 November 2017.<ref>{{Cite news |date=14 November 2017 |title=Queen Elizabeth II will be the world's oldest head of state if Robert Mugabe is toppled |url=https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/queen-elizabeth-ii-will-be-the-world-e2-80-99s-oldest-head-of-state-if-robert-mugabe-is-toppled/ar-BBF0dPV |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171115195819/https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/queen-elizabeth-ii-will-be-the-world-e2-80-99s-oldest-head-of-state-if-robert-mugabe-is-toppled/ar-BBF0dPV |archive-date=15 November 2017 |access-date=20 November 2017 |publisher=MSN |mode=cs2}}</ref> On 6 February 2017, she became the first British monarch to commemorate [[Sapphire Jubilee of Elizabeth II|a sapphire jubilee]],<ref>{{Cite news |last=Rayner |first=Gordon |date=29 January 2017 |title=The Blue Sapphire Jubilee: Queen will not celebrate 65th anniversary but instead sit in 'quiet contemplation' remembering father's death |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/01/28/blue-sapphire-jubilee-queen-will-not-celebrate-65th-anniversary |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/IGX3p |archive-date=10 January 2022 |access-date=3 February 2017 |work=The Telegraph |mode=cs2}}{{Cbignore}}</ref> and on 20 November that year, she was the first British monarch to celebrate a platinum wedding anniversary.<ref>{{Cite news |date=20 November 2017 |title=Queen and Prince Philip portraits released to mark 70th anniversary |url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2017/nov/20/queen-prince-philip-portraits-platinum-wedding-70th-anniversary |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171120085334/https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2017/nov/20/queen-prince-philip-portraits-platinum-wedding-70th-anniversary |archive-date=20 November 2017 |access-date=20 November 2017 |work=The Guardian |agency=Press Association |mode=cs2}}</ref> Philip had retired from his official duties as the Queen's consort in August 2017.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Bilefsky |first=Dan |date=2 August 2017 |title=Prince Philip Makes His Last Solo Appearance, After 65 Years in the Public Eye |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/08/02/world/europe/uk-prince-philip-retired-queen-elizabeth.html |access-date=4 August 2017 |work=The New York Times |mode=cs2}}{{Cbignore}}</ref> Summary: Please note that all contributions to Christianpedia may be edited, altered, or removed by other contributors. 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