Queen and Philip's wedding anniversary: New portrait celebrates 70 years of royal devotion
THE Queen and Prince Philip have released a new portrait to commemorate their 70th wedding anniversary as the royals become the longest married couple in British royal history.
CAMERA PRESS•MATT HOLYOAK•AFP GETTY
The portrait by British photographer Matt Holyoak, of Camera Press, were taken in the White Drawing Room at the couple’s royal residence, Windsor Castle, earlier this month.
The thrifty Queen is wearing a cream day dress by Angela Kelly, the same frock she wore at the Diamond Wedding Anniversary Service of Thanksgiving.
In a mark to seven decades of marriage with her childhood sweetheart, the longest reigning monarch also wears the 'Scarab' brooch in yellow gold, carved ruby and diamond, designed by Andrew Grima, which was given to her by her husband in 1966.
The Queen and Prince Philip are framed by Thomas Gainsborough's 1781 portraits of George III and Queen Charlotte, who were married for 57 years.
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CAMERA PRESS/Matt Holyoak
The thrifty Queen is wearing a cream day dress by Angela Kelly, the same frock she wore at the Diamond Wedding Anniversary Service of Thanksgiving
The world watched on as a “shy” and “radiant” 21-year-old Princess Elizabeth married Philip Mountbatten, Duke of Edinburgh, in Westminster Abbey on November 20, 1947.
Just five years later, Elizabeth was crowned Queen following the sudden death of her father, King George VI.
A winter’s day in London, the wedding ceremony was recorded and broadcast to 200 million people around the world.
Thousands of well-wishers gathered outside Westminster Abbey, some even clambering on top of telephone boxes to catch glimpse of the Queen, known as Princess Elizabeth back then, and her prince.
New stamps issued to commemorate 70th wedding anniversary of Queen and Prince Philip
Sat, November 18, 2017The Royal Mail have released a set of stamps to commemorate the 70th Wedding Anniversary of The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh. The six-stamp set features paired images from their engagement period, wedding and honeymoon
Just two years after the Second World War, Britain was still recovering from the Blitz and rationing was in effect for everyone, ven the royal family, which saw the Queen save up clothing coupons to purchase her ivory satin wedding gown.
Princess Elizabeth, as she was then known, also did her own make-up on her wedding day.
And from that momentous day in 1947 the monarch and her husband will now celebrate their 70th wedding anniversary - making them the longest married British royal couple in history.
The pair will mark the seven decades of marriage by hosting a low-key dinner party with family and friends, as royal sources say they could not face celebrating the anniversary in public after losing so many friends over the last few years.
PA/ROYAL COLLECTION TRUST
The anniversary will also see set commemorative souvenirs, including a set of double-headed platinum coins, a new biography of the couple, and a single to raise money for one of their charities.
The platinum wedding coins show a double profile portrait of the couple on one side of the coin, while the reverse shows the monarch and her husband on horseback, with the words "wedded love has joined them in happiness 1947-2017" written around the edge.
Meanwhile, Royal Mail have released a new set of stamps of the Queen and Duke of Edinburgh, including images of their wedding and honeymoon.
The six stamps include an image of the royal couple on their honeymoon in the grounds of Broadlands, Romsey, Hampshire, looking at photographs of their wedding and one of the royal couple walking down the aisle of Westminster Abbey after their wedding service.
Two stamps mark their engagement announcement in July 1947, showing the couple at Buckingham Palace.
