17 April Historical Events: Know about major events that took place on this date

Many historical events have occurred all around the world, and many of them have had a significant impact on how the world operates now. In line with these events, a lot has changed in the past few decades in various fields including science, medicine, technology, entertainment, and others.

Speaking of which, today on 17 April, several world-changing events have taken place in the past. From the debut of the Game of Thrones on HBO to the Canada Act being proclaimed, we have curated a list of some major incidents that have left a mark on world history. Check out the timeline of events that took place on this date.

17 April Historical Events 

1970 – Apollo 13 returned to Earth

After facing a severe malfunction in space, Apollo 13, a US lunar spacecraft safely entered the Earth’s atmosphere on 17 April 1970. The spacecraft which was carrying three astronauts including James A. Lovell, Jr., Fred W. Haise, Jr., and John L. Swigert, Jr. splashed down in the Pacific Ocean.

1982 – The Canada Act was proclaimed

A month after being approved by the British Parliament, the Canada Act, also known as the Constitution Act was proclaimed by Queen Elizabeth II on 17 April 1982. The Act went on to make Canada a fully independent and sovereign state and further established certain individual rights.

2003 – Finland got its first woman Prime Minister

After appointing Anneli Jäätteenmäki as the 39th Prime Minister, Finland became the second country after New Zealand to install a woman head of both state and government. She served in the position from 17 April 2003 to 24 June 2003.

2011 – Game of Thrones

One of the highly popular and favourite TV shows among viewers across the world, Game of Thrones which is based on George RR Martin’s fantasy book ‘A Song of Ice and Fire’, made its debut on HBO. Spanning over eight seasons with a total of 73 episodes, the show concluded on 19 May 2019.

2021 – Funeral of Prince Philip

On 17 April 2021, the funeral of Prince Philip, also known as the Duke of Edinburgh was held by the royal family at the St George’s Chapel in Windsor Castle. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the list of attendees was kept limited to family members.

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