Year 2000 Solid Gold Silver Coin Millennium Royal Mint Queen Sterling 1999 Old

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Seller: checkoutmyunqiuefunitems ✉️ (3,666) 99.9%, Location: Manchester, Take a look at my other items, GB, Ships to: WORLDWIDE, Item: 276324125655 Year 2000 Solid Gold Silver Coin Millennium Royal Mint Queen Sterling 1999 Old. November 15 Inauguration of Rodrigo Duterte. Pro-Russian separatists in Donetsk, Ukraine. Pope Francis in Poland. Inauguration of Benigno Aquino III. UTC+5 to +3. Complete with the Original Case, Brochure and COA. Millenium Year 2000 Two Coin Crown Set Limited Edition to just 100,000 sets This is Two Millenium Coin Set 0.999 Solid Silver & Gold Plated 2000 Crown Coin and a 0.999 Solid Silver 2000 Crown Coin  Complete with the Original Case, Brochure and COA Neither coin has never been removed from its original air tight case There is also five millennium stamps Canada 1999 / 2000 Hologram Stamp Canada Boy with Peace Dove Stamp USA Baby Year 2000 Stamp Sydney Olympics 2000 Logo Stamp Australia Celebration 1999 / 2000 Hologram Stamp Manufacturer: Royal Mint Issuing Country: United Kingdom Year: 2000 Monarch: Elizabeth II (1953 - 2022) Collections: Millennium Denomination: £5 Special Features: Gold Plating Metal: Silver Purity: .999 Metal Content: 0.841 Troy Ounce Weight: 28.28 Grams Diameter: 38.61mm Quality: Silver Proof Issue Limit: 100,000 Worldwide Presentation: Boxed with Certificate In 2000 to celebrate the Millennium, the Royal Mint released  a very Limited Issue Millennium £5 Five Pound Silver Proof Coin  struck in solid .999 Silver with 22 Carat Gold Plating. At midnight on 31 December 1999, there will be a vital moment shared by the thousand years past and the thousand years that stretch head. It is this portentous moment that is captured on the reverse of the United Kingdom, Millennium £5 Five Pound Crown Coin. Poised on the threshold of time, the British Isles are shown carefully positioned on a symbolic clock-face, the hands set at the crucial twelve o'clock between the dates 1999 and 2000 and appropriately pivoted at Greenwich, the Prime Meridian of the World since 1884 and thus the source of World Time. The significance of the moment is emphasised in the words chosen for the edge inscription WHAT'S PAST IS PROLOGUE taken from Shakespeare's 'The Tempest'. They appear as raised edge lettering around the edge of the Coin, a feature popular with collectors but rarely seen in recent years. The obverse design is Ian Rank Broadley's portrait of Queen Elizabeth II. These legal tender coins have been struck to proof quality using specially prepared dies and highly polished blanks. Limited Mintage 100,000 Worldwide Finished to Royal Mint's Proof Quality Struck in Solid .925 Sterling Silver with 22 Carat Gold Plating Celebrating the Millennium Royal Mint Boxed with Certificate of Authenticity In Excellent Condition    Magnificent Keepsake Souvenir to Remember the Millenium
A Beautiful and Magnificent Keepsake Souvenir to Remember this historical day In Good Condiiton for its age over 20 years old A Must-Have Souvenir
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Tianjin, Kuala Lumpur, Toronto, Milan, Shenyang, Dallas, Fort Worth, Boston, Belo Horizonte, Khartoum, Riyadh, Singapore, Washington, Detroit, Barcelona,, Houston, Athens, Berlin, Sydney, Atlanta, Guadalajara, San Francisco, Oakland, Montreal, Monterey, Melbourne, Ankara, Recife, Phoenix/Mesa, Durban, Porto Alegre, Dalian, Jeddah, Seattle, Cape Town, San Diego, Fortaleza, Curitiba, Rome, Naples, Minneapolis, St. Paul, Tel Aviv, Birmingham, Frankfurt, Lisbon, Manchester, San Juan, Katowice, Tashkent, Fukuoka, Baku, Sumqayit, St. Louis, Baltimore, Sapporo, Tampa, St. Petersburg, Taichung, Warsaw, Denver, Cologne, Bonn, Hamburg, Dubai, Pretoria, Vancouver, Beirut, Budapest, Cleveland, Pittsburgh, Campinas, Harare, Brasilia, Kuwait, Munich, Portland, Brussels, Vienna, San Jose, Damman , Copenhagen, Brisbane, Riverside, San Bernardino, Cincinnati and AccraElizabeth The millennium celebrations were a worldwide, coordinated series of events to celebrate and commemorate the end of 1999 and the start of the year 2000 in the Gregorian calendar. The celebrations were held as marking the end of the 2nd millennium and the 20th century, and the start of the 3rd millennium and the 21st century (although the start and end points of such periods was then, and continues to be, disputed). Countries around the globe held official festivities in the weeks and months leading up to the date, such as those organised in the United States by the White House Millennium Council, and most major cities produced firework displays at midnight. Equally, many private venues, cultural and religious centres held events[1] and a diverse range of memorabilia was created, including souvenir postage stamps.[2] As with every New Year's Eve, many events were timed with the stroke of midnight in the time zone of the location. There were also many events associated with the dawn on 1 January. An international television broadcast called 2000 Today was produced by a consortium of 60 broadcasters, while an alternative program Millennium Live was cancelled two days before the event. Several countries in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, and hence close to the International Date Line made arguments they were the first to enter the new millennium. Variously, the Chatham Islands, New Zealand, Tonga, Fiji and Kiribati all laid claims to the status – by moving the dateline itself, the temporary institution of daylight saving time, and claiming the "first territory", "first land", "first inhabited land" or "first city" to see the new year.[3] Events Standard Time Zones Map from 1999. (Sri Lanka was on UTC+6, Belarus, Turkey, Syria and Jordan were on UTC+2, Morocco was on UTC±0, and Samoa and Tokelau were on UTC-11.) Celebrations occurred from right to left. This list is incomplete; you can help by adding missing items. (October 2015) UTC+14 The US Navy submarine Topeka positioned itself 400 metres (1,300 ft) underwater, straddling both the International Date Line and the Equator.[4] At Caroline Island in the mid-Pacific, renamed as "Millennium Island", the Republic of Kiribati claimed the first land to see the new millennium.[5] Simultaneously, a ceremony was held in Tonga, consisting of a choir recitation of Hallelujah, and an address by King Tāufaʻāhau Tupou IV.[6] On the Chatham Islands (UTC+13:45) there was a Māori blessing. "As they faced the Pacific Ocean, a beacon was lit and school children sang."[7] UTC+13 In Auckland, a fireworks display on the Harbour made New Zealand the first industrial nation to celebrate the year 2000, being just west of the International Date Line. UTC+12 UTC+11 Sydney, the host city of the 2000 Summer Olympics, held a large fireworks display centering on the Harbour Bridge, with the locally famous graffito Eternity being recreated.[8] For the first time in its history, the Sydney Opera House precinct was almost completely cordoned off from the public. Instead, tickets costing as much as A$2,000 each were being sold for Opera House parties.[5] However, public transport and access was available to view the fireworks on the Bridge, which included a "waterfall" effect.[9] UTC+10 Adelaide's celebrations were at their Central Business District with a special presentation before the countdown and many fireworks. Adelaide was on UTC+10:30 during daylight saving time. Brisbane's celebrations were broadcast live on ABC (Australia) and worldwide via 2000 Today. UTC+9 In Tokyo, there were a series of concerts (NHK's Kōhaku Uta Gassen at NHK Hall, Johnny's Countdown Live at the Tokyo Dome) and a fireworks display. At midnight, temple bells across Japan were rung 108 times to "dispel the evils of mankind".[4] Fireworks over Seoul, South Korea in January 1, 2000 The Japanese heavy metal band Seikima-II played its last concert "The Doomsday" before its first breakup on 31 December. A major part of the band's fictional storyline was a prophecy stating that they would conquer the world before breaking up in 1999, with the name of the band itself being a pun meaning "the end of the century" in Japanese. Following the conclusion of the concert at 23:59:59 on 31 December (a second before midnight), the band disbanded and could be seen disappearing into a portal of light leaving the stage.[10] UTC+8 The traditional Chinese New Year did not start until 5 February of that year, however celebrations were still held in Beijing alongside fireworks and dragon dances. At midnight, Chinese paramount leader Jiang Zemin lit a flame dedicated to the history of Chinese civilization.[11] In Hong Kong, at eight minutes to midnight, film star Jackie Chan led a group of singers, and at the stroke of midnight, a fireworks display began. In the Philippines, millennium parties simultaneously began in different parts of the country. President Joseph Estrada and top government officials joined celebrations at the Rizal Park (which was broadcast on ABS-CBN), while at the Ayala Millennium Center, Regine Velasquez sang the Philippine Millennium Theme Song, "Written in the Sand" at the top of the Peninsula Manila at about ten minutes to the Philippine midnight as part of the Philippine presentation on 2000 Today (Global Millennium Day broadcast on GMA). In Singapore, a pop trio consisting of Fann Wong, Tanya Chua and Elsa Lin performed a millennium song for Singapore, entitled Moments of Magic. UTC+7 Fireworks for the Vietnamese New Year in February were cancelled; in turn, Ho Chi Minh City organized a countdown party on 31 December at 10 pm, culminating in fireworks which began at midnight.[citation needed] UTC+6 In India (UTC+5:30), many Indians use the Hindu calendar, but the start of the year 2000 was still celebrated. On New Year's Eve, fireworks were observed in the capital New Delhi. This was overshadowed by the return of Indian Airlines Flight 814's passengers and crew, who arrived home from Afghanistan after being held hostage for a week. One way the new millennium was celebrated in India was with the grand opening of the Thiruvalluvar Statue a 41 m (133 ft) stone statue in Kanyakumari, Tamil Nadu, depicting Valluvar, a Tamil speaking poet, philosopher and author of the Tirukkural, a book on morality.[12] Both Valluvar and the Tirukkural are treated with reverence by Tamil speakers regardless of political or religious background with the Tirukkural considered the most important work written in Tamil.[13] UTC+5 to +3 Boris Yeltsin during his New Year's Eve address. 4:46CC Vladimir Putin's New Year address (in Russian). Moscow's government and the Russian national government had sponsored parties across the city. Celebrations were held at the Spasskaya Tower to ring in the new millennium. The President of Russia Boris Yeltsin unexpectedly announced his resignation during his annual Presidential New Year Address.[14] For the rest of the day and into 2000, Prime Minister Vladimir Putin served as Acting President, and he gave a New Year address of his own on the same day.[15][16] In March 2000, Putin was elected as president in his own right.[17] UTC+2 South Africa's Nelson Mandela lit a candle in his former cell at Robben Island at the stroke of midnight. Athens held a fireworks display over the Acropolis and a televised choir sang the Olympic anthem, a Byzantine anthem and the Greek national anthem.[18] In Giza, a concert entitled The Twelve Dreams of the Sun with music by Jean-Michel Jarre was held on the Pyramids. At the time, most Egyptians were observing the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.[19] In Jerusalem, and particularly at the Mount of Olives, fears that doomsday fanatics "...could try to trigger an apocalypse prompted one of Israel's biggest peacetime police operations."[4] In Helsinki, The Celebration Was In the Senate Square. UTC+1 Paris was the focal point of celebrations in France where searchlights and 20,000 strobe lights for the event were installed on the Eiffel Tower. They remained in operation until June 2003, when they were replaced by another installation.[20] In Madrid, star-shaped balloons were set up at midnight on top of the Casa de Correos building in Puerta del Sol Square.[21] In Stockholm, the band Europe performed a concert to celebrate the new millennium.[22][23] This was the first concert played by the band since 1992 when they went on hiatus, and they were brought back together due to a request to perform such a concert.[22][23] For the first and (so far only) time, both of their lead guitarists, John Norum and Kee Marcello played together, as both of them had accepted the offer of playing with the band that night.[22][23] The two songs performed, "Rock the Night" and "The Final Countdown", the band's two biggest hits, had extra meaning due to the night they were sung on.[22][23] In Vatican City, Pope John Paul II led a blessing in St Peter's Square. UTC±0 In London, attention focused around Big Ben, as well as the opening of the Millennium Dome with which Prime Minister Tony Blair, his wife Cherie, and Queen Elizabeth II attended.[24] A huge fireworks display, called the "River of Fire", went along 4 miles (6 km) of the River Thames. In Cardiff, Wales, Welsh band, Manic Street Preachers held a concert at the Millennium Stadium. Named, 'Manic Millennium' it was attended by 57,000 fans and led to the release of Leaving the 20th Century. The final song A Design for Life was broadcast live worldwide. The Irish national radio and television organisation RTÉ produced a marathon 19-hour broadcast called Millennium Eve: Celebrate 2000, while the BBC in the United Kingdom headed an international 28-hour event known as 2000 Today. UTC–1 UTC–2 Rio de Janeiro held a special party led by Gal Costa at minutes to midnight. South Georgia and the Sandwich Islands became the first place in the Americas to celebrate the millennium but with no people on it, all of the British inhabitants chose to spend the midnight celebrations back at GMT time.[citation needed] UTC–3 Argentina's celebration was centered in Ushuaia, the southernmost city in the world, with a tango performance by Julio Bocca and Eleonora Cassano, broadcast on ARTEAR (El Trece)'s El Día del Milenio and worldwide through the BBC-led 2000 Today. UTC–4 In Newfoundland (UTC-4:30), a concert was held that was broadcast to thousands of Canadians as the small island celebrated being the first place in North America to welcome the 21st century. Meanwhile, in Bermuda, celebrations were marked as the first Caribbean nation to crossover to the new millennium reached its highest at midnight. UTC–5 The millennium celebration with ABC News during the ABC 2000 Today broadcast in Times Square. In Ottawa, Canadian Prime Minister Jean Chrétien presided over celebrations on Parliament Hill, which included artistic performances and a midnight fireworks display launched from the Peace Tower.[25][26] Fireworks were launched from the CN Tower in Toronto.[25] In Montreal, thousands attended a Celine Dion millennium concert at the Molson Centre, which concluded her Let's Talk About Love World Tour.[27] In New York City's Times Square, a new Times Square Ball made of Waterford Crystal was commissioned and organizers expected a total attendance exceeding two million spectators.[28] It was broadcast live during ABC 2000 Today with Peter Jennings and Dick Clark in the United States, and worldwide via 2000 Today.[29] Meanwhile, elsewhere in the city, in Madison Square Garden, Billy Joel was performing a special concert to celebrate the new millennium. Leading up to the first few moments of 2000, Joel sang a special song titled "2000 Years". After that, there was a brief countdown to the year 2000 and at the stroke of midnight, Joel sang "Auld Lang Syne", a song traditionally sung in the western world at the stroke of midnight in the first few seconds of the new year. The concert was released on an album titled "2000 Years: The Millennium Concert" in May 2000. A millennium celebration was held at the Walt Disney World in Florida, primarily at the Epcot theme park. U.S. President Bill Clinton watched with thousands of spectators in Washington, D.C. as the Washington Monument lit up at midnight. Washington was also the world's largest Y2K command center despite GMT being the coordinated time zone. In the Roxy Theatre in Atlanta, Georgia, the band Gov't Mule played three sets for a concert at the theatre to celebrate the millennium. At the first set, during the last few minutes before 2000, the band played their song "Towering Fool" which was then followed by a brief "Countdown Jam" for the remainder of the old year. Immediately after the millennium started, the band sang a cover of King Crimson's song "21st Century Schizoid Man" (the first time the band sang the song at a concert) to welcome the 21st century.[30] The concert was released as an album though not until 2010.[31] UTC–6 Chicago celebrated the millennium by hosting a fireworks show on Navy Pier, along with celebrations at homes and in Grant Park, as was viewed during the ABC 2000 Today broadcast.[29] UTC–7 Singer Neil Diamond sang "America" during a concert given by him at the Pepsi Center in Denver, Colorado and incorporated the Mountain Time millennium countdown and celebrations into the performance.[32] UTC–8 In Los Angeles, the Hollywood Sign became illuminated in various colors, one of the very few times the sign became lit.[33] It was also the last stop in the ABC 2000 Today broadcast in the United States.[29] UTC–9 Alaska was the next to celebrate the millennium, at Diomede Island, Fairbanks and Anchorage with Fireworks and Yupik drumming. Some of the planned celebrations had been canceled in Anchorage, as many people planned to stay home, [34]due to the temperature of minus-eight degrees Fahrenheit and fog. UTC–10 Hawaiian celebrations were centered in Honolulu. The party was headed by then-governor Benjamin Cayetano and his family. UTC–11 Samoa, the last independent nation to celebrate the new millennium, remains unchallenged in its claim as the last place on Earth to celebrate the closing of the century. This time zone remained in use in Samoa until 29 December 2011, when it would be shifted to UTC+13.[3] See also Year 2000 problem List of UTC time offsets 2000 millennium attack plots Notes References  "A pointer to celebrations". Asia week.com. CNN. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 26 October 2015.  "Stamp issue – Millennium Firsts". Posterity Post. Chatham Islands Postal Service. Archived from the original on 23 April 2014. Retrieved 26 October 2015.  Aimee, Harris (1999). "Millenium: Date Line Politics". Honolulu Magazine (August ed.): 20. Archived from the original on 28 June 2006. Retrieved 21 November 2012.  "Japan Holds Traditional, Millennium Celebrations". Orlando Sentinel. 1 January 2000. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 26 October 2015.  Rivera, Larry (1 January 2000). "Into the New Millennium". Australia Travel. About.com. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 21 November 2012.  "TONGA: MILLENNIUM CELEBRATIONS: MIDNIGHT". AP Archive. YouTube. 31 December 1999. Archived from the original on 13 March 2023. Retrieved 18 January 2022.  Beale, Jonathan (31 December 1999). "Celebrating on Chatham Island". BBC. Archived from the original on 6 March 2016. Retrieved 26 October 2015.  Dennis, Anthony (1 January 2000). "Millennium dawns". The Sydney Morning Herald. Fairfax Digital. Archived from the original on 23 December 2014. Retrieved 23 December 2014.  "Video of Sydney Millennium fireworks". YouTube. Archived from the original on 16 March 2016. Retrieved 3 November 2015.  "BLABBERMOUTH.NET - Japan's SEIKIMA-II To Release 'Akuma Nativity - Songs of the Sword' Compilation". www.roadrunnerrecords.com. Archived from the original on 9 October 2009.  "Sydney harbour first to light up". The Guardian. 1 January 2000. Archived from the original on 2 July 2022. Retrieved 2 July 2022.  "CM unveils Thiruvalluvar statue". The Hindu. 2 January 2000. Archived from the original on 2 September 2022. Retrieved 2 September 2022.  "India's Statue of Liberation". Hinduism Today. 1 May 2000. Archived from the original on 2 September 2022. Retrieved 2 September 2022.  "Yeltsin's resignation speech". MONITORING. BBC News. 31 December 1999. Archived from the original on 27 March 2022. Retrieved 22 May 2022.  "Новогоднее обращение исполняющего обязанности Президента Владимира Путина к гражданам России". Archived from the original on 27 May 2022. Retrieved 22 May 2022.  "0001_type84779_124026". Kremlin.ru.[permanent dead link]  "Putin — already Russia's longest leader since Stalin — signs law that may let him stay in power until 2036". USA Today. Archived from the original on 28 February 2022. Retrieved 22 May 2022.  "ET1". Youtube. Archived from the original on 4 September 2020. Retrieved 26 October 2015.  "The Twelve Dreams of the Sun was a concert by Jean Michel Jarre". YouTube. Archived from the original on 10 March 2016. Retrieved 3 November 2015.  "The Eiffel Tower's Illuminations". Société d'Exploitation de la Tour Eiffel. 30 October 2017. Archived from the original on 7 August 2018. Retrieved 7 August 2018.  "TeleMadrid – Campanadas 1999 [Entrada al 2000]". YouTube. 31 December 1999. Archived from the original on 21 April 2021. Retrieved 21 April 2021.  Ashcroft, Phil. "Marcello". Rathole. Archived from the original on 2 February 2008.  Cockett, Dave. "Europe". Rathole. Archived from the original on 14 December 2007.  "2000: World celebrates New Millennium". 1 January 2000. Retrieved 7 July 2023.  Branswell, Brenda; DeMont, John; Wood, Chris; Phillips, Andrew; Came, Barry; Fennell, Tom; Bergman, Brian; Geddes, John (10 January 2000). "New Year Celebrations and No Y2K Disasters". Maclean's. The Canadian Encyclopedia. Archived from the original on 22 March 2017. Retrieved 21 March 2017.  "Year 2000 arrives in Central Canada". CBC Archives. Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. Archived from the original on 22 March 2017. Retrieved 21 March 2017.  Helligar, Jeremy; Morton, Danielle; Miller, Sue (1 March 1999). "Family Matters". People. Archived from the original on 2 September 2011. Retrieved 2 July 2022.  Kelley, Tina (30 December 1999). "There's Another Countdown Before the Famed '10, 9, 8 . . .'". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 25 August 2021. Retrieved 26 October 2015.  "ABC 2000 Today Highlights". YouTube. ABC. 31 December 1999. Archived from the original on 13 March 2023. Retrieved 12 October 2019.  "99c". MuleBase.com. Archived from the original on 9 June 2001.  Kosakow, Jonathan (13 September 2010). "Gov't Mule: Mulennium". PopMatters. Archived from the original on 15 September 2010.  "Neil Diamond Denver NYE 1999/2000". 31 December 2015. Archived from the original on 17 May 2021. Retrieved 17 May 2021 – via YouTube.  "Fast Facts". 20 June 2017. Archived from the original on 16 January 2017. Retrieved 9 May 2017.  "CNN Transcript - CNN International Special Event: Millennium 2000 Coverage - January 1, 2000". CNN. Wikimedia Commons has media related to Millennium celebrations. Authority control: National Edit this at Wikidata IsraelUnited StatesLatvia Categories: New Year celebrationsTurn of the third millenniumJanuary 2000 eventsDecember 1999 events  A millennium (plural millennia or millenniums) is a period of one thousand years,[1] sometimes called a kiloannum (ka), or kiloyear (ky). Normally, the word is used specifically for periods of a thousand years that begin at the starting point (initial reference point) of the calendar in consideration (typically the year "1") and at later years that are whole number multiples of a thousand years after the start point. The term can also refer to an interval of time beginning on any date. Millennia sometimes have religious or theological implications (see millenarianism). The word millennium derives from the Latin mille, thousand, and annus, year.[2] Debate over millennium celebrations All aboard for the millennium! by Opper and Keppler, 1896 There was a public debate leading up to the celebrations of the year 2000 as to whether the beginning of that year should be understood as the beginning of the "new" millennium. Historically, there has been debate around the turn of previous decades, centuries, and millennia. The issue arises from the difference between the convention of using ordinal numbers to count years and millennia, as in "the third millennium", or using a vernacular description, as in "the two thousands". The difference of opinion comes down to whether to celebrate, respectively, the end or the beginning of the "-000" year. The first convention is common in English-speaking countries, but the latter is favoured in, for example, Sweden (tvåtusentalet, which translates literally as the two thousands period). Those holding that the arrival of the new millennium should be celebrated in the transition from 2000 to 2001 (i.e., December 31, 2000, to January 1, 2001) argued that the Anno Domini system of counting years began with the year 1 (There was no year zero) and therefore the first millennium was from the year 1 to the end of the year 1000, the second millennium from 1001 to the end of 2000, and the third millennium beginning with 2001 and ending at the end of 3000. Similarly, the first millennium BC was from the year 1000 BC to the end of the year 1 BC. Popular culture supported celebrating the arrival of the new millennium in the transition from 1999 to 2000 (i.e., December 31, 1999, to January 1, 2000), in that the change of the hundreds digit in the year number, with the zeroes rolling over, is consistent with the vernacular demarcation of decades by their 'tens' digit (e.g. naming the period 1980 to 1989 as "the 1980s" or "the eighties"). This has been described as "the odometer effect".[3] Also, the "year 2000" had been a popular phrase referring to an often utopian future, or a year when stories in such a future were set. There was also media and public interest in the Y2K computer bug. A third position was expressed by Bill Paupe, honorary consul for Kiribati: "To me, I just don't see what all the hoopla is about ... it's not going to change anything. The next day the sun is going to come up again and then it will all be forgotten."[4] And even for those who did celebrate, in astronomical terms, there was nothing special about this particular event.[5] Stephen Jay Gould, in his essay Dousing Diminutive Dennis' Debate (or DDDD = 2000) (Dinosaur in a Haystack), discussed the "high" versus "pop" culture interpretation of the transition. Gould noted that the high culture, strict construction had been the dominant viewpoint at the 20th century's beginning, but that the pop culture viewpoint dominated at its end.[6] The start of the 21st century and 3rd millennium was celebrated worldwide at the start of the year 2000. One year later, at the start of the year 2001, the celebrations had largely returned to the usual ringing in of just another new year,[7] although some welcomed "the real millennium", including America's official timekeeper, the U.S. Naval Observatory,[8] and the countries of Cuba[9] and Japan.[10] The popular[11] approach was to treat the end of 1999 as the end of "a millennium" and to hold millennium celebrations at midnight between December 31, 1999, and January 1, 2000, with the cultural and psychological significance of the events listed above combining to cause celebrations to be observed one year earlier than the formal date.[11] See also     List of calendars     List of decades, centuries, and millennia     Century     Millennialism     Millennium Dome     Millennials References "Millennium", Oxford Dictionaries (Oxford University Press, 2016). von Harnack, Carl Gustav Adolf (1911). "Millennium" . In Chisholm, Hugh (ed.). Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 18 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 461. "For the Chronologically Correct, Now It's Time for the Millennium". Los Angeles Times. December 26, 2000. Retrieved April 12, 2021. "Millennium: Date Line Politics". WaybackMachine. Archived from the original on June 28, 2006. Retrieved February 6, 2021. "When Did the 21st Century Start?". timeanddate.com. Retrieved February 7, 2021. Gould, Stephen (1995). Dinosaur in a Haystack. Harmony Books. "Millennium Gets Little Notice". The Washington Post. Retrieved February 24, 2021. "For the Chronologically Correct, Now It's Time for the Millennium". Los Angeles Times. December 26, 2000. Retrieved November 13, 2020. "Castro hosts party for the 'true Millennium'". The Telegraph. Archived from the original on January 12, 2022. Retrieved November 13, 2020. "Japanese purists prepare to welcome new millennium". DeseretNews. December 15, 2000. Retrieved November 13, 2020.     Associated Press, "Y2K It Wasn't, but It Was a Party", Los Angeles Times, January 1, 2001. External links     The dictionary definition of millennia at Wiktionary     The dictionary definition of millennium at Wiktionary     Media related to Millennium at Wikimedia Commons     Quotations related to Millennium at Wikiquote     vte Millennia CE / AD         1st 2nd 3rd 4th and later BCE / BC         1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th 8th 9th 10th 11th 12th 13th 14th and earlier     vte Time measurement and standards     Chronometry Orders of magnitude Metrology International standards         Coordinated Universal Time         offset UT ΔT DUT1 International Earth Rotation and Reference Systems Service ISO 31-1 ISO 8601 International Atomic Time 12-hour clock 24-hour clock Barycentric Coordinate Time Barycentric Dynamical Time Civil time Daylight saving time Geocentric Coordinate Time International Date Line IERS Reference Meridian Leap second Solar time Terrestrial Time Time zone 180th meridian      template illustration template illustration Obsolete standards         Ephemeris time Greenwich Mean Time Prime meridian Time in physics         Absolute space and time Spacetime Chronon Continuous signal Coordinate time Cosmological decade Discrete time and continuous time Proper time Theory of relativity Time dilation Gravitational time dilation Time domain Time translation symmetry T-symmetry Horology         Clock Astrarium Atomic clock Complication History of timekeeping devices Hourglass Marine chronometer Marine sandglass Radio clock Watch         stopwatch Water clock Sundial Dialing scales Equation of time History of sundials Sundial markup schema Calendar         Gregorian Hebrew Hindu Holocene Islamic (lunar Hijri) Julian Solar Hijri Astronomical Dominical letter Epact Equinox Intercalation Julian date Leap year Lunar Lunisolar Solar Solstice Tropical year Weekday determination Weekday names Archaeology and geology         Chronological dating Geologic time scale International Commission on Stratigraphy Astronomical chronology         Galactic year Nuclear timescale Precession Sidereal time Other units of time         Instant Flick Shake Jiffy Second Minute Moment Hour Day Week Fortnight Month Year Olympiad Lustrum Decade Century Saeculum Millennium Related topics         Chronology Duration         music Mental chronometry Decimal time Metric time System time Time metrology Time value of money Timekeeper Authority control: National Edit this at Wikidata         Germany Categories:     Units of timeMillenniaChronology1000 (number) 21st century     Article     Talk     Read     Edit     View history Tools From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia For a timeline of 21st-century events, see Timeline of the 21st century. For other uses, see 21st century (disambiguation). Millennium 3rd millennium Centuries     20th century 21st century 22nd century Timelines     20th century 21st century 22nd century State leaders     20th century 21st century 22nd century Decades     2000s 2010s 2020s 2030s 2040s     2050s 2060s 2070s 2080s 2090s Categories: Births – Deaths Establishments – Disestablishments     vte The 21st (twenty-first) century is the current century in the Anno Domini or Common Era, under the Gregorian calendar. It began on 1 January 2001 (MMI) and will end on 31 December 2100 (MMC).[1] The rise of a global economy and Third World consumerism marked the beginning of the century, along with increased private enterprise and deepening global concern over terrorism after the 9/11 terrorist attacks.[2][3][4] The NATO interventions in Afghanistan and Iraq in the early 2000s, and the overthrow of several regimes during the Arab Spring in the early 2010s, led to mixed outcomes in the Arab world, resulting in several civil wars and political instability.[5] The United States has remained the sole global superpower while China is now considered an emerging superpower. In 2022, 45.3% of the world's population lived in "some form of democracy", though only 8% lived in "full democracies".[6] The United Nations estimates that by 2050, two thirds of the world's population will be urbanized. The European Union was greatly expanded in the 21st century, adding 13 member states, but the United Kingdom withdrew. Most European Union member states introduced a common currency, the Euro. The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) was also greatly expanded, adding 11 member states. The world economy expanded at high rates from $42.29 trillion in 2000 to $94.10 trillion in 2021, although many economies rose at greater levels, some gradually contracted.[a] Effects of global warming and rising sea levels exacerbated the ecological crises, with eight islands disappearing between 2007 and 2014.[7][8][9] In early 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic began to rapidly spread worldwide, killing over 6.9 million people around the globe and causing severe global economic disruption, including the largest global recession since the Great Depression. Due to the sudden proliferation of internet-accessible mobile devices, such as smartphones becoming ubiquitous worldwide beginning in the early 2010s, more than half of the world's population obtained access to the Internet by 2018.[10] After the success of the Human Genome Project, DNA sequencing services became available and affordable.[11][12] Pronunciation There is a lack of general agreement over how to pronounce specific years of the 21st century in English. Academics have pointed out that the early years of previous centuries were commonly pronounced as, for example, "eighteen oh five" (for 1805) and "nineteen oh five" (for 1905).[13] Generally, the early years of the 21st century were pronounced as in "two-thousand (and) five", with a change taking place around 2010, when pronunciations often shifted between the early-years form of "two-thousand and ten" and the traditionally more concise form of "twenty-ten". The Vancouver Olympics, which took place in 2010, was being officially referred to by Vancouver 2010 as "the twenty-ten Olympics". Society Shanghai has become a symbol of the recent economic boom of China. Advances in technology such as ultrasound, prenatal genetic testing and genetic engineering are changing the demographics and has the potential to change the genetic makeup of the human population. Because of sex-selective abortion, fewer girls have been born in the 21st century (and since the early 1980s) compared to past centuries, mostly because of son preference in East and South Asia. In 2014, only 47 percent of Indian births were of girls.[14] This has led to an increase in bachelors in countries such as China and India. The first genetically modified children were born in November 2018 in China, beginning a new biological era for the human species and raising great controversy. Anxiety[15] and depression[16] rates have risen in the United States and many other parts of the world. However, suicide rates have fallen in Europe and most of the rest of the world so far this century, declining 29% globally between 2000 and 2018, despite rising 18% in the United States in the same period. The decline in suicide has been most notable among Chinese and Indian women, the elderly, and middle-aged Russian men.[17][18] Knowledge and information The entire written works of humanity, from the beginning of recorded history to 2003, in all known languages, are estimated to be at five exabytes of data.[19][20] Since 2003, with the beginning of social media and "user-generated content", the same amount of data is created every two days.[21] The growth of human knowledge and information continues at an exponential rate. Telecommunications in the early 21st century are much more advanced and universal than they were in the late 20th century. Only a few percent of the world's population were Internet users and cellular phone owners in the late 1990s; as of 2023, 64.4% of the world's population is online, and as of 2019, an estimated 67% own a cell phone.[22] In the 2010s, artificial intelligence, mainly in the form of deep learning and machine learning, became more prevalent and is prominently used in Gmail and Google's search engine, in banking, with the military and other areas. In 2020, 9% of the world's population still lacked access to electricity.[23] India's Prayag Kumbh Mela is regarded as the world's largest religious festival. In 2001, Dennis Tito became the first space tourist, beginning the era of commercial spaceflight. Entrepreneurs Elon Musk and Richard Branson are working towards commercial space exploration, colonization and tourism, while China and India have made substantial strides in their space programs. On 3 January 2019, China landed a robotic spacecraft on the far side of the Moon, the first to do so.[24] Culture and politics Further information: International relations since 1989 War and violence have declined considerably compared to the 20th century, continuing the post-World War II trend called Long Peace. Malnourishment and poverty are still widespread globally, but fewer people live in the most extreme forms of poverty. In 1990, approximately one-in-four people were malnourished, and nearly 36% of the world's population lived in extreme poverty; by 2015, these numbers had dropped to approximately one-in-eight and 10%, respectively. The Facebook–Cambridge Analytica data scandal drew international attention to the possible adverse effects of social media in influencing citizen's views, particularly regarding the 2016 United States presidential election. Population and urbanization The world population was about 6.1 billion at the start of the 21st century and reached 8 billion by November 2022. It is estimated to reach nearly 8.6 billion by 2030,[25] and 9.8 billion by 2050. According to the United Nations World Urbanization prospects, a 60% projection of the world's human population is to live in megacities and megalopolises by 2030, 70% by 2050, and 90% by 2080. It is expected by 2040, the investing of more than 5 times the current global gross domestic product is expected to be in urban infrastructure.[26] Life expectancy has increased as child mortality continues to decline. A baby born in 2019, for example, will, on average (globally), live to 73 years—27 years longer than the global average of someone born in 1950.[27] Ten million Britons (16% of the United Kingdom population) will, on average, live to 100 or older.[28] Climate change remains a serious concern; UN Chief António Guterres, for instance, has described it as an "existential threat" to humanity.[29] Furthermore, the Holocene extinction event, the sixth most significant extinction event in the Earth's history, continues with the widespread degradation of highly biodiverse habitats as a by-product of human activity.[30] A map of uncontacted tribes, around the start of the 21st century Economics, education and retirement Economically and politically, the United States and Western Europe were dominant at the beginning of the century; by the 2010s, China became an emerging global superpower and, by some measures, the world's largest economy. In terms of purchasing power parity, India's economy became more significant than Japan's around 2011.[31] Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies are decentralized currencies that are not controlled by any central bank. These currencies are increasing in popularity worldwide due to the expanding availability of the internet and are mainly used as a store of value. There is an ongoing impact of technological unemployment due to automation and computerization: the rate at which jobs are disappearing—due to machines replacing them—is expected to escalate.[32] Automation alters the number of jobs and the skills demands of industries. As of 2019, the production output of first world nations' manufacturing sectors was doubled when compared to 1984 output; but it is now produced with one-third fewer workers and at significantly reduced operating costs.[33] Half of all jobs with requirements lower than a bachelor's degree are currently in the process of being replaced with partial- or full-automation.[34] The World Economic Forum forecast that 65% of children entering primary school will end up in jobs or careers that currently do not yet exist.[35] A rise in the retirement age has been called for in view of an increase in life expectancy and has been put in place in many jurisdictions.[36][37] Linguistic diversity As of 2009, Ethnologue catalogued 6,909 living human languages.[38] The exact number of known living languages will vary from 5,000 to 10,000, generally depending on the precision of one's definition of "language", and in particular, on how one classifies dialects. Estimates vary depending on many factors, but the general consensus is that there are between 6,000 and 7,000 languages currently spoken. Between 50 and 90% of those will have become extinct by the year 2100.[39] The top 20 languages spoken by more than 50 million speakers each, are spoken by 50% of the world's population. In contrast, many of the other languages are spoken by small communities, most of them with fewer than 10,000 speakers.[39] Events Main article: Timeline of the 21st century 2000s Belligerents of the Second Congo War George W. Bush, the 43rd president of the United States, from 2001 to 2009 September 11 attacks Angela Merkel and José Manuel Barroso Barack Obama, the first African-American president of the United States, and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev after signing the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty Death and funeral of Corazon Aquino     1998–2003 – The Second Congo War continued into the early 21st century. A 1999 ceasefire quickly broke down and a UN peacekeeping mission, MONUC, was unable to control the fighting. Troops from Rwanda and Uganda continued to support rebel groups against the Democratic Republic of the Congo and rifts also grew between Rwanda and Uganda as they accused each other of supporting rival rebel groups as well. Laurent Kabila, president of the DRC, was assassinated in January 2001 and his son, Joseph Kabila, took power. Throughout 2002 steps were made towards peace and Rwanda and Uganda both removed their troops from the country. On December 17, 2002, a massive treaty officially ended the war. However, the DRC only holds power in less than half of the country, with most of the eastern and northern portions still controlled by rebel groups, where there is still significant infighting. In addition, Rwanda still supports anti-DRC rebels and anti-Rwandan rebels continue to operate from the DRC. The war killed an estimated 3.9 million people, displaced nearly 5.5 million, and led to a widespread and ongoing famine that continues to result in deaths. Severe human rights violations continue to be reported.[40]     2000–2005 – The Second Intifada, a major Palestinian uprising against Israel, is estimated to have led to the deaths of approximately 3,000 Palestinians and 1,000 Israelis.     2001         January 20:             George W. Bush is inaugurated as the 43rd president of the United States. He is the second president from the Bush family, after his father.             Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo becomes the second woman President of the Philippines and the first to be the child of a previous President, Diosdado Macapagal.         April 1 – The Netherlands becomes the first country in the world to legalize same-sex marriage.         May 13 – Conservative media magnate Silvio Berlusconi wins the general election in Italy, becoming the country's Prime Minister. Berlusconi would go on to dominate Italian politics for the rest of the decade.         June 1 – The Nepalese royal massacre occurs at a house on the grounds of the Narayanhity Royal Palace, the residence of the Nepalese monarchy. Ten members of the family were killed during a party or monthly reunion dinner of the royal family in the house. The dead included King Birendra of Nepal and Queen Aishwarya.         July 20–22 – More than 200,000 anti-globalization protesters march in Genoa, during the 27th G8 summit. Two demonstrators are killed by the Italian police. On July 21, a group of Carabinieri attacked the school Armando Diaz, critically injuring many peaceful protesters. Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi insisted that police used the minimum amount of force necessary to achieve their goals.         September 11 – September 11 attacks – Nineteen al-Qaeda terrorists hijack four commercial airliners and crash two of them into the World Trade Center, one into the Pentagon and one into a field in Shanksville, Pennsylvania of the United States on 11 September, killing nearly 3,000 people. The president George W. Bush subsequently declares the War on Terror.         December 11 – After 15 years of negotiations, the People's Republic of China becomes a member of the World Trade Organization (WTO).     2001–2014 – The Northern Alliance and NATO-led ISAF invades Afghanistan on October 7, 2001, and overthrows the Al-Qaeda-supportive Taliban government. Troops remained to install a democratic government, fight a slowly escalating insurgency, and to hunt for Al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden who would be killed by American troops nearly 10 years later, on May 2, 2011. On December 24, 2014, NATO forces officially ended combat operations in Afghanistan, but forces remained until August 30, 2021, followed by a quick withdrawal of all troops.     2002         May 20 – After a long period of occupation by Indonesia, East Timor's independence is recognized by Portugal and the UN.         July 1 – The International Criminal Court (ICC) is established.         September 10 – Switzerland, a neutral country, becomes a member of the United Nations.         October 12 – Jemaah Islamiyah, a violent Islamist group, claims responsibility for the detonation of three bombs in the tourist district of Kuta on the Indonesian island of Bali. The attack killed 202 people and left 209 people injured.         November 15 – Hu Jintao becomes the General Secretary of the Chinese Communist Party, making him the paramount leader of China after Jiang Zemin.     2003–present – In February 2003, a conflict in Darfur, Sudan begins and escalates into full-scale war. By 2008 it was believed that up to 400,000 people had been killed and over 2.5 million displaced. In 2005, the ICC decided that Darfur war criminals would be tried, and on July 14, 2008, Sudanese president Omar al-Bashir was charged with 5 accounts of crimes against humanity and 2 accounts of war crimes, even though the ICC had no power to enforce such charges.     2003–2010 – The U.S.-led coalition invades Iraq on March 20, 2003, and overthrows the government of Saddam Hussein (who is executed by the Iraqi government on December 30, 2006). Coalition troops remain in the country to install a democratic government and fight an escalating insurgency. In addition to an insurgency against the American presence, Iraq also suffered from a civil war for several years. The war was soon seen as the central front of the War on Terror by many governments, despite growing international dissatisfaction with the war. The total death toll has been estimated at near 150,000 but these estimations are highly disputed, with one highly disputed study guessing even over 1 million.[41] After the U.S.-led coalition initiated a troop surge in 2007, casualty numbers have decreased significantly. Combat ended, at least officially, in August 2010.     2003–2005 – A series of nonviolent revolutions known as the colour revolutions overthrow governments in Georgia, Ukraine, Kyrgyzstan, and Lebanon.     2003         December – Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi announces that Libya would voluntarily eliminate all weapons of mass destruction.     2004         March 11 – Ten explosions occur at the Cercanías commuter train system of Madrid, Spain, killing 191 people and injuring around 2,000.         May 1 – The European Union expands by 10 countries (including 8 former communist countries, plus Malta and Cyprus).         May 10 – Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo is re-elected as President of the Philippines, marking the first time a woman was re-elected to the position in the country.         June 5 – Former U.S. president Ronald Reagan dies at the age of 93, after suffering nearly a decade from Alzheimer's disease.         September 1 – A group of Chechen rebels invades a school in Beslan, keeping thousands of hostages during three days. A series of shootings and bombings kills 334 people and injured 750.         November 11 – Palestinian leader and Chairman of the Palestine Liberation Organization Yasser Arafat dies in France, at the age of 75, from hemorrhagic stroke.         November 18 – Massachusetts becomes the first U.S. state to legalize same-sex marriage.     2005         April 19 – After the death of Pope John Paul II on April 2, Joseph Ratzinger of Germany is elected as Pope Benedict XVI.         July 7 – Four Islamic extremist suicide bombers set off three bombs in London; 56 people are killed, including the four suicide bombers.         November 22 – Angela Merkel becomes the first elected female Chancellor of Germany.     2006–2008 – The dismantling of former Yugoslavia continues after Montenegro gains independence on June 3, 2006, and Kosovo declares independence on February 17, 2008. Kosovo's independence is disputed by Russia and many of its allies and remains partially recognized to this day.     2006         July 12 – Hezbollah crosses the border of Lebanon and captures two Israeli soldiers. Israel responds by sending troops across the border and bombing Hezbollah strongholds, while Hezbollah fires missiles on towns in northern Israel, approximately 6 each day. At the end of the war 1,200 Lebanese civilians, 500 Hezbollah fighteres, 44 Israeli civilians and 121 Israeli soldiers die. A ceasefire is signed on August 14, after which Israeli troops withdrew from Lebanon.         October 9 – North Korea conducts its first nuclear test.[42] This was preceded by years of political wrangling with the U.S. over the status of their nuclear program.     2007–2008 – Nepal's centuries-old monarchy is disestablished, and the country becomes a republic.     2007         January 1 – Bulgaria and Romania join the European Union.         January 25 – A civil war escalates in the Gaza Strip throughout June, which would result in the Hamas driving most Fatah-loyal forces out from the Strip. In reaction, Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas dismisses Hamas Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh and dissolves the Hamas-ruled parliament. Scattered conflict continues.         July 25 – Pratibha Patil becomes the first woman to be elected President of India.         December 13 – 27 EU member states sign the Treaty of Lisbon, with the treaty coming into effect on December 1, 2009.     2007–2008 – Crisis follows the Kenyan presidential election of 2007, leading to the formation of a coalition government, with Mwai Kibaki as president and Raila Odinga as prime minister.     2008         February 16 – Kosovo unilaterally declares independence from Serbia. Serbia refuses to recognize it and considers Kosovo as part of its territory.         April 1 – Some cadres of the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist Centre) attack Senior leader of Nepali Congress, Bal Chandra Poudel, during an electoral period in Rasuwa, Nepal.         August 1–12 – An armed conflict is fought between Georgia and the Russian Federation together with Ossetian and Abkhazian separatists on the other. Russia officially recognizes independence of Abkhazia and South Ossetia.         November 4 – Barack Obama is elected as the first African-American president of the United States. He is sworn into office in January 20, 2009. He is awarded the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize by the Norwegian Nobel Committee, which cited "his extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and cooperation between peoples," and accepted the award the following year with "deep gratitude and great humility".     2009         June 13 – Protests erupt in Iran, following the presidential election against Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.         August 1 – Filipina politician and the first female President of the Philippines and in Asia Corazon Aquino dies at the age of 76.[43] 2010s Julia Gillard was sworn in as the first female Prime Minister of Australia in 2010. Inauguration of Benigno Aquino III Americans celebrating the death of Osama bin Laden in front of the White House Pope Francis in Poland Ukraine, Euromaidan, people protesting in favor of Ukraine's European way. Pro-Russian separatists in Donetsk, Ukraine 2015 European migrant crisis Inauguration of Rodrigo Duterte Turkish anti-coup rally in support of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, 22 July 2016 China's Xi Jinping has been the leader for life since 2018 Students from Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, parents, and others march in the March for Our Lives protest in Parkland, FL in 2018 Catriona Gray, Miss Universe 2018     2010         February 25 – Kamla Persad-Bissessar becomes the first female Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago.         April 10 – Polish President Lech Kaczyński dies in an airplane crash near the city of Smolensk, Russia, along with his wife and 94 other people on board.         May 10 – Benigno Simeon Aquino III is the first bachelor President of the Philippines and the second to be the child of a previous president.         June 11–July 11 – South Africa becomes the first country in Africa to host the FIFA World Cup.         June 24 – Julia Gillard becomes the first female Prime Minister of Australia.         October 3 – Dilma Rousseff is elected as the first female president of Brazil. She serves as the president until her impeachment and removal from office on August 31, 2016.         November 13 – Burmese opposition leader and 1991 Nobel Peace Prize laureate Aung San Suu Kyi is released from house arrest, after being incarcerated since 1989.         December 17 – The Arab Spring, a revolutionary wave, begins in Tunisia, and eventually spreads across the Middle East and the Arab world, with widespread protests, demonstrations, riots and civil wars for free elections and human rights.     2011         March 11 – The 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami and subsequent Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster in Japan leave 15,899 dead.         April 29 – An estimated two billion people watch the wedding of Prince William, Duke of Cambridge and Catherine Middleton at Westminster Abbey in London.         May 2 – Al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden, the mastermind behind the 9/11 attacks, is killed in a raid at his compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan by the U.S. Navy's SEAL Team 6 (DEVGRU).         July 10 – Britain's largest tabloid newspaper, the News of the World, shuts down after 168 years in print due to the 2009 phone hacking scandal.         July 14 – South Sudan, following the January 2011 independence referendum, becomes a member of the United Nations.         July 22 – Anders Behring Breivik perpetrates two terrorist attacks in Norway, the first being a bombing targeting government buildings in central Oslo, the second being a mass shooting at a youth camp on the island of Utøya. It was the deadliest attack in Norway since the Second World War, with 77 people killed and 319 injuries.         September 17 – The Occupy movement, an international protest movement against social and economic inequality, takes shape. It is partially inspired by the Arab Spring and is one of the first significant global protest movements to occur in the age of social media.         October 20 – Deposed dictator Muammar Gaddafi is captured and killed by the National Liberation Army of Libya, during the Libyan Civil War.         November 16 – Italy's long-term Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi resigns amid public protests, financial crisis and sexual scandals.         December 15 – The Iraq War is formally declared over.         December 17 – Kim Jong-il, supreme leader of North Korea, dies. He is succeeded by his son Kim Jong-un.     2012         January 12 – Civil unrest breaks out in Romania in January 2012, partially due to the introduction of a new health reform legislation, but also due to the unpopularity of Băsescu-backed Boc government. The unrest continues until Victor Ponta's resignation in November 2015, in the wake of the Colectiv nightclub fire.         September 11–12 – In Benghazi, Libya, an attack is coordinated against two United States government facilities, by members of the Islamic militant group Ansar al-Sharia.         November 15 – Xi Jinping becomes the General Secretary of the Chinese Communist Party, making him the paramount leader of China after Hu Jintao.         December 10 – Séléka rebels seize power in the Central African Republic, ousting the President and government and beginning a civil war.         December 14 – The Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting takes place, the deadliest mass shooting in an elementary school in US history, with 27 deaths.         December 19 – Park Geun-hye is elected President of South Korea, the first woman to hold the position.     2013         January 11 – France intervenes with its army in the Northern Mali conflict, defeating the Islamists who had taken control of the country.         February 28 – Pope Benedict XVI resigns, becoming the first pope to do so since 1415. Benedict takes the title pope emeritus. At the subsequent papal conclave, Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio of Argentina is elected pope on March 13, becoming the first Latin American pope. Bergoglio takes the name of Pope Francis.         March 5 – President of Venezuela Hugo Chávez dies due to prostate cancer and is succeeded by Nicolás Maduro.         March 21 – Convicted Kurdish leader Abdullah Ocalan puts an end to the armed revolt against Turkey.         April 8 – British politician and first female Prime Minister of the UK Margaret Thatcher dies at the age of 87, from a stroke.         July 1 – Croatia becomes the 28th member of the European Union.         September 14 – Syria avoids an American intervention on its soil during the Syrian Civil War, accepting to destroy all chemical weapons stocks owned.         November – China declares an "Air Defense Identification Zone" in the East China Sea, including over the Senkaku Islands, a group of islands held by Japan, but claimed by both Japan and China, and the Socotra Rock, claimed by both China and South Korea.         December 5 – South African political and civil leader Nelson Mandela dies at the age of 95, from natural causes.         December 15 – The South Sudanese Civil War breaks out.         Iran allows international inspections on its nuclear policy in exchange of the removal of the sanctions and the right to produce a small amount of low-grade enriched uranium, thus marking an apparent new policy towards the United Nations under Hassan Rohani's presidency.     2013–2014 – A political crisis in Thailand breaks out and the government declares martial law.     2014         February 22 – Pro-Russian President of Ukraine Viktor Yanukovich is ousted amidst the Euromaidan revolution. The Russian Federation annexes Crimea in response, and a "low intensity" war in Donbas breaks out between the Ukrainian government and Russian-backed separatists.         May 26 – Narendra Modi becomes 14th Prime Minister of India, winning a clear majority in the election.         July 8–August 26 – In Israel, tensions rise again between Hamas in the Gaza Strip and the State of Israel. Hamas fire hundreds of missiles into civilian cities in Israel, and the IDF retaliates and conducts airstrikes on the Gaza Strip for more than a month, with high casualties on both sides.         July 17 – Malaysia Airlines Flight 17, a civilian commercial aircraft, is shot down in pro-Russian separatist-controlled territory in Eastern Ukraine.         September 18 – Scotland votes to remain part of the United Kingdom during the 2014 Scottish independence referendum.         September–October – During the Syrian civil war, the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant rises and seizes territories in northern Iraq and Syria, near the border with Turkey. The United States lead a coalition of more than 30 countries to destroy ISIL. Meanwhile, Russia leads its own coalition, along with Syria, Iraq and Iran, and Russia's military action begins on September 30, 2015.         October 31 – In Burkina Faso, President Blaise Compaoré resigns amidst widespread protests, ending 27 years of leadership.         November 16 – In Romania, Klaus Iohannis wins the November 2014 election, becoming the first Romanian president of an ethnic minority.         December 17 – United States President Barack Obama and Cuban President Raúl Castro announce the beginning of a process of normalizing relations between Cuba and the United States, ending a 54-year stretch of hostility between the two nations. Meanwhile, on July 20, 2015, with full diplomatic relations, the embassies of both countries are opened after five decades.     2015         January 7 – Two gunmen, brothers Saïd and Chérif Kouachi, commit a mass murder at the offices of Charlie Hebdo in Paris, killing 12 people. Following the attack, about two million people, including more than 40 world leaders, met in Paris for a rally of national unity, and 3.7 million people joined demonstrations across the country. The phrase Je suis Charlie became a common slogan of support at the rallies and in social media.         March 23 – Singaporean politician and the 1st Prime Minister of Singapore Lee Kuan Yew dies at the age of 91.         June 26 – The Supreme Court of the United States determines that same-sex couples have a constitutional right to marry in a landmark case Obergefell v. Hodges.         July 14 – Iran and the P5+1 (China, France, Russia, the UK, and the US + Germany) agree on final provisions of Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action in regards to the latter's nuclear program.         October – The Chinese Communist Party announces the end of one-child policy after 35 years.         November 13 – ISIL claims responsibility of the November 2015 Paris attacks, which killed 137 and left 416 injured.         November 24 – Turkey shoots down a Russian Sukhoi Su-24M attack aircraft. This is the first case of a NATO member destroying a Russian aircraft since the attack on the Sui-ho Dam (during the Korean War).         November 30–December 12 – During the UN summit on Climate Change, 193 nations agree to reduce carbon emissions starting in 2020.         During the 2015 European migrant crisis, around 1.3 million people, most notably refugees of the wars in Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan, flee to Europe to claim asylum, leading to considerable political upheaval in the European Union. Germany ultimately takes in the majority of the asylum seekers.     2016         May 9 – Rodrigo Duterte becomes the first Mindanaoan President of the Philippines and the oldest person ever elected to the presidency.         June 5 – Hillary Clinton becomes the Democratic Party's nominee for president of the United States, making her the first woman to be nominated for president by a major party.         June 12 – In Orlando, Florida, Omar Mateen, a 29-year-old security guard, kills 49 people and wounds 53 others in a terrorist attack inside Pulse, a gay nightclub.         June 23 – The United Kingdom votes to leave the European Union in the June 2016 membership referendum.         July 13 – After 6 years of leadership, British Prime Minister David Cameron resigns and is succeeded by Theresa May.         July 15–16 – A coup d'état is attempted in Turkey against state institutions, including but not limited to the government and President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. The attempt is carried out by a faction within the Turkish Armed Forces that organized themselves as the Peace at Home Council.         September 2 – 1st President of Uzbekistan Islam Karimov dies at age of 78, after 25 years of leadership.         November 8 – Donald Trump is elected as the 45th president of the United States, defeating Hillary Clinton.         December 19:             Andrei Karlov, the Russian Ambassador to Turkey, is killed by Turkish police officer Mevlüt Mert Altıntaş.             The Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant claims responsibility for the 2016 Berlin truck attack in Germany, in which 12 were killed and 49 others injured.         Cuban political and revolutionary leader Fidel Castro dies at the age of 90.         Former President of Israel and 1994 Nobel Peace Prize laureate Shimon Peres dies at the age of 93, from a massive stroke.         Bhumibol Adulyadej, the longest-reigning Thai monarch dies at the age of 88, from a long illness.     2017         January 21–22 – In opposition to Donald Trump's inauguration, millions of people in the US and worldwide join the Women's March.         January 27 – U.S. President Donald Trump signs an executive order restricting travel and immigration from seven Muslim-majority countries. This order was blocked by the U.S. federal courts; a second, related order issued by Trump was also blocked by the federal courts. The block of second order was partially removed, by the Supreme Court, in June. The Supreme Court stated they would reconsider the order in October.         April 6 – In response to a suspected chemical weapons attack on a rebel-held town, the U.S. military launches 59 Tomahawk cruise missiles at Shayrat Airbase in Syria.         May 23 – Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte declares martial law in Mindanao, following an attack in Marawi by the Maute group. This would last until October 23.         August 17–18 – In the 2017 Barcelona attacks, a terrorist drives into more than 100 people in Barcelona, Spain, killing 13 and injuring many.         October 27 – Catalonia declares independence from Spain,[44] but the declaration is not recognized by the Spanish government or any other sovereign nation.[45]     2018         March 19 – Paula-Mae Weekes becomes the first female President of Trinidad and Tobago.         March 24 – In over 900 cities internationally, people participate in demonstrations against gun violence and mass shootings, calling for stronger gun control in the March for Our Lives, which was a student-led demonstration in response to the Stoneman Douglas High School shooting in Parkland, Florida that took place in February 14.         May 9 – The opposition-led Pakatan Harapan coalition, led by former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, secures a parliamentary majority in the Malaysian Parliament, ending the 61-year rule of the Barisan Nasional coalition in Malaysia since independence in 1957.         May 19 – The wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle is held at St George's Chapel, England, with an estimated global audience of 1.9 billion.         June 12 – President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un attend a summit in Singapore, the first meeting between the leaders of the two countries.         October 28 – Jair Bolsonaro is elected as the 38th president of Brazil, after having been stabbed during the election campaign and undergone three surgeries.         December 17 – Catriona Gray from the Philippines is crowned Miss Universe 2018 at the IMPACT Arena in Thailand.[46]         The National People's Congress of China approves a constitutional change removing term limits for its leaders, granting Xi Jinping the status of "leader for life". Xi is the General Secretary of the Chinese Communist Party (de facto leader).     2019         January 10 – Venezuela enters a presidential crisis after the disputed results of the 2018 Venezuelan presidential election leads to Juan Guaidó being declared the acting president, disputing Nicolás Maduro.         February 27–28 – President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un meet for the 2019 North Korea–United States Hanoi Summit in Vietnam.         March 13 – The Suzano school shooting: In a school in Suzano, São Paulo, Brazil, two ex-students kill 8 people and injure 11 others before committing suicide.         March 15:             The Christchurch mosque shootings: Australian terrorist Brenton Harrison Tarrant kills 51 people and injures 40 at two mosques in New Zealand.             Over 2 million people in Hong Kong protest against proposed legislation regarding extradition to China.         March 23 – Most of the territory formerly held by the Islamic State in Syria collapses amidst the Syrian Civil War. After years of global push back, the extremist group transitions from a proto-state into an insurgency as it retains offshoots and influence in regions across the globe.         April 30 – Emperor Akihito of Japan abdicates from his throne, the first abdication by a Japanese monarch in almost two centuries. The abdication ends the Heisei era of Japan and ushers in the Reiwa era with new emperor Naruhito ascending to the throne on May 1.         July 16 – The European Parliament elects Ursula von der Leyen as the new president of the European Commission.         July 24 – Boris Johnson becomes Prime Minister of the United Kingdom after defeating Jeremy Hunt in a leadership contest, succeeding Theresa May.         December 10 – Sanna Marin, at the age of 34, becomes the world's youngest serving prime minister after being selected to lead Finland's Social Democratic Party.         December 18 – President Donald Trump is impeached by the United States House of Representatives.         December 31 – The first known case of COVID-19 is reported in Wuhan, China; the disease would rapidly proliferate into a global pandemic throughout the next three months.[47][48] 2020s ABS-CBN franchise renewal protests in Quezon City on July 10, 2020 George Floyd protests in Miami during the COVID-19 pandemic in June 2020.[49] Joe Biden, the 46th and current president of the United States.[50] January 6 United States Capitol attack Fall of Kabul 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine Inauguration of Bongbong Marcos Crowds at Buckingham Palace following the death of Elizabeth II Death and funeral of Pope Benedict XVI 2023 Turkey–Syria earthquake Collapse of Silicon Valley Bank The April 4 indictment document against Donald Trump Coronation of Charles III and Camilla Wagner Group rebellion     2020         January 2 – The Royal Australian Air Force and Navy are deployed to New South Wales and Victoria to assist mass evacuation efforts amidst the 2019–20 Australian bushfire season.[51][52]         January 3 – A U.S. drone strike at Baghdad International Airport kills Iranian general Qasem Soleimani and Iraqi paramilitary leader Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis. Five days later, Iran carries out retaliatory missile strikes on U.S. bases in Iraq, while Ukraine International Airlines Flight 752 is shot down by the IRGC after being mistaken for an American cruise missile.         January 31 – The United Kingdom becomes the first member state to leave the European Union.         March – Beginning of the worldwide pandemic of SARS-CoV-2, the virus which causes COVID-19. Widespread economic disruption, including a stock market crash, occurred during the pandemic.         May 5 – The National Telecommunications Commission of the Philippines issues a cease and desist order to the broadcasting operations of ABS-CBN, the country's largest media network, as Congress fails to renew its franchise granted in 1995. The network signed off at 7:52 p.m (PST). The last time the network was shut down was upon the declaration of martial law by the Philippine dictator Ferdinand Marcos in 1972. On July 10, Members of the Philippine House Committee on Legislative Franchises vote against the franchise renewal of the said network.[53]         May 26 – Protests break out following the murder of George Floyd across hundreds of cities in the United States and even smaller ones outside the US. Derek Chauvin, the officer responsible for Floyd's murder, would ultimately be convicted on two counts of murder and one of manslaughter in the wake of the protests.         June 15 – Maria Ressa, CEO of Philippine news site Rappler, is found guilty of cyberlibel by a Manila court over a 2012 story linking a businessman to various crimes. She faces up to six years in prison.         June 30 – China passes the controversial Hong Kong national security law, allowing China to crack down on opposition to Beijing at home or abroad.         August 11 – Kamala Harris becomes the Democratic Party's nominee for vice-president of the United States, making her the first African-American, the first Asian-American and the third female vice presidential running mate on a major party ticket.         August 18 – A mutiny in a military base by soldiers of the Malian Armed Forces develops into a coup d'état. President Ibrahim Boubacar Keïta and Prime Minister Boubou Cissé, among other senior governmental and military officers, are forced to resign.         September 4 – Kosovo and Serbia announce that they will normalize economic relations.         November 3 – Joe Biden is elected as the 46th president of the United States, and Kamala Harris is elected as vice-president. Biden is the oldest person elected to a first term.         November 15:             President of Kyrgyzstan Sooronbay Jeenbekov resigns from office after weeks of massive protests in the wake of the October 2020 parliamentary election; opposition leader Sadyr Japarov assumes office as both the acting president and Prime Minister of Kyrgyzstan.             The Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) is signed by 15 Asia-Pacific countries to form the world's largest free-trade bloc, covering a third of the world's population.         Sudanese Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok and Abdelaziz al-Hilu, the leader of the Sudan People's Liberation Movement-North (SPLM–N), sign an agreement to transition the country into a secular state.         A United Nations Human Rights Council fact-finding mission formally accuses the Venezuelan government of crimes against humanity, including cases of killings, torture, violence against political opposition and disappearances since 2014. President Nicolás Maduro and other senior Venezuelan officials are among those implicated in the charges.         France, Germany, and the United Kingdom issue a joint note verbale to the United Nations rejecting China's claims to the South China Sea, and supporting the ruling in Philippines v. China that said the historic rights per the nine-dash line ran counter to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. However the statement says that on "territorial sovereignty" they "take no position."         Israel, Sudan, Morocco, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain sign agreements to formally normalise diplomatic relations.         Azerbaijan launches a successful military campaign against Armenian forces to take back the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region. Turkey sends Syrian mercenaries to assist in this endeavor, and Russia ends the conflict by deploying peacekeepers.         North Korea demolishes the Inter-Korean Liaison Office in Kaesong, established in 2018 to improve relations.         The Special Tribunal for Lebanon convicts in absentia Salim Ayyash, a senior member of Hezbollah, for the 2005 assassination of former Prime Minister Rafic Hariri.         Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, the longest-serving prime minister in the history of Japan, announces his pending resignation from office, citing ill health, he was replaced by Yoshihide Suga and Fumio Kishida.         The Emir of Kuwait Sheikh Sabah al-Sabah dies at the age of 91. Crown Prince Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah is named his successor.         The EU launches legal action against the UK, accusing it of breaking international law by overriding sections of the Brexit withdrawal agreement.         In the 2020 New Caledonian independence referendum, New Caledonia votes against independence from France.         Massive protests breakout in Kyrgyzstan following accusations that the parliamentary election was "unfair".     2021         January 1 – Christine Dacera, a 23-year-old Philippine Airlines flight attendant, was found unconscious in a bathtub in City Garden Grand Hotel in Makati City. She was declared dead on arrival after she was rushed to Makati Medical Center due to ruptured aortic aneurysm.[54]         January 6 – Pro-Trump rioters storm the US Capitol, disrupting the Congressional certification of United States President-elect Joe Biden. Trump is impeached a second time a week later for his role in the storming, making him the first US federal official to be impeached more than once and the first president to have his trial occur after his tenure expired.         January 15 – Wikipedia's 20th anniversary is noted in the media.[55][56][57][58]         February 1 – A coup d'état in Myanmar removes Aung San Suu Kyi from power and restores military rule.[59]         February 18 – NASA's Mars 2020 mission (containing the Perseverance rover and Ingenuity helicopter drone) lands on Mars at Jezero Crater, after seven months of travel.[60]         April 30–June 13 – A crush during a pilgrimage on Lag BaOmer, renewed violence during the 2021 Israel-Palestine crisis and continuing problems with the COVID-19 pandemic in Israel precede the 2021 Israeli presidential election. Amidst the election, Naftali Bennett and Yair Lapid agree to a rotation government, first headed by Bennett, in order to oust Benjamin Netanyahu as Prime Minister as the month of crises is the culmination of scandals and corruption, including financial criminal charges, during Netanyahu's record long tenure.         June 24 – Filipino politician and the 15th President of the Philippines Benigno Aquino III dies at the age of 61.[61]         July 7 – President of Haiti, Jovenel Moïse, is assassinated in a midnight attack by unknown mercenaries.         August 15 – The Taliban regain control of Kabul after US forces and the republican government flee Afghanistan, marking the end of the War in Afghanistan after nearly 20 years.[62]         October 29 – Cinderella Obeñita from the Philippines is crowned Miss Intercontinental 2021 at Egypt.[63]         November 5 – Maureen Montagne from the Philippines is crowned Miss Globe 2021 at Tirana, Albania.[64]         November 30 – Barbados becomes a republic by replacing Elizabeth II as Queen with Sandra Mason as president in the role of head of state.         December 16 – Typhoon Rai lashes into Visayas and Mindanao, leaving about 409 people dead.[65]         December 25 – NASA, ESA, the Canadian Space Agency and the Space Telescope Science Institute launch the James Webb Space Telescope, the successor of the Hubble Space Telescope.     2022         February 4 – China and Russia issue a joint statement opposing further NATO expansion, expressing "serious concerns" about the AUKUS security pact, and pledging to cooperate with each other on a range of issues.[66]         February 4–20 – The 2022 Winter Olympics are held in Beijing, China, making it the first city ever to host both the Summer Olympics and Winter Olympics.[67]         February 24 – After a prolonged military buildup, Russia launches an invasion of Ukraine.         March 31 – The Philippine Air Force (PAF) introduces 1Lt. Jul Laiza Mae Camposano-Beran as the first female fighter pilot at the Basa Air Base, Floridablanca, Pampanga.[68]         May 9 – Bongbong Marcos and Sara Duterte are elected the 17th President and 15th Vice President of the Philippines in a landslide victory.         May 24 – The Robb Elementary School shooting is perpetrated by 18-year-old Salvador Ramos, who fatally shot nineteen students and two teachers and wounded seventeen other people in Uvalde, Texas, United States. The shooting was the third-deadliest school shooting in the United States, after the Virginia Tech shooting in 2007 and the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting in 2012, and the deadliest in Texas. In the shooting's wake, the most significant gun safety reform legislation in the U.S. in 30 years is enacted.         June 24 – The Supreme Court rules that the Constitution of the United States does not confer a right to abortion, thus overruling the 1973 case Roe v. Wade, and its related 1992 case Planned Parenthood v. Casey. Protests erupt across nearly every major city in the United States.         July 8 – Former Prime Minister of Japan Shinzo Abe is assassinated while giving a public speech in the city of Nara, Japan.         July 31 – Filipino politician and the 12th President of the Philippines Fidel V. Ramos dies at the age of 94.[69]         September 8 – Elizabeth II, the longest reigning British monarch and longest reigning female monarch dies, and is succeeded by Charles III, her eldest child.         October 29 – At least 158 people are killed and another 197 injured in a crowd crush during Halloween festivities in Seoul, South Korea.         October 30 – Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva is elected as the 39th president of Brazil, after defeating incumbent Jair Bolsonaro, becoming the first Brazilian president to be elected for a third term.         November 24 – Long-time opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim is appointed by Yang di-Pertuan Agong Abdullah as Prime Minister of Malaysia.         December 7 – The Congress of Peru removes President Pedro Castillo from office and arrests him after he tries to dissolve congress in a coup attempt, Vice President Dina Boluarte succeeds him, leading to large protests against Boluarte and in favor of Castillo to erupt.         December 31 – Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, who served from 2005 until his resignation in 2013, dies at the age of 95.     2023         January 7:             After four days and fifteen ballots, Representative Kevin McCarthy is elected the 55th Speaker of the United States House of Representatives.             Five black police officers of the Memphis Police Department, severely beat Tyre Nichols, a 29-year-old Black man, during a traffic stop. Nichols dies due to his injuries on January 10, and his death causes outrage and protests across the country.         January 8 – Supporters of former Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro storm the Brazilian National Congress, the Supreme Federal Court and the Presidential Palace of Planalto.         January 14 – R'Bonney Gabriel from the United States is crowned Miss Universe 2022 at the New Orleans Morial Convention Center, New Orleans, Louisiana.[70]         January 17 – Nguyễn Xuân Phúc resigns as President of Vietnam amid several recent scandals in the government, he was later replaced by Võ Văn Thưởng who was elected on March 2.         January 18 – The Court of Tax Appeals acquits online news website Rappler as well as its founder, Maria Ressa, in a tax evasion case filed against them by the Philippine government in 2018.         January 25 – Chris Hipkins succeeds Jacinda Ardern as Prime Minister of New Zealand, six days after she announced her resignation.         January 27 – Widespread unrest erupts in Israel following an Israeli military raid in Jenin which left nine Palestinians dead. Incendiary air balloons are launched into Israeli populated areas following it. Israel responds with targeted airstrikes. Later the same day, seven Jewish civilians are shot dead in an East Jerusalem synagogue in a retaliatory attack.         January 30 – A Jamaat-ul-Ahrar suicide bombing inside a mosque in Peshawar, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan, kills at least 101 people and injures over 220 others.         February 1 – Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady announces his retirement from the NFL.         February 2 – The European Central Bank and Bank of England each raise their interest rates by 0.5 percentage points to combat inflation, one day after the US Federal Reserve raises its federal funds rate by 0.25 percentage points.         February 3:             The US announces it is tracking alleged Chinese spy balloons over the Americas, with one drifting from Yukon to South Carolina before being shot down the next day, and a second hovering over Colombia and Brazil. This event is followed by subsequent detections and shootdowns of high-altitude objects elsewhere.             A Norfolk Southern train carrying hazardous materials derails in East Palestine, Ohio. Multiple train cars burned for more than two days, followed by emergency crews conducting a controlled burn of several additional cars, releasing hydrogen chloride and phosgene into the atmosphere.         February 6 – Two earthquakes strike southern Turkey, the first 7.8 (Mww) in Gaziantep Province and the other 7.5 Mww  in Kahramanmaraş Province, causing widespread damage and at least 58,000 deaths in Turkey and Syria, with more than 120,000 injured.[71][72]         February 7 – LeBron James breaks the all time NBA scoring record, scoring 38,388 points. The record was previously held by Hall of Famer Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.         February 12 – The Kansas City Chiefs defeat the Philadelphia Eagles by a score of 38–35 to win Super Bowl LVII. Quarterback Patrick Mahomes wins Super Bowl MVP.         February 13 – A mass shooting takes place at Michigan State University. Three people were killed in the attack, and the shooter later takes his own life.         February 14 – Republican Nikki Haley announces her 2024 presidential campaign.         February 16:             The family of Bruce Willis announce that the actor has been diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia.             Controversial YouTube CEO Susan Wojcicki steps down after filling the position for nine years, and is succeeded by Chief Product Officer Neal Mohan. Her departure leaves Big Tech without any female CEOs.         February 21 – Vladimir Putin announces that Russia is suspending its participation in New START, a nuclear arms reduction treaty with the US.         February 24 – The Philippine Independent Church ordains Wylard Ledama to the diaconate as the first trans woman clergy in the country.[73]         February 27 – The United Kingdom and the European Union reach a new agreement surrounding modifications to the Northern Ireland Protocol.         February 28 – A train crash in Thessaly, Greece, kills 57 people and injures dozens. The crash leads to nationwide protests and strikes against the condition of Greek railways and their mismanagement by the government.         March 2 – Alex Murdaugh is convicted by a jury and sentenced to life in prison without parole the next day for the murders of both his wife and son as well as two gun charges.         March 4:             Negros Oriental governor Roel Degamo, along with nine others, dies in an attack by gunmen in his home in Pamplona.[74]             UN member states agree on a legal framework for the High Seas Treaty, which aims to protect 30% of the world's oceans by 2030.         March 10:             The National People's Congress unanimously re-elects Xi Jinping as the President of the People's Republic of China to an unprecedented third term.             Iran and Saudi Arabia agree to resume diplomatic relations which were severed in 2016 at talks meditated by China.             Silicon Valley Bank, the 16th largest bank in the United States, fails, creating the largest bank failure since the 2008 financial crisis, affecting companies around the world.         March 17 – The International Criminal Court issues an arrest warrant for Russian president Vladimir Putin, the first against a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council.         March 19 – In a deal brokered by the Swiss government, investment bank UBS agrees to buy Credit Suisse for CHF 3 billion (US$3.2 billion) in an all-stock deal.         March 20 – The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) releases the synthesis report of its Sixth Assessment Report on climate change.         March 24–27 – A tornado outbreak kills at least 26 people in Mississippi and Alabama.         March 27 – Seven people, including the perpetrator, are killed in a mass shooting at the Covenant School in Nashville, Tennessee.         March 26 – Large-scale spontaneous protests erupt across Israel in the wake of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu firing his defence minister who spoke against the government's judicial overhaul plan.         March 30 – Former U.S. president Donald Trump is indicted by a New York City grand jury, the first such indictment of a former President in U.S. history.         April 2:             Former Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson announces his 2024 presidential campaign.             Russian pro-government war correspondent Vladlen Tatarsky is killed by a bombing at a café in Saint Petersburg owned by oligarch Yevgeny Prigozhin. Sixteen others are injured.         April 4 – Finland becomes the 31st member of NATO, doubling the Western alliance's border with Russia.         April 5:             Attorney and author Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announces his presidential campaign.             Clashes between Palestinians and the Israeli police happen at Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem.         April 10 – Two document leaks from the Pentagon detailing foreign military aid relating to the Russian invasion of Ukraine are leaked onto the Internet.         April 11 – In the village of Pazigyi, at least 165 people are killed by the Myanmar Air Force during the opening celebrations of a People's Defence Force administration office.         April 14 – Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer (JUICE) is launched by the European Space Agency (ESA) to search for life in the Jovian system, with an expected arrival date of 2031.         April 15:             Nuclear power in Germany ends after the closure of the final power plants and nuclear being a power source for the country for over 50 years.             Fighting breaks out across Sudan between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces. The RSF captures Khartoum International Airport, and the presidential palace in Khartoum.         April 18 – Fox News and Dominion Voting Systems reach a $787.5 million settlement in the defamation lawsuit.         April 24 – Fox News and CNN fires Tucker Carlson and Don Lemon respectively. Carlson's firing was a result of the Dominion lawsuit settlement, while Lemon's was because of numerous misogynistic comments made in the past.         April 25 – President Biden formally announces his campaign for reelection in the 2024 United States presidential election.         May 1 – San Francisco-based First Republic Bank fails and is auctioned off by the US FDIC to JPMorgan Chase for $10.7 billion The collapse surpasses March's collapse of Silicon Valley Bank to become the second largest in US history.         May 2 – The 2023 Writers Guild of America strike begins due to unsuccessful pay raise negotiations. The strike halts the production of most movies and TV shows.         May 5 – World Health Organization declares end of the COVID-19 pandemic global health emergency.         May 6:             The coronation of Charles III and Camilla as King and Queen of the United Kingdom and the other Commonwealth realms is held in Westminster Abbey, London.             Nine people are killed, including the perpetrator, after a mass shooting at a mall in Allen, Texas.         May 7 – Syria is readmitted into the Arab League after being suspended since 2011.         May 9:             A Manhattan-based federal civil jury finds that former President Donald Trump sexually abused and defamed writer E. Jean Carroll in 1996, awarding her $5 million in damages.             U.S. Representative George Santos is indicted by federal prosecutors and charged with multiple counts of wire fraud, money laundering, and theft of private funds.         May 12 – The Title 42 expulsion policy expires at midnight, creating a question about whether a new immigration policy would be formed as a replacement. This comes as a surge of migrants gather at the U.S southern border.         May 19 – Senator Tim Scott from South Carolina files to run in the 2024 Republican Party presidential primaries.         May 24 – Ron DeSantis launches his campaign to run for President of the United States.         June 1 – Crown Prince of Jordan Hussein bin Abdullah marries Saudi architect and distant relative of the Saud family Rajwa Al Saif in the Jordanian capital of Amman.         June 2 – A train collision in Odisha, India results in at least 288 deaths and 1,000 others injured.         June 3 – Pres. Biden signs the Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023 into law in an effort to prevent the United States from entering a debt ceiling default.         June 6:             Nova Kakhovka dam in the Russian-controlled region of Kherson is destroyed, threatening the region with devastating floodwaters.             Former New Jersey governor Chris Christie announces his 2024 presidential campaign.         June 7 – Mike Pence announces his candidacy for President in the 2024 election.         June 8 – Former U.S. president Donald Trump is indicted by Jack Smith's special counsel over mishandling of classified documents found at the FBI search of Mar-a-Lago.         June 12 – The Denver Nuggets win the 2023 NBA Finals, their first NBA championship, in five games against the Miami Heat. Nikola Jokic wins NBA Finals MVP.         June 13 – At least 103 people are killed when a wedding boat capsizes on the Niger River in Kwara State, Nigeria.         June 14:             Scientists report the creation of the first synthetic human embryo from stem cells, without the need for sperm or egg cells.             At least 80 people die and 500 are reported missing after a boat carrying migrants capsizes off the coast of the Peloponnese.         June 15 – Miami mayor Francis Suarez launches his presidential campaign.         June 18 – All five crew members of Titan, a deep-sea submersible exploring the wreck of the Titanic, are killed following a catastrophic implosion of the vessel.         June 20 – Hunter Biden agrees to plead guilty to federal tax and firearms charges.         June 22 – Former Texas congressman Will Hurd launches his presidential campaign.         June 23 – Paramilitary organization known as the Wagner group launches a rebellion against the Russian government.         June 27:             Riots break out across France after the murder of teenager of algerian descent Nahel Merzoukh by a police officer.             The Supreme Court rules 6-3 in Moore v. Harper against the implementation of the independent state legislature theory.         June 29 – The Supreme Court rules that affirmative action in university admissions violates the Equal Protection Clause in the 14th Amendment. The court rules 6-3 in both Students for Fair Admissions v. University of North Carolina and Students for Fair Admissions v. Harvard.         June 30 – The United Nations Security Council votes unanimously to end MINUSMA, its peacekeeping mission in Mali.         July 3:             In the largest incursion by Israel into the West Bank since the Second Intifada, the Israeli military deployed ground forces and armed drones into the Jenin camp, killing thirteen and injuring more than one-hundred. An attack claimed by Hamas as retaliation for the incursion, occurred in Tel Aviv the following day, injuring nine.             Indian oil refiners start payments for Russian oil imports in Chinese yuan as an alternative to the US dollar due to increasing sanctions against Russia.         July 4:             Actress Allison Mack is released from prison early, after serving two years for her role in the NXIVM sex-trafficking cult.             Iran joins the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, becoming the organization's ninth member.         July 5 – Meta Platforms launches Threads as a direct competitor to Twitter.         July 7:             Patrick Crusius, the man who killed 23 people at an El Paso Walmart in 2019 is sentenced to 90 consecutive life sentences, the second longest amount of life sentences in the United States behind Terry Nichols, the accomplice of the Oklahoma City bombing in 1995.             A state judge in Oklahoma dismisses a lawsuit by the last three known survivors of the Tulsa race massacre in 1921 for reparations.         July 8 – In the Netherlands, the governing coalition collapses and Prime Minister Mark Rutte announces his upcoming resignation.         July 9 – New Zealand signs a free trade agreement with the European Union, increasing bilateral trade.         July 10:             China and the Solomon Islands sign a cooperation agreement between the People's Police and the Royal Solomon Islands Police Force in an upgrade of bilateral relations.             The European Commission and the U.S. government sign a new data communication agreement aimed at resolving legal uncertainties that European and American companies face when transferring personal data.         July 11 – Leslie Van Houten, a former member of the Manson Family, is released on parole after serving more than fifty years in prison.         July 14 – SAG-AFTRA announces it will begin an ongoing strike against the major film and TV studios in protest of low compensation, ownership of work, and generative AI.         July 18:             President Marcos signs the Maharlika Investment Fund, the Philippines' first sovereign wealth fund, into law.[75]             The International Criminal Court denies the Philippine government's appeal against the resumption of the investigation by prosecutor Karim Khan into the killings attributed to the drug war during the leadership of Rodrigo Duterte as Davao City mayor and the country's president.[76]             Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel announces charges against 16 “fake electors” for former U.S. President Donald Trump in a effort to reverse president Joe Biden’s victory in the state during the 2020 election. Politics, wars and states Main articles: International relations since 1989 and List of wars: 2003–present Russian President Vladimir Putin with George W. Bush and other Western leaders in Moscow, 9 May 2005 Protesters try to stop members of the G8 from attending the summit during the 27th G8 summit in Genoa, Italy by burning vehicles on the main route to the summit. New countries and territorial changes Some territories and states have gained independence during the 21st century. This is a list of sovereign states that have gained independence in the 21st century and have been recognized by the UN. Celebration of the Declaration of Independence of Kosovo     East Timor East Timor (Timor-Leste)[77] on 20 May 2002.     Montenegro Montenegro on 3 June 2006.     Serbia Serbia on 3 June 2006.     South Sudan South Sudan on 9 July 2011. These nations gained sovereignty through government reform.     Comoros Union of the Comoros on 23 December 2001. The Union of the Comoros replaced the Federal Islamic Republic of the Comoros     Transitional Islamic State of Afghanistan Transitional Islamic State of Afghanistan on 13 July 2002. The Transitional Islamic State of Afghanistan replaced the Islamic State of Afghanistan.     Serbia and Montenegro State Union of Serbia and Montenegro on 4 February 2003. The State Union of Serbia and Montenegro replaced the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia.     Afghanistan Islamic Republic of Afghanistan on 7 December 2004. The Islamic Republic of Afghanistan replaced the Transitional Islamic State of Afghanistan     Nepal Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal on 28 May 2008. The Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal replaced the Kingdom of Nepal.     Libya National Transitional Council of Libya on 20 October 2011. The National Transitional Council of Libya replaced the Great Socialist People's Libyan Arab Jamahiriya.     Libya State of Libya on 8 August 2012. The State of Libya replaced the National Transitional Council of Libya.     Afghanistan Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan on 15 August 2021. The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan replaced the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan. These territories have declared independence and secured relative autonomy but they have only been recognized by some UN member states:     Kosovo Kosovo on 17 February 2008. (partially recognized)     South Ossetia South Ossetia on 26 August 2008. (partially recognized)     Abkhazia Abkhazia on 26 August 2008. (partially recognized) These territories have declared independence and secured relative autonomy but they have been recognized by no one:     Islamic State Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant in June 2014. Had taken over much of Iraq, Syria and Libya. It is considered a terrorist organization and no longer holds any significant territorial control.     Catalonia Republic of Catalonia on 27 October 2017. The Catalan Parliament proclaimed the Catalan Republic, but the Kingdom of Spain did not recognise this and for a time imposed direct rule. (See 2017 Catalan independence referendum and 2017–2018 Spanish constitutional crisis)     South Yemen Southern Transitional Council in March 2017. Claimed the majority of the southern part of Yemen and the restoration of South Yemen. These territories were annexed from a sovereign country, the action has only been recognized by some UN member states:     Autonomous Republic of Crimea Crimea annexed from Ukraine into the Russian Federation on 18 March 2014.      Donetsk People's Republic,[b] Kherson Oblast,  Luhansk People's Republic,[c] and Zaporizhzhia Oblast annexed from Ukraine into the Russian Federation on 30 September 2022. These territories were ceded to another country:     Bangladesh India India–Bangladesh enclaves, traded between the two countries in 2015.     Republic of Artsakh Armenian-occupied territories surrounding Nagorno-Karabakh and the Lachin corridor, surrendered by Armenia to Azerbaijan at the end of the Second Nagorno-Karabakh War. Science and technology Space exploration NASA successfully lands the Curiosity rover on the surface of Mars. Artist's impression of New Horizons' close encounter with the Pluto–Charon system.     2001 – Dennis Tito becomes the first space tourist by paying $19 million to board the International Space Station.     2003 – Space Shuttle Columbia disaster on 1 February.     2003 – The Chinese space program launches its first crewed space flight, Shenzhou 5, on 15 October. This made China the third country in the world to have indigenous crewed space capability.     2004 – Mars Exploration Rovers land on Mars; Opportunity discovers evidence that an area of Mars was once covered in water.     2004 – SpaceShipOne makes the first privately funded human spaceflight, on 21 June.     2005 – The Huygens probe lands on Titan, the largest of Saturn's moons, on 14 January.     2006 – The New Horizons probe is launched to Pluto, on 19 January.     2006 – Pluto is reclassified from a planet to a dwarf planet, leaving the solar system with eight planets.     2007 – China launches its first lunar mission with the Chang'e 1, on 24 October.     2008 – India launches its first lunar mission Chandrayaan-1 which included a remote sensing orbiter and impactor on 22 October 2008. It made India the third nation to place its flag on Moon.     2008 – Chinese space program launches its third crewed space flight carrying its first three-person crew and conducts its first spacewalk that makes China the third nation after Russia and USA to do that, Shenzhou 7, on 25 September.     2008 – Phoenix discovers water ice on Mars.     2009 – Iran launches its first satellite, Omid, on 2 February.     2011 – NASA retires the last Space Shuttle, Atlantis, marking an end to its three-decade shuttle program.     2012 – SpaceX successfully delivers cargo to the International Space Station.     2012 – NASA successfully lands the Curiosity rover on the surface of Mars, on 6 August.     2014 – India's Mars Orbiter Mission, the nation's first attempt to send a spacecraft to Mars, successfully entered orbit on 24 September, making India the fourth nation in the world to reach that goal.     2014 – The European Space Agency robotic spacecraft Philae landed successfully on the comet 67P, the first cometary landing ever.     2015 – On 14 July, NASA's New Horizons spacecraft became the first to fly by Pluto, on a mission to photograph and collect data on its planetary system. No other spacecraft has yet performed such a mission so far from Earth.     2015 – On 28 September, NASA announces that liquid water has been found on Mars.[78]     2015 - SpaceX launches and lands a Falcon 9 into orbital space on 21 December, becoming the first reusable rocket to do so.     2016 - SpaceX lands the first orbital rocket, a CRS-8, on a drone platform at sea on 8 April.     2016 – On 4 July, NASA's Juno space probe maneuvered into a polar orbit to study the planet Jupiter.[79]     2016 - On 26 July, Solar Impulse 2 becomes the first solar-powered aircraft to circumnavigate the world.     2016 – On 24 August, an Earth-sized exoplanet is discovered around Proxima Centauri, 4.2 light years away, which is potentially habitable.     2016 - On 8 September, NASA's ORIRIS-Rex space probe is launched as the first asteroid sample return mission to collect samples from Bennu.     2019 – On 3 January, Chinese probe Chang'e 4 becomes the first human-made object to land on the far side of the Moon.[80]     2019 – NASA concludes the 15-year Opportunity rover mission after being unable to wake the rover from hibernation.[81]     2019 – Israel launched its first spacecraft, Beresheet, towards the Moon on 7 April; after two months of journey, the spacecraft failed to land and crashed on the surface of the Moon, making Israel the seventh country to orbit the Moon.     2019 – The first image of the supermassive black hole inside galaxy Messier 87 was captured by the Event Horizon Telescope.[82]     2021 – NASA's Perseverance rover, carrying the Ingenuity helicopter, successfully lands on Mars.     2021 – NASA's James Webb Space Telescope is successfully launched into orbit.     2022 – The first image of the supermassive black hole inside Milky Way was captured by the Event Horizon Telescope.     2022 – The first image from the James Webb Space Telescope is published.[83]     2022 – NASA successfully launches the Artemis 1 Moon mission on the SLS spacecraft after multiple delays. Physics     2003 – WMAP observations of the cosmic microwave background.     2010 – The Large Hadron Collider's first high energy collisions took place in March 2010.     2012 – Physicists discover the Higgs boson based on collisions at the Large Hadron Collider, on 4 July. It is the latest particle to be discovered in the Standard Model.[84]     2016 – On 11 February, LIGO announces the discovery of bursts of gravitational waves generated by cosmic collisions of black holes on, and was previously predicted by Albert Einstein 100 years ago.     2022 – on 13 December, the US Department of Energy announces that scientists at the National Ignition Facility have achieved the first positive energy gain from a fusion reactor in history.[1] Mathematics     2002 – Grigori Perelman posted the first of a series of eprints to the arXiv, in which he proved the Poincaré conjecture, the first of the Millennium Prize Problems to be solved.     2013 – Yitang Zhang publishes a paper in the Annals of Mathematics that established the first finite bound on the least gap between consecutive primes that is attained infinitely often. Biotechnology and medicine Further information: Timeline of medicine and medical technology § 2000 – present See also: Medicine in the 2010s     2003 – Completion of the Human Genome Project     2005 – The first successful partial face transplant is performed in France.     2006 – Australian of the Year Dr Ian Frazer develops a vaccine for cervical cancer.     2007 – Visual prosthetic (bionic eye) Argus II.     2008 – Japanese scientists create a form of artificial DNA.     2008 – Laurent Lantieri performs the first full face transplant.     2012 – The first successful complete face transplant is performed in Turkey.     2012 – Doubts raised over Statin medication.     2013 – First kidney grown in vitro in the U.S.     2013 – First human liver grown from stem cells in Japan. Telecommunications Steve Jobs discussing the iPhone, an early smartphone, in 2008 The Digital Revolution continued into the early 21st century with mobile phone usage and Global Internet usage growing massively, becoming available to many more people, with more applications and faster speeds. Worldwide Internet users[85] Users     2005     2010     2017     2019     2021 World population[86]     6.5 billion     6.9 billion     7.4 billion     7.75 billion     7.9 billion Worldwide     16%     30%     48%     53.6%     63% In developing world     8%     21%     41.3%     47%     57% In developed world     51%     67%     81%     86.6%     90% Social networking emerged in the mid-2000s, as a popular social communication, largely replacing much of the function of email, message boards and instant messaging services. Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, Snapchat and WeChat are all major examples of social media to gain widespread popularity. The use of webcams and front-facing cameras on PCs and related devices, and services such as Skype, Zoom, and FaceTime have made video calling and video conferencing widespread. Their use hugely increased during the COVID-19 pandemic. Civil unrest Further information: List of protests in the 21st century December 2001 riots in Argentina, also known as "Argentinazo". 2007 Georgian demonstrations against the government of president Mikheil Saakashvili. Tahrir Square Protest during the Arab Spring in Egypt. Peaceful protests in Madrid. In August 2011, Spain's unemployment reached 21.2% (46.2% for youths). Protests in Ferguson, Missouri in 2014, after the shooting of Michael Brown. 2019–20 Hong Kong protests "La marcha más grande de Chile" during the 2019–2020 Chilean protests.     2001 G8 Genoa summit protests     December 2001 riots in Argentina     2002 Gujarat riots     Protests against the Iraq War     Bolivian gas conflict     2003 Maldives civil unrest     2005 Belize unrest     Protests against Faure Gnassingbé     2005 Belfast riots     2005 civil unrest in France     Jeans Revolution     2006–2008 Lebanese protests     Saffron Revolution     2007 Georgian demonstrations     2008 Armenian presidential election protests     2008 Tibetan unrest     2008 riot in Mongolia     2009 Icelandic financial crisis protests     2009 G-20 London summit protests     April 2009 Moldovan parliamentary election protests     2009–2010 Iranian election protests     2010 Thai political protests     Kyrgyz Revolution of 2010     2010 G-20 Toronto summit protests     2010 Mozambican protests     2010 UK student protests     2010–2012 Greek protests     Arab Spring     Tunisian revolution     2011 Egyptian revolution     2011 Egyptian Post-Revolution protests     Impact of the Arab Spring     2011 Magallanes protests     2011 Iranian protests     2011 Libyan civil war     Syrian civil war     2011 Northern Ireland riots     2011 Malawian protests     2011 United Kingdom anti-austerity protests     Anti-austerity movement in Portugal     Spanish "Indignants"     2011 England riots     2011–13 Chilean student protests     2011 Israeli social justice protests     Worldwide "Occupy" Protests     2011–2013 Russian protests     Bersih 3.0 rally     Yo Soy 132     Belfast City Hall flag protests     2012–2013 Iraqi protests     2013 Myanmar anti-Muslim riots     Gezi Park protests     2013 protests in Brazil     June 2013 Egyptian protests     2013–2014 Cambodian protests     2013 Muzaffarnagar riots     2013–2014 Thai political crisis     Euromaidan     2013 Italian social protests     2013 Little India riots     2014 Ukrainian Revolution     2014 unrest in Bosnia and Herzegovina     Venezuelan protests (2014–present)     2014 anti-Muslim riots in Sri Lanka     2014 Pakistan anti-government protest     2014 Ferguson unrest     2014 Hong Kong protests     2015 Baltimore protests     Burundian unrest (2015–2018)     2015–18 Iraqi protests     2015 Lebanese protests     Protests against Donald Trump     Nuit debout     2016 Gabonese protests     2016 Turkish coup d'état attempt     2016–17 South Korean protests     Dakota Access Pipeline protests     2016 Manipur unrest     2016–17 Cameroonian protests     2017–2019 Romanian protests     2017 Belarusian protests     2017–2018 Russian protests     2017–2018 Spanish constitutional crisis     Unite the Right rally     2017–2018 Honduran protests     2018 anti-Muslim riots in Sri Lanka     2018–2019 Nicaraguan protests     2018 Bangladesh road-safety protests     Yellow vests movement     Serbian protests (2018–present)     Sudanese Revolution     2018 Armenian revolution     2018–2023 Haitian crisis     2019–2020 Algerian protests     2019–20 Hong Kong protests     2019 Venezuelan uprising attempt     2019 Papua protests     2019 Egyptian protests     2019–2020 Iraqi protests     2019 Ecuadorian protests     2019–2020 Chilean protests     2019 Catalan protests     2019–2020 Guinean protests     2019–20 Lebanese protests     2019 Bolivian protests     2019 Indonesian protests and riots     2019–20 Iranian protests     2019 Maltese protests     2019-2020 Colombian protests     Citizenship Amendment Act protests     2020–2021 Thai protests     2020–2021 protests against Benjamin Netanyahu     2020–2021 United States racial unrest     2020 Belarusian protests     2020–2021 Serbian protests     2020–2021 Bulgarian protests     2020–2021 Indian farmers' protest     End SARS protests     2020 Polish protests     2020 Peruvian protests     2020–2021 United States election protests     2020–2021 Armenian protests     2020 Guatemalan protests     2021 Dutch curfew riots     2021 Russian protests     2021 Myanmar protests     2021 Senegalese protests     2021 Paraguayan protests     2021 Colombian protests     2021 South African unrest     2022 Kazakh protests     2022 Sri Lankan protests     2022 Ecuadorian protests     Anti-MONUSCO protests     Mahsa Amini protests     2022–2023 Brazilian election protests     2022–2023 Peruvian protests     2023 Israeli judicial reform protests     2023 French pension reform strikes     2023 Manipur violence     2023 Senegalese protests     Nahel Merzouk protests Disasters Natural disasters The tsunami striking Ao Nang in Thailand on 26 December 2004. New Orleans, Louisiana in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina in 2005. 2000s     2001 Gujarat earthquake – An earthquake in Gujarat, India on 26 January 2001, killed approximately 20,000 people.     January 2001 El Salvador earthquake – A 7.9 earthquake in El Salvador shook the whole country on 13 January 2001, causing a major devastating landslide, hundreds dead, thousands injured and many homeless. A month later, on 13 February 2001, the country suffered a second earthquake – 6.7     2003 European heat wave – Approximately up to 70,000 people were killed across Europe in a summer long heat wave.     2003 Bam earthquake – An earthquake in Bam, Iran on 27 December 2003, killed more than 26,000.     2004 Hurricane Jeanne – Over 3,000 people are killed by Hurricane Jeanne in Haiti in September 2004.     2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami – On 26 December 2004, a massive undersea earthquake resulted in a massive tsunami striking southeast Asia killing approximately 230,000.     2005 Hurricane Katrina – The hurricane killed 1,836 in southeast Louisiana and Mississippi (mostly in New Orleans) and South Florida. A significant portion of the city, most of which sits below sea level, was submerged. Damages reached US$81.5 billion, making Katrina the costliest tropical cyclone ever recorded in the U.S.     2005 Kashmir earthquake – An earthquake in Kashmir on 8 October 2005, killed at least 74,500 in India and Pakistan.     2008 Cyclone Nargis – lead to catastrophic storm surge, leading to a death toll in excess of 100,000 and making millions homeless.     2008 Sichuan earthquake – An earthquake between 7.9 and 8.0-magnitude struck Sichuan, China, on 12 May 2008, killing 68,712, with 17,921 missing.     2009 Black Saturday bushfires – The Black Saturday bushfires were a series of bushfires that ignited or were burning across the Australian state of Victoria, Australia on and around Saturday, 7 February 2009. The fires occurred during extreme bushfire-weather conditions and resulted in Australia's highest ever loss of life from a bushfire; 173 people died and 414 were injured.     2009 L'Aquila earthquake – A 6.3 magnitude earthquake strikes near L'Aquila (Italy) on 6 April 2009, one of the worst in Italian history. 308 were pronounced dead and more than 65,000 were made homeless.     2009 flu pandemic – A worldwide outbreak of Influenza A virus subtype H1N1 spread around the world forming a pandemic by June 2009. 2010s Damaged buildings in Port-au-Prince as a result of the 2010 Haiti earthquake Hurricane Maria destruction in Dominica in 2017.     2010 Haiti earthquake – At least 230,000 are killed in Haiti after a massive earthquake on 12 January 2010. Three million people were made homeless.     2010 Chile earthquake – A massive earthquake, magnitude 8.8, strikes the central Chilean coast on 27 February 2010.     2010 Yushu earthquake – A large 6.9 magnitude earthquake struck the Yushu region of China in Qinghai near Tibet, on 14 April 2010, killing over 2,200 people.     2010 eruption of Eyjafjallajökull – A massive ash cloud is formed by the eruption of the Icelandic volcano Eyjafjallajökull, on 14 April 2010, grounding flights across northwest Europe. Scientists began recording volcanic activity there in 2009 which increased through March 2010 culminating in the second phase eruption in April.     2010 Pakistan floods – Began in July 2010 after record heavy monsoon rains. The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan was worst affected. At least 1,600 people were killed, thousands were rendered homeless, and more than thirteen million people were affected.[87][88][89][90][91] Estimates from rescue service officials suggest the death toll may reach 3,000 victims.[92]     2011 Queensland floods – Began in December 2010 primarily in Queensland. The flood causes thousands of people to evacuate. At least 200,000 people were affected by the flood. The flood continued throughout January 2011 in Queensland, and the estimated reduction in Australia's GDP is about A$30 billion.     Cyclone Yasi – A category 5 (Australian Scale) cyclone hits North Queensland with winds as strong as 290 km/h (197 miles/hr) and devastates the residents of North Queensland.     February 2011 Christchurch earthquake – 185 people died in New Zealand after a 6.3-magnitude earthquake hit Christchurch on 22 February 2011, making it New Zealand's second-deadliest natural disaster after the 1931 Hawke's Bay earthquake.     2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami – On 11 March 2011, a catastrophic undersea earthquake of magnitude 9.0 occurred offshore of eastern Japan, the greatest in the country's history and created a massive tsunami which killed 15,894; it also triggered the Fukushima I nuclear accidents. The overall cost for the earthquake, tsunami and nuclear accidents reached up to US$235 billion, making it the costliest natural disaster on record.     2011 Super Outbreak – Regarded as the deadliest tornado outbreak ever recorded and dubbed the 2011 Super Outbreak, a catastrophic tornado outbreak on 25–28 April affected the Southern United States and killed over 330 people, most of whom were in or from Alabama. Damages are expected to be near or over $10 billion.     2011 Joplin tornado – On 22 May 2011, a devastating EF5 tornado struck Joplin, Missouri resulting in 159 casualties, making it the deadliest tornado to hit the United States since 1947.     Tropical Storm Washi – Locally known as Sendong, it caused catastrophic flooding in the Philippine island of Mindanao on the night of 16 December 2011. The hardest hits were in Cagayan de Oro and Iligan City. Almost 1000 people perished, most of whom were sleeping, and President Benigno Aquino III declared a state of calamity four days later.     Hurricane Sandy – 24–30 October 2012 – kills at least 185 people in the Caribbean, Bahamas, United States and Canada. Considerable storm surge damage causes major disruption to the eastern seaboard of the United States.[93][94][95]     2013 Bohol earthquake - An earthquake of magnitude 7.2 that killed 22 people and destroyed a total worth of ₱2.25 billion,     Typhoon Haiyan 2013 – kills more than 6,000 people in central Philippines. Considered to be one of the strongest storms ever, it brought major damage and loss of life to the Philippines, especially the islands of Leyte and Samar. A worldwide humanitarian effort began in the aftermath of the typhoon.     2014 Southeast Europe floods – kill at least 80 people in Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia. Floodwaters caused over 2,000 landslides across the Balkan region, spreading damage across many towns and villages.     April 2015 Nepal earthquake – An earthquake of 7.8 magnitude kills almost 9,000 people, injures another 22,000 and leaves nearly 3 million people homeless in Central Nepal. The earthquake was so strong it was felt in India, Pakistan and Bangladesh.     2016 Taiwan earthquake – An earthquake of 6.4 magnitude kills 117 people, injures 550, and 4 people were left missing. The earthquake resulted in 3 executives of the Weiguan developer being arrested under charges of professional negligence resulting in death.     August 2016 Central Italy earthquake – A 6.2 magnitude earthquake killed 299 people and severely damaged Amatrice, Accumoli and Arquata del Tronto. 2020s     Unprecedented flooding displaces millions and threatens famine in Sudan and South Sudan in 2020–2021.[96][97]     On 12 January 2020, the Taal Volcano erupted for the first time in 43 years.     The 2020 Atlantic hurricane season, the most active regional season on record with 30 total named storms, results in over 400 fatalities across parts of the United States, Central America and the Caribbean.     At least 20 people are killed in 2021 Henan floods in China after heavy rainfall (at least 20c per hour) exacerbated by the approach of Typhoon In-fa breaks existing records.     The 2021 European floods kill over 188 people and devastate Belgium, Germany, Austria, the Netherlands, Croatia, Switzerland, Italy and Luxemburg. Floods in Germany prove to be the deadliest since the North Sea Flood of 1962.     On 27 July 2022, a magnitude-7.0 earthquake hit Luzon, causing 11 deaths and ₱1.88 billion of property damage.     In September 2022, Hurricane Ian hit the west coast of Florida as a Category 4 Atlantic hurricane, becoming the deadliest hurricane to hit Florida since the 1935 Labor Day hurricane. Human-made disasters Deepwater Horizon offshore drilling unit in the Gulf of Mexico on fire in 2010     On 27 July 2002, a Sukhoi Su-27 fighter crashes at an air show in Ukraine, killing 77 and injuring more than 100, making it the worst air show disaster in history.     On 1 February 2003, at the conclusion of the STS-107 mission, the Space Shuttle Columbia disintegrates during reentry over Texas, killing all seven astronauts on board.     The Black Saturday bushfires – the deadliest bushfires in Australian history took place across the Australian state of Victoria on 7 February 2009, during extreme bushfire-weather conditions, resulting in 173 people killed, more than 500 injured, and around 7,500 homeless. The fires came after Melbourne recorded the highest-ever temperature (46.4 °C, 115 °F) of any capital city in Australia. The majority of the fires were ignited by either fallen or clashing power lines or deliberately lit.     On 10 April 2010, Polish President Lech Kaczyński, his wife and 94 other people, including dozens of government officials, are killed in a plane crash.     On 20 April 2010, an explosion on the Deepwater Horizon offshore drilling rig, operating in the Gulf of Mexico off the coast of Louisiana, left eleven crewmen dead and resulted in a fire that sank the rig and caused a massive-scale oil spill[98] that may become one of the worst environmental disasters in United States history.[99] On 18 June 2010, oceanographer John Kessler said that the crude gushing from the well contains 40 percent methane, compared to about 5 percent found in typical oil deposits. Methane is a natural gas that could potentially suffocate marine life and create "dead zones" where oxygen is so depleted that nothing lives. "This is the most vigorous methane eruption in modern human history," Kessler said.[100] On 20 June an internal BP document was released by Congress revealing that BP estimated the flow could be as much as 100,000 barrels (4,200,000 US gallons; 16,000 cubic metres) per day under the circumstances that existed since 20 April blowout.[101][102] Pandemics and epidemics Western African Ebola virus epidemic U.S. yearly overdose deaths. More than 70,630 Americans died from drug overdoses in 2019.     2002–2004 – Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) spreads to many countries in the 2002–2004 SARS outbreak.     2009 – Influenza A virus subtype H1N1 spreads around the world, becoming a global pandemic.     2014 – Ebola virus spreads in west Africa, prompting the then-largest epidemic, with more than 20,000 cases. The first cases outside Africa are reported.     2019–present – A worldwide pandemic caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus takes place. It leads to widespread social and economic disruption and, by early 2023, more than 6.9 million deaths.[103][104] Economics and industry     The late-2000s financial crisis caused the Great Recession, which lasted into the early 2010s.     In the early 2010s the European debt crisis caused major effects on European politics and contributing to power shifts and the introduction of austerity policies in different countries.     Developing countries make up for 97% of the world's growth, and industrialization leads to the rapid rise of BRIC economies and the weakening of American hegemony in the global economy.     The recession caused by the COVID-19 pandemic forced many governments and economic sectors to heavily invest and restructure, especially through widespread introduction of remote work.     Economic restructuring was pursued in many economies due to global climate change. Sports Association football is the most popular sport worldwide with the FIFA World Cup being the most viewed football event. Other sports such as rugby, cricket, baseball, basketball, ice hockey, tennis, and golf are popular globally. In cricket, the emergence of the Twenty20 format and the creation of the Indian Premier League led to changes in the nature of the sport. American swimmer Michael Phelps won an Olympic record setting 8 Gold medals at the 2008 Summer Olympics. The Beijing Bird's Nest Stadium during the 2008 Summer Olympics. Olympics     The 2002 Winter Olympics were held in Salt Lake City, Utah, United States     The 2004 Summer Olympics were held in Athens, Greece     The 2006 Winter Olympics were held in Turin, Italy     The 2008 Summer Olympics were held in Beijing, China     The 2010 Winter Olympics were held in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada]]     The 2012 Summer Olympics were held in London, United Kingdom     The 2014 Winter Olympics were held in Sochi, Russia     The 2016 Summer Olympics were held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil     The 2018 Winter Olympics were held in Pyeongchang, South Korea     The 2020 Summer Olympics were held in Tokyo, Japan     The 2022 Winter Olympics were held in Beijing, China     The 2024 Summer Olympics will be held in Paris, France     The 2026 Winter Olympics will be held in Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy     The 2028 Summer Olympics will be held in Los Angeles, California, United States     The 2032 Summer Olympics will be held in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia Association football     The 2002 FIFA World Cup – host South Korea and Japan – was won by Brazil     The 2006 FIFA World Cup – host Germany – was won by Italy     The 2010 FIFA World Cup – host South Africa – was won by Spain     The 2014 FIFA World Cup – host Brazil – was won by Germany     The 2018 FIFA World Cup – host Russia – was won by France     The 2022 FIFA World Cup – host Qatar – was won by Argentina Cricket     The 2003 Cricket World Cup – host South Africa, Zimbabwe and Kenya – was won by Australia     The 2007 Cricket World Cup – host West Indies – was won by Australia     The 2011 Cricket World Cup – host India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh – was won by India     The 2015 Cricket World Cup – host Australia and New Zealand – was won by Australia     The 2019 Cricket World Cup – host England and Wales – was won by England Gridiron football Quarterback Tom Brady led the New England Patriots and Tampa Bay Buccaneers during his career, appearing in ten Super Bowls himself, the most ever.     In the National Football League, the New England Patriots were the dominant franchise of the first two decades of the 21st century, winning six Super Bowls between their first, in 2001, and their most recent, in 2018 and appearing in an additional three others. Head Coach Bill Belichick and quarterback Tom Brady led the team during the stretch, with Brady also leading the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to an additional Super Bowl following the 2020 season. Other teams with multiple Super Bowl appearances over that time period include the Philadelphia Eagles, New York Giants, Kansas City Chiefs, Seattle Seahawks, and Carolina Panthers. Besides Brady, who also won three Associated Press NFL Most Valuable Player Award (MVP), other highly recognized players include quarterback Peyton Manning, who won five MVP awards, the most in history, and quarterback Aaron Rodgers who won three MVPs, who in 2011 set the NFL record for season passer rating. Successful offensive players at other positions include wide receiver Randy Moss, who set the record for most receiving touchdowns in a season with 23 in 2007, wide receiver Michael Thomas, who set the NFL record for most receptions in a season with 149 in 2019, tight end Rob Gronkowski, who became the first tight end to lead the league in receiving touchdowns in 2011, and running back Adrian Peterson, who set the all-time NFL record for rushing yards in a game with 296 in 2007, his rookie year. Key defensive players of the century include safety Ed Reed, who led the league in interceptions three times, linebacker Ray Lewis, who set the career tackles record when he retired in 2012, and linebacker J. J. Watt, who is the only player to record more than 20 quarterback sacks in two different seasons.     In American college football, the sport saw the creation of the College Football Playoff, the first playoff for NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision, the highest level of college football in the U.S. The series was dominated by two teams, the Clemson Tigers and Alabama Crimson Tide, at least one of which has played in every Playoff since its inception in 2014 and between them have won all but one of said championships. Prior to 2014, the method of determining the champion was done via the Bowl Championship Series (BCS), a single championship game that attempted to match the top two teams in the country using a series of polls and computer rankings to choose the top two teams. In the BCS era, the top teams were Alabama, which won three BCS Championships, and Florida State, LSU, and Oklahoma, which won two BCS Championships each. Nick Saban, who led both LSU and Alabama to one and seven national championships respectively, was the most dominant coach of his era, while quarterbacks dominated the Heisman Trophy, winning 16 of 20 during the first two decades of the 21st century. Several controversies over the payment of athletes dominated the sport, with Heisman Trophy winner Reggie Bush being forced to return his award over receiving improper benefits while maintaining amateur status, while officials and media continued to debate the possibility of paying athletes at all levels of college athletics.     In Canadian football, the league opened the 21st century facing an uncertain financial future, suffering from the failures of the experiment of trying to field Canadian football teams in the United States and having to contract a large number of teams at the end of the 20th century. The league fluctuated between eight and nine teams as two different Ottawa-based franchises failed during the first decade of the 21st century. The league found stability during the 2010s, and showed surprising parity between the teams, with all nine teams appearing in at least one Grey Cup during the 2000s and 2010s, and with only the Montreal Alouettes winning back-to-back titles during those two decades, in 2009 and 2010. Quarterback Anthony Calvillo of the Alouettes was the face of the league during his career, winning three Most Outstanding Player Awards and setting several passing records in the process. Golf Tiger Woods was the most successful male golfer of the first two decades of the 21st century.     The 2002 Ryder Cup was won by Europe 15 and a half to USA's 12 and a half.     The 2004 Ryder Cup was won by Europe 18 and a half to USA's 9 and a half.     The 2006 Ryder Cup was won by Europe again 18 and a half to USA's 9 and a half.     The 2008 Ryder Cup was won by USA 16 and a half to Europe's 11 and a half.     The 2010 Ryder Cup was won by Europe 14 and a half to USA's 13 and a half.     The 2012 Ryder Cup was won by Europe 14 and a half to USA's 13 and a half.     The 2014 Ryder Cup was won by Europe 16 and a half to USA's 11 and a half.     The 2016 Ryder Cup was won by USA 17 to Europe's 11.     The 2018 Ryder Cup was won by Europe 17 and a half to USA's 10 and a half. Motorsport The start of a race during the 2016 Supercars Championship in Australia     Dale Earnhardt died after a last-lap crash during the Daytona 500 in February 2001.     Michael Schumacher broke many records in the first few years of the century, including the record for most races won (91), most World Championships (7), and most pole positions (68) by the time he retired in 2006. In 2010, he announced his comeback to Formula One after three years out of the sport, retiring again in 2012.     Sebastian Vettel broke numerous records on his way to becoming Formula One's youngest ever world champion, in 2010 at age 23, and then the youngest ever double world champion, in 2011 at age 24.     Sébastien Loeb became the most successful rally driver ever, winning the World Rally Championship a record 9 consecutive times between 2004 and 2012. He also set new records for the most wins, podium finishes and points scored.     Casey Stoner won his second MotoGP world title (2007 and 2011), and announced his retirement from the sport at just 27 years of age, citing disagreement with the direction of the sport and a desire to spend more time with his family. His retirement became effective at the end of the 2012 MotoGP season. Stoner has won every MotoGP-branded race at least once.     Craig Lowndes became the first driver to reach 100 race wins in the V8 Supercars Championship.     Lewis Hamilton broke the record for most career pole positions in Formula One in 2019, and the record for most career wins in 2020. Rugby Union     2003 Rugby World Cup – host Australia – was won by England     2007 Rugby World Cup – host France – was won by South Africa     2011 Rugby World Cup – host New Zealand – was won by New Zealand     2015 Rugby World Cup – host England – was won by New Zealand     2019 Rugby World Cup – host Japan – was won by South Africa Tennis (Men)     Roger Federer won 20 Grand Slam titles (6 Australian Opens, 1 French Open, 8 Wimbledons, and 5 US Opens) to surpass Pete Sampras' record of 14.     Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic each completed a Career Grand Slam, winning the singles championships in the Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon and US Open; Nadal also won the Olympic Singles gold medal in the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics to complete a Golden Career Slam.     At the 2010 Wimbledon Championships, John Isner and Nicolas Mahut completed the longest tennis match ever. Isner won 6–4, 3–6, 6–7(7), 7–6(3), 70–68.     In 2019, Rafael Nadal became the first male player to win a single Grand Slam tournament (French Open) 12 times. Tennis (Women)     Serena Williams won 23 Grand Slam titles (7 Australian Opens, 3 French Opens, 7 Wimbledons, and 6 US Opens) in the 21st century, to add to her 1999 US Open title. Including a 2017 Australian Open win whilst 8 weeks pregnant     Maria Sharapova became the first female Russian player to reach No.1 on 22 August 2005. She also retired in 2020.     China's Li Na won the 2011 French Open, becoming the first player, male or female, from that country to win a Grand Slam.     Belarusian Victoria Azarenka won the 2012 Australian Open, becoming the first player, male or female, from that country to win a Grand Slam, and also hold the No.1 ranking (taking over from Caroline Wozniacki). Arts and entertainment Arts Main article: Contemporary art     Art:21 - Art in the 21st Century (2001–2018), a PBS series Music A. R. Rahman, an Indian composer, became the first-ever from the sub-continent to have won double Oscars for his original score and soundtrack in 2009. At the beginning of the century, the compact disc (CD) was the standard form of music media, but alternative forms of music media started to take it place such as music downloading and online streaming. A resurgence in sales of vinyl records in the 2010s was driven by record collectors and audiophiles who prefer the sound of analog vinyl records to digital recordings. In 2020, for the first time since the 1980s, vinyl surpassed CDs as the primary form of physical media for consumers of music, though both were still surpassed by online streaming, which by the 2020s became the predominant way that people consumed music.[105] As of 2020, the most active music streaming services were YouTube (1 billion monthly music users, 20 million premium subscribers), Tencent Music (657 million monthly users, 42.7 million premium subscribers), 130 million premium subscribers), SoundCloud (175 million monthly users), Gaana (152 million monthly users), JioSaavn (104 million monthly users), Spotify (286 million monthly users), Pandora (60.9 million monthly users), and Apple Music (60 million subscribers).[106] Television As with music, the story of the first two decades of the 21st century was the growth of streaming television services in competition with older forms of television, such as Terrestrial television, cable television, and satellite television. The first major company to dominate the streaming service market was Netflix, which began as a DVD-delivery service in the late 1990s, transitioned into an online media streaming platform initially focused on delivering content produced by studios, then began to produce its own content, beginning with the popular and critically acclaimed series House of Cards in 2013. Netflix's success encouraged the creation of numerous other streaming services, such as Hulu, YouTube Premium, Amazon Prime Video, and Disney+, which within a year of its launch overtook Netflix as the most downloaded television streaming application.[107] Issues and concerns     Global warming. Climate scientists have reached a consensus that the earth is undergoing significant anthropogenic (human-induced) global warming.[108] The resulting economic and ecological costs are hard to predict. Some scientists argue that human-induced global warming risks considerable losses in biodiversity and ecosystem services unless considerable sociopolitical changes are introduced, particularly in patterns of mass consumption and transportation.[109] Global Peak Oil forecast. Virtually all economic sectors rely heavily on petroleum.     Globalization. Advances in telecommunications and transportation, the expansion of capitalism and democracy[disputed – discuss] since the late 1980s, and free trade agreements have resulted in unprecedented global economic and cultural integration. Most economists believe free trade leads to economic growth and benefits most people, including small businesses.[110] In recent years, however, there has been a backlash against globalization and a return to protectionist attitudes among some leaders and nations, most notably United States President Donald Trump and the United Kingdom's decision to leave the European Union. Dhaka, Bangladesh in 2006. Almost 97% of future population growth is expected to occur in developing countries.[111]     Population. The world's population demographics will shift considerably in this century, with the population of Europe and East Asia to decline considerably and the population of Africa and to a lesser extent South Asia to grow considerably. The United Nations estimates that world population will reach 9.8 billion by 2050.[112] Most of this growth will take place in the world's poorer countries, which may slow down the global reduction of poverty and combined with the effects of global warming may lead to large migrations.         Overconsumption and overpopulation. The United Nations estimates that world population will reach 9.2 billion by mid-century. Such growth raises questions of ecological sustainability and creates many economic and political disruptions. In response, many countries have adopted policies which either force or encourage their citizens to have fewer children, and others have limited immigration. Considerable debate exists over what the ultimate carrying capacity of the planet may be; whether or not population growth containment policies are necessary; to what degree growth can safely occur thanks to increased economic and ecological efficiency; and how distribution mechanisms should accommodate demographic shifts. Many developed countries (most notably Japan) will experience population decline, and the population debate is strongly tied with discussions about the distribution of wealth.     Poverty. Poverty remains the root cause of many of the world's other ills, including famine, disease, and insufficient education. Poverty contains many self-reinforcing elements (for instance, poverty can make education an unaffordable luxury, which tends to result in continuing poverty) that various aid groups hope to rectify in this century. Immense progress has been made in reducing poverty, especially in China and India but increasingly in Africa as well. Microcredit lending has also started to gain a profile as a useful anti-poverty tool.     Disease. AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria each kill over a million people annually. HIV remains without a cure or vaccine, and while new cases are declining it remains a major problem, especially for women.[113] Antibiotic resistance is a growing concern for organisms such as tuberculosis. Other diseases, such as SARS, COVID-19, ebola, the Zika virus and flu variations, are also causes for concern. The World Health Organization has warned of a possible coming flu pandemic resulting from bird flu mutations. In 2009, there was an outbreak of swine flu whose country of origin is still unknown. In early 2019, more than 90% of world's 13,865 nuclear weapons were owned by Russia and the United States.[114]     War and terrorism. Although war and terror have declined so far in the early 21st century,[115] active conflicts continue around the world, such as the Syrian Civil War, the Yemeni Civil War and the War in Afghanistan. The 9/11 terrorist attacks triggered invasions of Afghanistan and partially and controversially Iraq. The War on Terror has seen controversies over civil liberties, accusations of torture, continued terrorist attacks and ongoing instability, violence, and military occupation. Violence continues in the Arab–Israeli conflict. Considerable concern remains about nuclear proliferation, especially in Iran and North Korea, and the availability of weapons of mass destruction to rogue groups.         War on drugs. Increasingly, the legal, social and military battle led by governments against drug cartels around the world show little results in ending drug trading and consumption, and a constant increase in the lives taken from this struggle. Notably, after 2006 in the Mexican Drug War, more than 100,000 human lives have been lost to this conflict. Some jurisdictions have enacted some degree of legalization or decriminalization of some kinds of drugs, notably including several U.S. states legalizing marijuana either for recreational or medical use.     Intellectual property. The increasing popularity of digital formats for entertainment media such as movies and music, and the ease of copying and distributing it via the Internet and peer-to-peer networks, has raised concerns in the media industry about copyright infringement. Much debate is proceeding about the proper bounds between protection of copyright, trademark and patent rights versus fair use and the public domain, where some argue that such laws have shifted greatly towards intellectual property owners and away from the interests of the general public in recent years, while others say that such legal change is needed to deal with a perceived threat of new technologies against the rights of authors and artists (or, as others put it, against the outmoded business models of the current entertainment industry). Domain name "cybersquatting" and access to patented drugs and generics to combat epidemics in third-world countries are other IP concerns.     Technology developments continue to change society. Communications and control technology continues to augment the intelligence of individual humans, collections of humans, and machines. Some, notably Ray Kurzweil, have predicted that by the middle of the century there will be a technological singularity if artificial intelligence that outsmarts humans is created. In addition, some economists have expressed concerns over technological unemployment due to automation.   Marriage open to same-sex couples   Death penalty for homosexuality     Civil rights, including women's rights, LGBT rights, racial equality and the rights of disabled and neurodiverse people are still a work in progress. Women are not able to realize or are outright denied their rights in many countries, including India, China[116] and Saudi Arabia, and sexual violence against women is still an enormous problem everywhere in the world. Sex-selective abortion has reduced the number of women born worldwide since 1990, mostly because of son preference in China, India, Pakistan, Vietnam, South Korea and some other smaller countries. In many countries attitudes towards homosexuality have become more tolerant. Same-sex marriage was legalized in several jurisdictions during the first two decades of the century, but outlawed by constitutional amendment in other places. Meanwhile, some countries such as Uganda and Russia moved to toughen their laws against any sort of homosexual behavior or expression. Political battles over pro- or anti-gay legislation provoked much activism in the streets and on the Internet. Hate groups remain a serious problem, and ethnic minorities have a lower status in many countries, including the United States. Neurological conditions such as autism are slowly becoming more understood and recognized. Astronomical events     2004: Transit of Venus.     23 December 2007: grand conjunction, a galactic conjunction which happens every 26,000 years.     2009: Triple conjunction Jupiter–Neptune.     Solar eclipse of July 22, 2009, total of 6 min 38.8 s, saros 136.     Solar eclipse of January 15, 2010, annular of 11 min 08 s, saros 141. The longest of the century, and also of the entire millennium.     2012: Transit of Venus.     11 November 2019: Transit of Mercury.     Solar eclipse of June 21, 2020, annular of 38 s, saros 137 Further information: List of future astronomical events § 21st century See also     iconModern history portal     20th century     Timelines of modern history     Contemporary art     International relations since 1989 Notes See, for instance, the Lost Decades in Japan. See Russian occupation of Donetsk Oblast.     See Russian occupation of Luhansk Oblast. References "The 21st Century and the 3rd Millennium". aa.usno.navy.mil. 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Ritchie, Hannah; Mathieu, Edouard; Rodés-Guirao, Lucas; Appel, Cameron; Giattino, Charlie; Ortiz-Ospina, Esteban; Hasell, Joe; Macdonald, Bobbie; Beltekian, Diana; Dattani, Saloni; Roser, Max (2020–2021). "Coronavirus Pandemic (COVID-19)". Our World in Data. Retrieved 15 January 2022. Dean, Grace (14 September 2020). "Americans are spending more on vinyl records than CDs for the first time since the 1980s". Business Insider. Insider Inc. Archived from the original on 23 January 2021. Retrieved 26 January 2021. "How many users do Spotify, Apple Music and other big music streaming services have?". Music Ally. 19 February 2020. Archived from the original on 12 January 2021. Retrieved 26 January 2021. Kissel, Chris (22 January 2021). "The 10 Most Popular Streaming TV Services of 2020". Money Talks News. Archived from the original on 25 January 2021. Retrieved 26 January 2021. Oreskes, Naomi (2004). "The Scientific Consensus on Climate Change". 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Archived from the original on 2 July 2019. Retrieved 23 July 2019. Sanger-Katz, Margot (16 August 2016). "Is Terrorism Getting Worse? In the West, Yes. In the World, No". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 9 November 2020. Retrieved 12 January 2019.     Fry, Lisa. "Chinese Women and Economic Human Rights" (PDF). Josef Korbel School of International Studies University of Denver. Archived from the original (PDF) on 4 October 2012. Retrieved 10 February 2022. Further reading     Adebajo, Adekeye, ed. Curse of Berlin: Africa After the Cold War (Oxford UP, 2014).     Allitt, Patrick N. America after the Cold War: The First 30 Years (2020).     Andersson, Jenny. The future of the world: Futurology, futurists, and the struggle for the post cold war imagination (Oxford UP, 2018).     Ahram, Ariel I. War and Conflict in the Middle East and North Africa (John Wiley & Sons, 2020).     Asare, Prince, and Richard Barfi. "The Impact of Covid-19 Pandemic on the Global Economy: Emphasis on Poverty Alleviation and Economic Growth." Economics 8.1 (2021): 32-43 online.     Aziz, Nusrate, and M. Niaz Asadullah. "Military spending, armed conflict and economic growth in developing countries in the post–Cold War era." Journal of Economic Studies 44.1 (2017): 47–68.     Brands, Hal. Making the unipolar moment: U.S. foreign policy and the rise of the post-Cold War order (2016).     Brügger, Niels, ed, Web25: Histories from the first 25 years of the world wide web (Peter Lang, 2017).     Cameron, Fraser. US foreign policy after the cold war: global hegemon or reluctant sheriff? (Psychology Press, 2005).     Cassani, Andrea, and Luca Tomini. Autocratization in post-cold war political regimes (Springer, 2018).     Clapton, William ed. Risk and Hierarchy in International Society: Liberal Interventionism in the Post-Cold War Era (Palgrave Macmillan UK. 2014)     Dai, Jinhua, and Lisa Rofel, eds. After the Post–Cold War: The Future of Chinese History (Duke UP, 2018).     Duong, Thanh. Hegemonic globalisation: U.S. centrality and global strategy in the emerging world order (Routledge, 2017).     The Economist. The World in 2020 (2019)     The Economist. The Pocket World in 2021 (2020) excerpt     Gertler, Mark, and Simon Gilchrist. "What happened: Financial factors in the great recession." Journal of Economic Perspectives 32.3 (2018): 3-30. online     Harrison, Ewam. The Post-Cold War International System: Strategies, Institutions and Reflexivity (2004).     Henriksen, Thomas H. Cycles in US Foreign Policy Since the Cold War (Palgrave Macmillan, 2017) excerpt.     Howe, Joshua P. Behind the curve: science and the politics of global warming (U of Washington Press, 2014).     Jackson, Robert J. and Philip Towle. Temptations of Power: The United States in Global Politics after 9/11 (2007)     Lamy, Steven L., et al. Introduction to global politics (4th ed. Oxford UP, 2017)     Mandelbaum, Michael The Rise and Fall of Peace on Earth (Oxford UP, 2019) why so much peace 1989–2015. excerpt     Maull, Hanns W., ed. The rise and decline of the post-Cold War international order (Oxford UP, 2018).     Pekkanen, Saadia M., John Ravenhill, and Rosemary Foot, eds. Oxford handbook of the international relations of Asia (Oxford UP, 2014), comprehensive coverage.     Ravenhill, John, ed. Global political economy (5th ed. Oxford UP, 2017) excerpt     Reid-Henry, Simon. Empire of Democracy: The Remaking of the West Since the Cold War (2019) excerpt     Rosenberg, Jerry M. (2012). The Concise Encyclopedia of The Great Recession 2007–2012 (2nd ed.). Scarecrow Press. ISBN 9780810883406.     Rubin, Robert, and Jacob Weisberg. In an uncertain world: tough choices from Wall Street to Washington (2015).     Rudolph, Peter. "The Sino-American World Conflict" (German Institute for International and Security Affairs. SWP Research Paper #3, February 2020). doi: 10.18449/2020RP03 online     Schenk, Catherine R. International economic relations since 1945 (2nd ed. 2021).     Smith, Rhona K.M. et al. International Human Rights (4th ed. 2018)     Smith, Rhona KM. Texts and materials on international human rights (4th ed. Routledge, 2020).     Strong, Jason. The 2010s: Looking Back At A Dramatic Decade (2019) online     Taylor-Gooby, Peter, Benjamin Leruth, and Heejung Chung, eds. After austerity: Welfare state transformation in Europe after the great recession (Oxford UP, 2017).     Tooze, Adam (2018). Crashed: How a Decade of Financial Crises Changed the World. New York: Viking. ISBN 9780670024933.     Tooze, Adam. Shutdown: How Covid Shook the World's Economy (2021).     United Nations. World Economic Situation and Prospects 2020 (2020) online annual reports     United Nations. 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Alternate titles: Elizabeth Angela Marguerite Bowes-Lyon, Elizabeth, Duchess of York, Queen Mum, The Queen Mother

Elizabeth

Born: August 4, 1900 England

Died: March 30, 2002 (aged 101) Windsor Castle England

House / Dynasty: house of Windsor

Notable Family Members: spouse George VI daughter Elizabeth II daughter Princess Margaret

Elizabeth, née Elizabeth Angela Marguerite Bowes-Lyon, also called (1923–36) duchess of York, (1936–52) Queen Elizabeth, and the Queen Mother, (born August 4, 1900, St. Paul’s Waldenbury, Hitchin, Hertfordshire, England—died March 30, 2002, Windsor, Berkshire), queen consort of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland (1936–52), wife of King George VI. She was credited with sustaining the monarchy through numerous crises, including the abdication of Edward VIII and the death of Princess Diana.

The Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon was the youngest daughter of Claude George Bowes-Lyon, 14th earl of Strathmore and Kinghorne (died 1944); the Bowes-Lyon family could claim descent from Robert the Bruce, king of Scotland. On April 26, 1923, Elizabeth was married to Albert, duke of York, second son of King George V. This marriage was a popular departure from the long-standing practice of an English prince marrying into a foreign royal family. On December 11, 1936, upon the abdication of Edward VIII and the accession of her husband as George VI, Elizabeth became queen consort. She never forgave Edward, afterward duke of Windsor, for having abandoned the throne to George without the latter’s adequate anticipation or preparation. Shy and prone to melancholy, George seemed ill-suited for the role of king. Elizabeth’s unflagging support, however, helped transform him into a confident and much respected monarch; it was at her urgings that he sought treatment for stuttering. As queen consort, Elizabeth also enjoyed great popularity, enhanced in part by her actions during World War II, when she refused to leave London during German air raids, even after Buckingham Palace was bombed. Many credit her with setting the tone for the modern British monarchy, as she eased formalities and established an unprecedented rapport with the public.

Elizabeth bore two daughters: Elizabeth Alexandra Mary, the future queen Elizabeth II (born April 21, 1926—d. September 8, 2022), and Princess Margaret Rose, the future countess of Snowdon (born August 21, 1930—died February 9, 2002). After her husband’s death on February 6, 1952, and the accession of Elizabeth II, she became known officially as Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother. She remained, however, an influential figure and made numerous appearances in England and around the world. Her public duties continued until shortly before her death. Noted for her humour and easygoing nature, the “Queen Mum,” as she became affectionately known, was one of the most popular and admired members of the royal family.
Elizabeth II Head of the Commonwealth Formal photograph of Elizabeth facing right Formal photograph, 1958 Queen of the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth realms (list) Reign 6 February 1952 – 8 September 2022 Coronation 2 June 1953 Predecessor George VI Successor Charles III Born Princess Elizabeth of York 21 April 1926 Mayfair, London, England Died 8 September 2022 (aged 96) Balmoral Castle, Aberdeenshire, Scotland Burial 19 September 2022 King George VI Memorial Chapel, St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle Spouse Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh ​(m. 1947; died 2021)​ Issue Detail Charles III Anne, Princess Royal Prince Andrew, Duke of York Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex and Forfar Names Elizabeth Alexandra Mary House Windsor Father George VI Mother Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon Signature Elizabeth's signature in black ink Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary; 21 April 1926 – 8 September 2022) was Queen of the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth realms from 6 February 1952 until her death in 2022. She was queen regnant of 32 sovereign states during her lifetime and 15 at the time of her death. Her reign of 70 years and 214 days was the longest of any British monarch and the longest verified reign of any female monarch in history. Elizabeth was born in Mayfair, London, as the first child of the Duke and Duchess of York (later King George VI and Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother). Her father acceded to the throne in 1936 upon the abdication of his brother Edward VIII, making then-Princess Elizabeth the heir presumptive. She was educated privately at home and began to undertake public duties during the Second World War, serving in the Auxiliary Territorial Service. In November 1947, she married Philip Mountbatten, a former prince of Greece and Denmark, and their marriage lasted 73 years until his death in 2021. They had four children: Charles, Anne, Andrew, and Edward. When her father died in February 1952, Elizabeth—then 25 years old—became queen of seven independent Commonwealth countries: the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Pakistan, and Ceylon (known today as Sri Lanka), as well as Head of the Commonwealth. Elizabeth reigned as a constitutional monarch through major political changes such as the Troubles in Northern Ireland, devolution in the United Kingdom, the decolonisation of Africa, and the United Kingdom's accession to the European Communities and withdrawal from the European Union. The number of her realms varied over time as territories gained independence and some realms became republics. As queen, Elizabeth was served by more than 170 prime ministers across her realms. Her many historic visits and meetings included state visits to China in 1986, to Russia in 1994, and to the Republic of Ireland in 2011, and meetings with five popes. Significant events included Elizabeth's coronation in 1953 and the celebrations of her Silver, Golden, Diamond, and Platinum jubilees in 1977, 2002, 2012, and 2022, respectively. Although she faced occasional republican sentiment and media criticism of her family—particularly after the breakdowns of her children's marriages, her annus horribilis in 1992, and the death in 1997 of her former daughter-in-law Diana, Princess of Wales—support for the monarchy in the United Kingdom remained consistently high throughout her lifetime, as did her personal popularity.[1] Elizabeth died in September 2022 at Balmoral Castle in Aberdeenshire, at the age of 96, and was succeeded by her eldest child, King Charles III. Her state funeral was the first to be held in the United Kingdom since that of Winston Churchill in 1965. Early life Elizabeth as a thoughtful-looking toddler with curly, fair hair On the cover of Time, April 1929 Elizabeth as a rosy-cheeked young girl with blue eyes and fair hair Portrait by Philip de László, 1933 Princess Elizabeth was born at 02:40 (GMT) on 21 April 1926,[2] during the reign of her paternal grandfather, King George V. Her father, Prince Albert, Duke of York (later King George VI), was the second son of the King. Her mother, Elizabeth, Duchess of York (later Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother), was the youngest daughter of Scottish aristocrat Claude Bowes-Lyon, 14th Earl of Strathmore and Kinghorne. Princess Elizabeth was delivered by Caesarean section at 17 Bruton Street in Mayfair, which was her grandfather Lord Strathmore's London home.[3] She was baptised by the Anglican Archbishop of York, Cosmo Gordon Lang, in the private chapel of Buckingham Palace on 29 May,[4][a] and named Elizabeth after her mother; Alexandra after her paternal great-grandmother, who had died six months earlier; and Mary after her paternal grandmother.[6] Called "Lilibet" by her close family,[7] based on what she called herself at first,[8] she was cherished by her grandfather George V, whom she affectionately called "Grandpa England",[9] and her regular visits during his serious illness in 1929 were credited in the popular press and by later biographers with raising his spirits and aiding his recovery.[10] Elizabeth's only sibling, Princess Margaret, was born in 1930. The two princesses were educated at home under the supervision of their mother and their governess, Marion Crawford.[11] Lessons concentrated on history, language, literature, and music.[12] Crawford published a biography of Elizabeth and Margaret's childhood years entitled The Little Princesses in 1950, much to the dismay of the royal family.[13] The book describes Elizabeth's love of horses and dogs, her orderliness, and her attitude of responsibility.[14] Others echoed such observations: Winston Churchill described Elizabeth when she was two as "a character. She has an air of authority and reflectiveness astonishing in an infant."[15] Her cousin Margaret Rhodes described her as "a jolly little girl, but fundamentally sensible and well-behaved".[16] Heir presumptive During her grandfather's reign, Elizabeth was third in the line of succession to the British throne, behind her uncle Edward and her father. Although her birth generated public interest, she was not expected to become queen, as Edward was still young and likely to marry and have children of his own, who would precede Elizabeth in the line of succession.[17] When her grandfather died in 1936 and her uncle succeeded as Edward VIII, she became second in line to the throne, after her father. Later that year, Edward abdicated, after his proposed marriage to divorced socialite Wallis Simpson provoked a constitutional crisis.[18] Consequently, Elizabeth's father became king, taking the regnal name George VI. Since Elizabeth had no brothers, she became heir presumptive. If her parents had subsequently borne a son, he would have been heir apparent and above her in the line of succession, which was determined by the male-preference primogeniture in effect at the time.[19] Elizabeth received private tuition in constitutional history from Henry Marten, Vice-Provost of Eton College,[20] and learned French from a succession of native-speaking governesses.[21] A Girl Guides company, the 1st Buckingham Palace Company, was formed specifically so she could socialise with girls her own age.[22] Later, she was enrolled as a Sea Ranger.[21] In 1939, Elizabeth's parents toured Canada and the United States. As in 1927, when they had toured Australia and New Zealand, Elizabeth remained in Britain, since her father thought she was too young to undertake public tours.[23] She "looked tearful" as her parents departed.[24] They corresponded regularly,[24] and she and her parents made the first royal transatlantic telephone call on 18 May.[23] Second World War In Auxiliary Territorial Service uniform, April 1945 In September 1939, Britain entered the Second World War. Lord Hailsham suggested that Princesses Elizabeth and Margaret should be evacuated to Canada to avoid the frequent aerial bombings of London by the Luftwaffe.[25] This was rejected by their mother, who declared, "The children won't go without me. I won't leave without the King. And the King will never leave."[26] The princesses stayed at Balmoral Castle, Scotland, until Christmas 1939, when they moved to Sandringham House, Norfolk.[27] From February to May 1940, they lived at Royal Lodge, Windsor, until moving to Windsor Castle, where they lived for most of the next five years.[28] At Windsor, the princesses staged pantomimes at Christmas in aid of the Queen's Wool Fund, which bought yarn to knit into military garments.[29] In 1940, the 14-year-old Elizabeth made her first radio broadcast during the BBC's Children's Hour, addressing other children who had been evacuated from the cities.[30] She stated: "We are trying to do all we can to help our gallant sailors, soldiers, and airmen, and we are trying, too, to bear our own share of the danger and sadness of war. We know, every one of us, that in the end all will be well."[30] In 1943, Elizabeth undertook her first solo public appearance on a visit to the Grenadier Guards, of which she had been appointed colonel the previous year.[31] As she approached her 18th birthday, Parliament changed the law so she could act as one of five counsellors of state in the event of her father's incapacity or absence abroad, such as his visit to Italy in July 1944.[32] In February 1945, she was appointed an honorary second subaltern in the Auxiliary Territorial Service with the service number of 230873.[33] She trained and worked as a driver and mechanic and was given the rank of honorary junior commander (female equivalent of captain at the time) five months later.[34] Elizabeth (far left) on the balcony of Buckingham Palace with her family and Winston Churchill, 8 May 1945 At the end of the war in Europe, on Victory in Europe Day, Elizabeth and Margaret mingled incognito with the celebrating crowds in the streets of London. Elizabeth later said in a rare interview, "We asked my parents if we could go out and see for ourselves. I remember we were terrified of being recognised ... I remember lines of unknown people linking arms and walking down Whitehall, all of us just swept along on a tide of happiness and relief."[35] During the war, plans were drawn up to quell Welsh nationalism by affiliating Elizabeth more closely with Wales. Proposals, such as appointing her Constable of Caernarfon Castle or a patron of Urdd Gobaith Cymru (the Welsh League of Youth), were abandoned for several reasons, including fear of associating Elizabeth with conscientious objectors in the Urdd at a time when Britain was at war.[36] Welsh politicians suggested she be made Princess of Wales on her 18th birthday. Home Secretary Herbert Morrison supported the idea, but the King rejected it because he felt such a title belonged solely to the wife of a Prince of Wales and the Prince of Wales had always been the heir apparent.[37] In 1946, she was inducted into the Gorsedd of Bards at the National Eisteddfod of Wales.[38] Princess Elizabeth went on her first overseas tour in 1947, accompanying her parents through southern Africa. During the tour, in a broadcast to the British Commonwealth on her 21st birthday, she made the following pledge: "I declare before you all that my whole life, whether it be long or short, shall be devoted to your service and the service of our great imperial family to which we all belong."[39] The speech was written by Dermot Morrah, a journalist for The Times.[40] Marriage Main article: Wedding of Princess Elizabeth and Philip Mountbatten Elizabeth met her future husband, Prince Philip of Greece and Denmark, in 1934 and again in 1937.[41] They were second cousins once removed through King Christian IX of Denmark and third cousins through Queen Victoria. After meeting for the third time at the Royal Naval College in Dartmouth in July 1939, Elizabeth—though only 13 years old—said she fell in love with Philip, who was 18, and they began to exchange letters.[42] She was 21 when their engagement was officially announced on 9 July 1947.[43] The engagement attracted some controversy. Philip had no financial standing, was foreign-born (though a British subject who had served in the Royal Navy throughout the Second World War), and had sisters who had married German noblemen with Nazi links.[44] Marion Crawford wrote, "Some of the King's advisors did not think him good enough for her. He was a prince without a home or kingdom. Some of the papers played long and loud tunes on the string of Philip's foreign origin."[45] Later biographies reported that Elizabeth's mother had reservations about the union initially, and teased Philip as "the Hun".[46] In later life, however, she told the biographer Tim Heald that Philip was "an English gentleman".[47] At Buckingham Palace with new husband Philip after their wedding, 1947 Before the marriage, Philip renounced his Greek and Danish titles, officially converted from Greek Orthodoxy to Anglicanism, and adopted the style Lieutenant Philip Mountbatten, taking the surname of his mother's British family.[48] Shortly before the wedding, he was created Duke of Edinburgh and granted the style His Royal Highness.[49] Elizabeth and Philip were married on 20 November 1947 at Westminster Abbey. They received 2,500 wedding gifts from around the world.[50] Elizabeth required ration coupons to buy the material for her gown (which was designed by Norman Hartnell) because Britain had not yet completely recovered from the devastation of the war.[51] In post-war Britain, it was not acceptable for Philip's German relations, including his three surviving sisters, to be invited to the wedding.[52] Neither was an invitation extended to the Duke of Windsor, formerly King Edward VIII.[53] Elizabeth gave birth to her first child, Charles, on 14 November 1948. One month earlier, the King had issued letters patent allowing her children to use the style and title of a royal prince or princess, to which they otherwise would not have been entitled as their father was no longer a royal prince.[54] A second child, Princess Anne, was born on 15 August 1950.[55] Following their wedding, the couple leased Windlesham Moor, near Windsor Castle, until July 1949,[50] when they took up residence at Clarence House in London. At various times between 1949 and 1951, the Duke of Edinburgh was stationed in the British Crown Colony of Malta as a serving Royal Navy officer. He and Elizabeth lived intermittently in Malta for several months at a time in the hamlet of Gwardamanġa, at Villa Guardamangia, the rented home of Philip's uncle, Lord Mountbatten. Their two children remained in Britain.[56] Reign Accession and coronation Main article: Coronation of Elizabeth II Coronation portrait by Cecil Beaton, 1953 George VI's health declined during 1951, and Elizabeth frequently stood in for him at public events. When she toured Canada and visited President Harry S. Truman in Washington, D.C., in October 1951, her private secretary, Martin Charteris, carried a draft accession declaration in case of the King's death while she was on tour.[57] In early 1952, Elizabeth and Philip set out for a tour of Australia and New Zealand by way of the British colony of Kenya. On 6 February 1952, they had just returned to their Kenyan home, Sagana Lodge, after a night spent at Treetops Hotel, when word arrived of the death of George VI and Elizabeth's consequent accession to the throne with immediate effect. Philip broke the news to the new queen.[58] She chose to retain Elizabeth as her regnal name;[59] thus she was called Elizabeth II, which offended many Scots, as she was the first Elizabeth to rule in Scotland.[60] She was proclaimed queen throughout her realms and the royal party hastily returned to the United Kingdom.[61] Elizabeth and Philip moved into Buckingham Palace.[62] With Elizabeth's accession, it seemed probable that the royal house would bear the Duke of Edinburgh's name, in line with the custom of a wife taking her husband's surname on marriage. Lord Mountbatten advocated the name House of Mountbatten. Philip suggested House of Edinburgh, after his ducal title.[63] The British prime minister, Winston Churchill, and Elizabeth's grandmother Queen Mary favoured the retention of the House of Windsor, so Elizabeth issued a declaration on 9 April 1952 that Windsor would continue to be the name of the royal house. Philip complained, "I am the only man in the country not allowed to give his name to his own children."[64] In 1960, the surname Mountbatten-Windsor was adopted for Philip and Elizabeth's male-line descendants who do not carry royal titles.[65] Amid preparations for the coronation, Princess Margaret told her sister she wished to marry Peter Townsend, a divorcé 16 years Margaret's senior with two sons from his previous marriage. Elizabeth asked them to wait for a year; in the words of her private secretary, "the Queen was naturally sympathetic towards the Princess, but I think she thought—she hoped—given time, the affair would peter out."[66] Senior politicians were against the match and the Church of England did not permit remarriage after divorce. If Margaret had contracted a civil marriage, she would have been expected to renounce her right of succession.[67] Margaret decided to abandon her plans with Townsend.[68] Despite the death of Queen Mary on 24 March 1953, the coronation went ahead as planned on 2 June, as Mary had requested before she died.[69] The coronation ceremony in Westminster Abbey, with the exception of the anointing and communion, was televised for the first time.[70][b] On Elizabeth's instruction, her coronation gown was embroidered with the floral emblems of Commonwealth countries.[74] Continuing evolution of the Commonwealth Further information: Commonwealth realm § From the accession of Elizabeth II Elizabeth's realms (light red and pink) and their territories and protectorates (dark red) at the beginning of her reign in 1952 From Elizabeth's birth onwards, the British Empire continued its transformation into the Commonwealth of Nations.[75] By the time of her accession in 1952, her role as head of multiple independent states was already established.[76] In 1953, Elizabeth and her husband embarked on a seven-month round-the-world tour, visiting 13 countries and covering more than 40,000 miles (64,000 km) by land, sea and air.[77] She became the first reigning monarch of Australia and New Zealand to visit those nations.[78] During the tour, crowds were immense; three-quarters of the population of Australia were estimated to have seen her.[79] Throughout her reign, Elizabeth made hundreds of state visits to other countries and tours of the Commonwealth; she was the most widely travelled head of state.[80] In 1956, the British and French prime ministers, Sir Anthony Eden and Guy Mollet, discussed the possibility of France joining the Commonwealth. The proposal was never accepted and the following year France signed the Treaty of Rome, which established the European Economic Community, the precursor to the European Union.[81] In November 1956, Britain and France invaded Egypt in an ultimately unsuccessful attempt to capture the Suez Canal. Lord Mountbatten said Elizabeth was opposed to the invasion, though Eden denied it. Eden resigned two months later.[82] A formal group of Elizabeth in tiara and evening dress with eleven politicians in evening dress or national costume. With Commonwealth leaders at the 1960 Commonwealth Conference The absence of a formal mechanism within the Conservative Party for choosing a leader meant that, following Eden's resignation, it fell to Elizabeth to decide whom to commission to form a government. Eden recommended she consult Lord Salisbury, the Lord President of the Council. Lord Salisbury and Lord Kilmuir, the Lord Chancellor, consulted the British Cabinet, Churchill, and the chairman of the backbench 1922 Committee, resulting in Elizabeth appointing their recommended candidate: Harold Macmillan.[83] The Suez crisis and the choice of Eden's successor led, in 1957, to the first major personal criticism of Elizabeth. In a magazine, which he owned and edited,[84] Lord Altrincham accused her of being "out of touch".[85] Altrincham was denounced by public figures and slapped by a member of the public appalled by his comments.[86] Six years later, in 1963, Macmillan resigned and advised Elizabeth to appoint the Earl of Home as the prime minister, advice she followed.[87] Elizabeth again came under criticism for appointing the prime minister on the advice of a small number of ministers or a single minister.[87] In 1965, the Conservatives adopted a formal mechanism for electing a leader, thus relieving the Queen of her involvement.[88] Seated with Philip on thrones at the Canadian parliament, 1957 In 1957, Elizabeth made a state visit to the United States, where she addressed the United Nations General Assembly on behalf of the Commonwealth. On the same tour, she opened the 23rd Canadian Parliament, becoming the first monarch of Canada to open a parliamentary session.[89] Two years later, solely in her capacity as Queen of Canada, she revisited the United States and toured Canada.[89][90] In 1961, she toured Cyprus, India, Pakistan, Nepal, and Iran.[91] On a visit to Ghana the same year, she dismissed fears for her safety, even though her host, President Kwame Nkrumah, who had replaced her as head of state, was a target for assassins.[92] Harold Macmillan wrote, "The Queen has been absolutely determined all through ... She is impatient of the attitude towards her to treat her as ... a film star ... She has indeed 'the heart and stomach of a man' ... She loves her duty and means to be a Queen."[92] Before her tour through parts of Quebec in 1964, the press reported extremists within the Quebec separatist movement were plotting Elizabeth's assassination.[93] No attempt was made, but a riot did break out while she was in Montreal; Elizabeth's "calmness and courage in the face of the violence" was noted.[94] Elizabeth gave birth to her third child, Prince Andrew, on 19 February 1960, which was the first birth to a reigning British monarch since 1857.[95] Her fourth child, Prince Edward, was born on 10 March 1964.[96] In addition to performing traditional ceremonies, Elizabeth also instituted new practices. Her first royal walkabout, meeting ordinary members of the public, took place during a tour of Australia and New Zealand in 1970.[97] Acceleration of decolonisation In Queensland, Australia, 1970 With President Tito of Yugoslavia in Belgrade, 1972 The 1960s and 1970s saw an acceleration in the decolonisation of Africa and the Caribbean. More than 20 countries gained independence from Britain as part of a planned transition to self-government. In 1965, however, the Rhodesian prime minister, Ian Smith, in opposition to moves towards majority rule, unilaterally declared independence while expressing "loyalty and devotion" to Elizabeth, declaring her "Queen of Rhodesia".[98] Although Elizabeth formally dismissed him, and the international community applied sanctions against Rhodesia, his regime survived for over a decade.[99] As Britain's ties to its former empire weakened, the British government sought entry to the European Community, a goal it achieved in 1973.[100] Elizabeth toured Yugoslavia in October 1972, becoming the first British monarch to visit a communist country.[101] She was received at the airport by President Josip Broz Tito, and a crowd of thousands greeted her in Belgrade.[102] In February 1974, the British prime minister, Edward Heath, advised Elizabeth to call a general election in the middle of her tour of the Austronesian Pacific Rim, requiring her to fly back to Britain.[103] The election resulted in a hung parliament; Heath's Conservatives were not the largest party, but could stay in office if they formed a coalition with the Liberals. When discussions on forming a coalition foundered, Heath resigned as prime minister and Elizabeth asked the Leader of the Opposition, Labour's Harold Wilson, to form a government.[104] A year later, at the height of the 1975 Australian constitutional crisis, the Australian prime minister, Gough Whitlam, was dismissed from his post by Governor-General Sir John Kerr, after the Opposition-controlled Senate rejected Whitlam's budget proposals.[105] As Whitlam had a majority in the House of Representatives, Speaker Gordon Scholes appealed to Elizabeth to reverse Kerr's decision. She declined, saying she would not interfere in decisions reserved by the Constitution of Australia for the Governor-General.[106] The crisis fuelled Australian republicanism.[105] Silver Jubilee Leaders of the G7 states, members of the royal family and Elizabeth (centre), London, 1977 In 1977, Elizabeth marked the Silver Jubilee of her accession. Parties and events took place throughout the Commonwealth, many coinciding with her associated national and Commonwealth tours. The celebrations re-affirmed Elizabeth's popularity, despite virtually coincident negative press coverage of Princess Margaret's separation from her husband, Lord Snowdon.[107] In 1978, Elizabeth endured a state visit to the United Kingdom by Romania's communist leader, Nicolae Ceaușescu, and his wife, Elena,[108] though privately she thought they had "blood on their hands".[109] The following year brought two blows: one was the unmasking of Anthony Blunt, former Surveyor of the Queen's Pictures, as a communist spy; the other was the assassination of her relative and in-law Lord Mountbatten by the Provisional Irish Republican Army.[110] According to Paul Martin Sr., by the end of the 1970s Elizabeth was worried the Crown "had little meaning for" Pierre Trudeau, the Canadian prime minister.[111] Tony Benn said Elizabeth found Trudeau "rather disappointing".[111] Trudeau's supposed republicanism seemed to be confirmed by his antics, such as sliding down banisters at Buckingham Palace and pirouetting behind Elizabeth's back in 1977, and the removal of various Canadian royal symbols during his term of office.[111] In 1980, Canadian politicians sent to London to discuss the patriation of the Canadian constitution found Elizabeth "better informed ... than any of the British politicians or bureaucrats".[111] She was particularly interested after the failure of Bill C-60, which would have affected her role as head of state.[111] Press scrutiny and Thatcher premiership Elizabeth in red uniform on a black horse Riding Burmese at the 1986 Trooping the Colour ceremony During the 1981 Trooping the Colour ceremony, six weeks before the wedding of Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spencer, six shots were fired at Elizabeth from close range as she rode down The Mall, London, on her horse, Burmese. Police later discovered the shots were blanks. The 17-year-old assailant, Marcus Sarjeant, was sentenced to five years in prison and released after three.[112] Elizabeth's composure and skill in controlling her mount were widely praised.[113] That October Elizabeth was the subject of another attack while on a visit to Dunedin, New Zealand. Christopher John Lewis, who was 17 years old, fired a shot with a .22 rifle from the fifth floor of a building overlooking the parade, but missed.[114] Lewis was arrested, but never charged with attempted murder or treason, and sentenced to three years in jail for unlawful possession and discharge of a firearm. Two years into his sentence, he attempted to escape a psychiatric hospital with the intention of assassinating Charles, who was visiting the country with Diana and their son Prince William.[115] Elizabeth and Ronald Reagan on black horses. He bare-headed; she in a headscarf; both in tweeds, jodhpurs and riding boots. Riding at Windsor with President Reagan, June 1982 From April to September 1982, Elizabeth's son, Prince Andrew, served with British forces in the Falklands War, for which she reportedly felt anxiety[116] and pride.[117] On 9 July, she awoke in her bedroom at Buckingham Palace to find an intruder, Michael Fagan, in the room with her. In a serious lapse of security, assistance only arrived after two calls to the Palace police switchboard.[118] After hosting US president Ronald Reagan at Windsor Castle in 1982 and visiting his California ranch in 1983, Elizabeth was angered when his administration ordered the invasion of Grenada, one of her Caribbean realms, without informing her.[119] Intense media interest in the opinions and private lives of the royal family during the 1980s led to a series of sensational stories in the press, pioneered by The Sun tabloid.[120] As Kelvin MacKenzie, editor of The Sun, told his staff: "Give me a Sunday for Monday splash on the Royals. Don't worry if it's not true—so long as there's not too much of a fuss about it afterwards."[121] Newspaper editor Donald Trelford wrote in The Observer of 21 September 1986: "The royal soap opera has now reached such a pitch of public interest that the boundary between fact and fiction has been lost sight of ... it is not just that some papers don't check their facts or accept denials: they don't care if the stories are true or not." It was reported, most notably in The Sunday Times of 20 July 1986, that Elizabeth was worried that Margaret Thatcher's economic policies fostered social divisions and was alarmed by high unemployment, a series of riots, the violence of a miners' strike, and Thatcher's refusal to apply sanctions against the apartheid regime in South Africa. The sources of the rumours included royal aide Michael Shea and Commonwealth secretary-general Shridath Ramphal, but Shea claimed his remarks were taken out of context and embellished by speculation.[122] Thatcher reputedly said Elizabeth would vote for the Social Democratic Party—Thatcher's political opponents.[123] Thatcher's biographer, John Campbell, claimed "the report was a piece of journalistic mischief-making".[124] Reports of acrimony between them were exaggerated,[125] and Elizabeth gave two honours in her personal gift—membership in the Order of Merit and the Order of the Garter—to Thatcher after her replacement as prime minister by John Major.[126] Brian Mulroney, Canadian prime minister between 1984 and 1993, said Elizabeth was a "behind the scenes force" in ending apartheid.[127][128] In 1986, Elizabeth paid a six-day state visit to the People's Republic of China, becoming the first British monarch to visit the country.[129] The tour included the Forbidden City, the Great Wall of China, and the Terracotta Warriors.[130] At a state banquet, Elizabeth joked about the first British emissary to China being lost at sea with Queen Elizabeth I's letter to the Wanli Emperor, and remarked, "fortunately postal services have improved since 1602".[131] Elizabeth's visit also signified the acceptance of both countries that sovereignty over Hong Kong would be transferred from the United Kingdom to China in 1997.[132] By the end of the 1980s, Elizabeth had become the target of satire.[133] The involvement of younger members of the royal family in the charity game show It's a Royal Knockout in 1987 was ridiculed.[134] In Canada, Elizabeth publicly supported politically divisive constitutional amendments, prompting criticism from opponents of the proposed changes, including Pierre Trudeau.[127] The same year, the elected Fijian government was deposed in a military coup. As monarch of Fiji, Elizabeth supported the attempts of Governor-General Ratu Sir Penaia Ganilau to assert executive power and negotiate a settlement. Coup leader Sitiveni Rabuka deposed Ganilau and declared Fiji a republic.[135] Turbulent 1990s and annus horribilis In the wake of coalition victory in the Gulf War, Elizabeth became the first British monarch to address a joint meeting of the United States Congress in May 1991.[136] Elizabeth, in formal dress, holds a pair of spectacles to her mouth in a thoughtful pose Philip and Elizabeth in Germany, October 1992 On 24 November 1992, in a speech to mark the Ruby Jubilee of her accession to the throne, Elizabeth called 1992 her annus horribilis (a Latin phrase, meaning "horrible year").[137] Republican feeling in Britain had risen because of press estimates of Elizabeth's private wealth—contradicted by the Palace—and reports of affairs and strained marriages among her extended family.[138] In March, her second son, Prince Andrew, separated from his wife, Sarah, and Mauritius removed Elizabeth as head of state; her daughter, Princess Anne, divorced Captain Mark Phillips in April;[139] angry demonstrators in Dresden threw eggs at Elizabeth during a state visit to Germany in October;[140] and a large fire broke out at Windsor Castle, one of her official residences, in November. The monarchy came under increased criticism and public scrutiny.[141] In an unusually personal speech, Elizabeth said that any institution must expect criticism, but suggested it might be done with "a touch of humour, gentleness and understanding".[142] Two days later, British prime minister John Major announced plans to reform the royal finances, drawn up the previous year, including Elizabeth paying income tax from 1993 onwards, and a reduction in the civil list.[143] In December, Prince Charles and his wife, Diana, formally separated.[144] At the end of the year, Elizabeth sued The Sun newspaper for breach of copyright when it published the text of her annual Christmas message two days before it was broadcast. The newspaper was forced to pay her legal fees and donated £200,000 to charity.[145] Elizabeth's solicitors had taken action against The Sun five years earlier for breach of copyright after it published a photograph of her daughter-in-law the Duchess of York and her granddaughter Princess Beatrice. The case was solved with an out-of-court settlement that ordered the newspaper to pay $180,000.[clarification needed][146] In January 1994, Elizabeth broke the scaphoid bone in her left wrist as the horse she was riding at Sandringham House tripped and fell.[147] In October 1994, she became the first reigning British monarch to set foot on Russian soil.[c] In October 1995, Elizabeth was tricked into a hoax call by Montreal radio host Pierre Brassard impersonating Canadian prime minister Jean Chrétien. Elizabeth, who believed that she was speaking to Chrétien, said she supported Canadian unity and would try to influence Quebec's referendum on proposals to break away from Canada.[152] In the year that followed, public revelations on the state of Charles and Diana's marriage continued.[153] In consultation with her husband and John Major, as well as the Archbishop of Canterbury, George Carey, and her private secretary, Robert Fellowes, Elizabeth wrote to Charles and Diana at the end of December 1995, suggesting that a divorce would be advisable.[154] In August 1997, a year after the divorce, Diana was killed in a car crash in Paris. Elizabeth was on holiday with her extended family at Balmoral. Diana's two sons, Princes William and Harry, wanted to attend church, so Elizabeth and Philip took them that morning.[155] Afterwards, for five days the royal couple shielded their grandsons from the intense press interest by keeping them at Balmoral where they could grieve in private,[156] but the royal family's silence and seclusion, and the failure to fly a flag at half-mast over Buckingham Palace, caused public dismay.[128][157] Pressured by the hostile reaction, Elizabeth agreed to return to London and address the nation in a live television broadcast on 5 September, the day before Diana's funeral.[158] In the broadcast, she expressed admiration for Diana and her feelings "as a grandmother" for the two princes.[159] As a result, much of the public hostility evaporated.[159] In October 1997, Elizabeth and Philip made a state visit to India, which included a controversial visit to the site of the Jallianwala Bagh massacre to pay her respects. Protesters chanted "Killer Queen, go back",[160] and there were demands for her to apologise for the action of British troops 78 years earlier.[161] At the memorial in the park, she and Philip paid their respects by laying a wreath and stood for a 30‑second moment of silence.[161] As a result, much of the fury among the public softened and the protests were called off.[160] That November, Elizabeth and her husband held a reception at Banqueting House to mark their golden wedding anniversary.[162] Elizabeth made a speech and praised Philip for his role as a consort, referring to him as "my strength and stay".[162] In 1999, as part of the process of devolution within the UK, Elizabeth formally opened newly established legislatures for Wales and Scotland: the National Assembly for Wales at Cardiff in May,[163] and the Scottish Parliament at Edinburgh in July.[164] Golden Jubilee At a Golden Jubilee dinner with British prime minister Tony Blair and former prime ministers, 2002. From left to right: Blair, Margaret Thatcher, Edward Heath, Elizabeth, James Callaghan and John Major On the eve of the new millennium, Elizabeth and Philip boarded a vessel from Southwark, bound for the Millennium Dome. Before passing under Tower Bridge, Elizabeth lit the National Millennium Beacon in the Pool of London using a laser torch.[165] Shortly before midnight, she officially opened the Dome.[166] During the singing of Auld Lang Syne, Elizabeth held hands with Philip and British prime minister Tony Blair.[167] In 2002, Elizabeth marked her Golden Jubilee, the 50th anniversary of her accession. Her sister and mother died in February and March respectively, and the media speculated on whether the Jubilee would be a success or a failure.[168] She again undertook an extensive tour of her realms, beginning in Jamaica in February, where she called the farewell banquet "memorable" after a power cut plunged the King's House, the official residence of the governor-general, into darkness.[169] As in 1977, there were street parties and commemorative events, and monuments were named to honour the occasion. One million people attended each day of the three-day main Jubilee celebration in London,[170] and the enthusiasm shown for Elizabeth by the public was greater than many journalists had anticipated.[171] Greeting NASA employees at the Goddard Space Flight Center, Maryland, May 2007 In 2003, Elizabeth sued Daily Mirror for breach of confidence and obtained an injunction which prevented the outlet from publishing information gathered by a reporter who posed as a footman at Buckingham Palace.[172] The newspaper also paid £25,000 towards her legal costs.[173] Though generally healthy throughout her life, in 2003 Elizabeth had keyhole surgery on both knees. In October 2006, she missed the opening of the new Emirates Stadium because of a strained back muscle that had been troubling her since the summer.[174] In May 2007, citing unnamed sources, The Daily Telegraph reported that Elizabeth was "exasperated and frustrated" by the policies of Tony Blair, that she was concerned the British Armed Forces were overstretched in Iraq and Afghanistan, and that she had raised concerns over rural and countryside issues with Blair.[175] She was, however, said to admire Blair's efforts to achieve peace in Northern Ireland.[176] She became the first British monarch to celebrate a diamond wedding anniversary in November 2007.[177] On 20 March 2008, at the Church of Ireland St Patrick's Cathedral, Armagh, Elizabeth attended the first Maundy service held outside England and Wales.[178] Elizabeth addressed the UN General Assembly for a second time in 2010, again in her capacity as Queen of all Commonwealth realms and Head of the Commonwealth.[179] The UN secretary-general, Ban Ki-moon, introduced her as "an anchor for our age".[180] During her visit to New York, which followed a tour of Canada, she officially opened a memorial garden for British victims of the September 11 attacks.[180] Elizabeth's 11-day visit to Australia in October 2011 was her 16th visit to the country since 1954.[181] By invitation of the Irish president, Mary McAleese, she made the first state visit to the Republic of Ireland by a British monarch in May 2011.[182] Diamond Jubilee and longevity Visiting Birmingham in July 2012 as part of the Diamond Jubilee tour Elizabeth's 2012 Diamond Jubilee marked 60 years on the throne, 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.[183] On 4 June, Jubilee beacons were lit around the world.[184] In November, Elizabeth and her husband celebrated their blue sapphire wedding anniversary (65th).[185] On 18 December, she became the first British sovereign to attend a peacetime Cabinet meeting since George III in 1781.[186] Elizabeth, who opened the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal, also opened the 2012 Summer Olympics and Paralympics in London, making her the first head of state to open two Olympic Games in two countries.[187] For the London Olympics, she played herself in a short film as part of the opening ceremony, alongside Daniel Craig as James Bond.[188] On 4 April 2013, she received an honorary BAFTA for her patronage of the film industry and was called "the most memorable Bond girl yet" at the award ceremony.[189] 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.[190] On 3 March 2013, Elizabeth stayed overnight at King Edward VII's Hospital as a precaution after developing symptoms of gastroenteritis.[191] A week later, she signed the new Charter of the Commonwealth.[192] Because of her age and the need for her to limit travelling, in 2013 she chose not to attend the biennial Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting for the first time in 40 years. She was represented at the summit in Sri Lanka by Prince Charles.[193] On 20 April 2018, the Commonwealth heads of government announced that she would be succeeded by Charles as Head of the Commonwealth, which she stated was her "sincere wish".[194] She underwent cataract surgery in May 2018.[195] In March 2019, she gave up driving on public roads, largely as a consequence of a car crash involving her husband two months earlier.[196] Elizabeth surpassed her great-great-grandmother, Queen Victoria, to become the longest-lived British monarch on 21 December 2007, and the longest-reigning British monarch and longest-reigning queen regnant and female head of state in the world on 9 September 2015.[197] She became the oldest current monarch after King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia died on 23 January 2015.[198] She later became the longest-reigning current monarch and the longest-serving current head of state following the death of King Bhumibol of Thailand on 13 October 2016,[199] and the oldest current head of state on the resignation of Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe on 21 November 2017.[200] On 6 February 2017, she became the first British monarch to commemorate a sapphire jubilee,[201] and on 20 November, she was the first British monarch to celebrate a platinum wedding anniversary.[202] Philip had retired from his official duties as the Queen's consort in August 2017.[203] cvd-19 pandemic On 19 March 2020, as the cvd-19 pandemic hit the United Kingdom, Elizabeth moved to Windsor Castle and sequestered there as a precaution.[204] Public engagements were cancelled and Windsor Castle followed a strict sanitary protocol nicknamed "HMS Bubble".[205] In a virtual meeting with Dame Cindy Kiro during the cvd-19 pandemic, October 2021 On 5 April, in a televised broadcast watched by an estimated 24 million viewers in the UK,[206] she asked people to "take comfort that while we may have more still to endure, better days will return: we will be with our friends again; we will be with our families again; we will meet again."[207] On 8 May, the 75th anniversary of VE Day, in a television broadcast at 9 pm—the exact time at which her father George VI had broadcast to the nation on the same day in 1945—she asked people to "never give up, never despair".[208] In October, she visited the UK's Defence Science and Technology Laboratory in Wiltshire, her first public engagement since the start of the pandemic.[209] On 4 November, she appeared masked for the first time in public, during a private pilgrimage to the Tomb of the Unknown Warrior at Westminster Abbey, to mark the centenary of his burial.[210] In 2021, she received her first and second cvd-19 vaccinations in January and April respectively.[211] Prince Philip died on 9 April 2021, after 73 years of marriage, making Elizabeth the first British monarch to reign as a widow or widower since Queen Victoria.[212] She was reportedly at her husband's bedside when he died,[213] and remarked in private that his death had "left a huge void".[214] Due to the cvd-19 restrictions in place in England at the time, Elizabeth sat alone at Philip's funeral service, which evoked sympathy from people around the world.[215] In her Christmas broadcast that year, she paid a personal tribute to her "beloved Philip", saying, "That mischievous, inquiring twinkle was as bright at the end as when I first set eyes on him".[216] Despite the pandemic, Elizabeth attended the 2021 State Opening of Parliament in May,[217] and the 47th G7 summit in June.[218] On 5 July, the 73rd anniversary of the founding of the UK's National Health Service, she announced that the NHS will be awarded the George Cross to "recognise all NHS staff, past and present, across all disciplines and all four nations".[219] In October 2021, she began using a walking stick during public engagements for the first time since her operation in 2004.[220] Following an overnight stay in hospital on 20 October, her previously scheduled visits to Northern Ireland,[221] the COP26 summit in Glasgow,[222] and the 2021 National Service of Remembrance were cancelled on health grounds.[223] Platinum Jubilee Drones forming a corgi above Buckingham Palace at the Platinum Party at the Palace on 4 June 2022 Elizabeth's Platinum Jubilee began on 6 February 2022, marking 70 years since she acceded to the throne on her father's death. On the eve of the date, she held a reception at Sandringham House for pensioners, local Women's Institute members and charity volunteers.[224] In her accession day message, Elizabeth renewed her commitment to a lifetime of public service, which she had originally made in 1947.[225] Later that month, Elizabeth had "mild cold-like symptoms" and tested positive for cvd-19, along with some staff and family members.[226] She cancelled two virtual audiences on 22 February,[227] but held a phone conversation with British prime minister Boris Johnson the following day amid a crisis on the Russo-Ukrainian border,[d][228] following which she made a donation to the Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal.[229] On 28 February, she was reported to have recovered and spent time with her family at Frogmore.[230] On 7 March, Elizabeth met Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau at Windsor Castle, in her first in-person engagement since her cvd diagnosis.[231] She later remarked that cvd infection "leave[s] one very tired and exhausted ... It's not a nice result".[232] Elizabeth was present at the service of thanksgiving for Prince Philip at Westminster Abbey on 29 March,[233] but was unable to attend the annual Commonwealth Day service that month[234] or the Royal Maundy service in April.[235] She missed the State Opening of Parliament in May for the first time in 59 years. (She did not attend in 1959 and 1963 as she was pregnant with Prince Andrew and Prince Edward, respectively.)[236] In her absence, Parliament was opened by the Prince of Wales and the Duke of Cambridge as counsellors of state.[237] During the Platinum Jubilee celebrations, Elizabeth was largely confined to balcony appearances, and missed the National Service of Thanksgiving.[238] For the Jubilee concert, she took part in a sketch with Paddington Bear, that opened the event outside Buckingham Palace.[239] On 13 June 2022, she became the second-longest reigning monarch in history among those whose exact dates of reign are known, with 70 years, 127 days reigned—surpassing King Bhumibol Adulyadej of Thailand.[240] On 6 September 2022, she appointed her 15th British prime minister, Liz Truss, at Balmoral Castle in Scotland. This marked the only time she did not receive a new prime minister at Buckingham Palace during her reign.[241] No other British reign had seen so many prime ministers.[242] Elizabeth never planned to abdicate,[243] though she took on fewer public engagements as she grew older and Prince Charles took on more of her duties.[244] The Queen told Canadian governor general Adrienne Clarkson in a meeting in 2002 that she would never abdicate, saying "It is not our tradition. Although, I suppose if I became completely gaga, one would have to do something".[245] In June 2022, Elizabeth met the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, who "came away thinking there is someone who has no fear of death, has hope in the future, knows the rock on which she stands and that gives her strength."[246] Death Main article: Death and state funeral of Elizabeth II Tributes left by people in The Mall, London On 8 September 2022, Buckingham Palace released a statement which read: "Following further evaluation this morning, the Queen's doctors are concerned for Her Majesty's health and have recommended she remain under medical supervision. The Queen remains comfortable and at Balmoral."[247] Elizabeth's immediate family rushed to Balmoral to be by her side.[248] She died "peacefully" at 15:10 BST at the age of 96, with her death being announced to the public at 18:30,[249] setting in motion Operation London Bridge and, because she died in Scotland, Operation Unicorn.[250] Elizabeth was the first monarch to die in Scotland since James V in 1542.[251] Her cause of death was recorded as "old age".[252] On 12 September, Elizabeth's coffin was carried up the Royal Mile in a procession to St Giles' Cathedral, where the Crown of Scotland was placed on it.[253] Her coffin lay at rest at the cathedral for 24 hours, guarded by the Royal Company of Archers, during which around 33,000 people filed past the coffin.[254] It was taken by air to London on 13 September. On 14 September, her coffin was taken in a military procession from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Hall, where Elizabeth lay in state for four days. The coffin was guarded by members of both the Sovereign's Bodyguard and the Household Division. An estimated 250,000 members of the public filed past the coffin, as did politicians and other public figures.[255][256] On 16 September, Elizabeth's children held a vigil around her coffin, and the next day her eight grandchildren did the same.[257][258] Queen Elizabeth II's coffin on the State Gun Carriage of the Royal Navy, during the procession to Wellington Arch Elizabeth's state funeral was held at Westminster Abbey on 19 September, which marked the first time that a monarch's funeral service had been held at the Abbey since George II in 1760.[259] More than a million people lined the streets of central London,[260] and the day was declared a holiday in several Commonwealth countries. In Windsor, a final procession involving 1,000 military personnel took place which was witnessed by 97,000 people.[261][260] Elizabeth's fell pony, and two royal corgis, stood at the side of the procession.[262] After a Committal Service at St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle, Elizabeth was interred with her husband Philip in the King George VI Memorial Chapel later the same day in a private ceremony attended by her closest family members.[263] Legacy Main article: Personality and image of Elizabeth II Beliefs, activities and interests Petting a dog in New Zealand, 1974 Elizabeth rarely gave interviews and little was known of her personal feelings. She did not explicitly express her own political opinions in a public forum, and it is against convention to ask or reveal the monarch's views. When Times journalist Paul Routledge asked Elizabeth for her opinions on the miners' strike of 1984–85, she replied that it was "all about one man" (a reference to Arthur Scargill), with which Routledge disagreed.[264] Widely criticised in the media for asking the question, Routledge said he was not initially due to be present for the royal visit and was unaware of the protocols.[264] After the 2014 Scottish independence referendum, Prime Minister David Cameron stated that Elizabeth was pleased with the outcome.[265] She had arguably issued a public coded statement about the referendum by telling one woman outside Balmoral Kirk that she hoped people would think "very carefully" about the outcome. It emerged later that Cameron had specifically requested that she register her concern.[266] Elizabeth had a deep sense of religious and civic duty, and took her Coronation Oath seriously.[267] Aside from her official religious role as Supreme Governor of the established Church of England, she worshipped with that church and also the national Church of Scotland.[268] She demonstrated support for inter-faith relations and met with leaders of other churches and religions, including five popes: Pius XII, John XXIII, John Paul II, Benedict XVI and Francis.[269] A personal note about her faith often featured in her annual Christmas Message broadcast to the Commonwealth. In 2000, she said:[270] To many of us, our beliefs are of fundamental importance. For me the teachings of Christ and my own personal accountability before God provide a framework in which I try to lead my life. I, like so many of you, have drawn great comfort in difficult times from Christ's words and example. Elizabeth was patron of more than 600 organisations and charities.[271] The Charities Aid Foundation estimated that Elizabeth helped raise over £1.4 billion for her patronages during her reign.[272] Her main leisure interests included equestrianism and dogs, especially her Pembroke Welsh Corgis.[273] Her lifelong love of corgis began in 1933 with Dookie, the first corgi owned by her family.[274] Scenes of a relaxed, informal home life were occasionally witnessed; she and her family, from time to time, prepared a meal together and washed the dishes afterwards.[275] Media depiction and public opinion Magazines from the 1950s with Elizabeth II on their cover In the 1950s, as a young woman at the start of her reign, Elizabeth was depicted as a glamorous "fairytale Queen".[276] After the trauma of the Second World War, it was a time of hope, a period of progress and achievement heralding a "new Elizabethan age".[277] Lord Altrincham's accusation in 1957 that her speeches sounded like those of a "priggish schoolgirl" was an extremely rare criticism.[278] In the late 1960s, attempts to portray a more modern image of the monarchy were made in the television documentary Royal Family and by televising Prince Charles's investiture as Prince of Wales.[279] Her wardrobe developed a recognisable, signature style driven more by function than fashion.[280] She dressed with an eye toward what was appropriate, rather than what was in vogue.[281][page needed] In public, she took to wearing mostly solid-colour overcoats and decorative hats, allowing her to be seen easily in a crowd.[282] Her wardrobe was handled by a team that included five dressers, a dressmaker, and a milliner.[283][page needed] At Elizabeth's Silver Jubilee in 1977, the crowds and celebrations were genuinely enthusiastic;[284] but, in the 1980s, public criticism of the royal family increased, as the personal and working lives of Elizabeth's children came under media scrutiny.[285] Her popularity sank to a low point in the 1990s. Under pressure from public opinion, she began to pay income tax for the first time, and Buckingham Palace was opened to the public.[286] Although support for republicanism in Britain seemed higher than at any time in living memory, republican ideology was still a minority viewpoint and Elizabeth herself had high approval ratings.[287] Criticism was focused on the institution of the monarchy itself, and the conduct of Elizabeth's wider family, rather than her own behaviour and actions.[288] Discontent with the monarchy reached its peak on the death of Diana, Princess of Wales, although Elizabeth's personal popularity—as well as general support for the monarchy—rebounded after her live television broadcast to the world five days after Diana's death.[289] Meeting children in Brisbane, Australia, October 1982 In November 1999, a referendum in Australia on the future of the Australian monarchy favoured its retention in preference to an indirectly elected head of state.[290] Many republicans credited Elizabeth's personal popularity with the survival of the monarchy in Australia. In 2010, Prime Minister Julia Gillard noted that there was a "deep affection" for Elizabeth in Australia and another referendum on the monarchy should wait until after her reign.[291] Gillard's successor, Malcolm Turnbull, who led the republican campaign in 1999, similarly believed that Australians would not vote to become a republic in her lifetime.[292] "She's been an extraordinary head of state", Turnbull said in 2021, "and I think frankly, in Australia, there are more Elizabethans than there are monarchists".[293] Similarly, referendums in both Tuvalu in 2008 and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines in 2009 saw voters reject proposals to become republics.[294] Polls in Britain in 2006 and 2007 revealed strong support for the monarchy,[295] and in 2012, Elizabeth's Diamond Jubilee year, her approval ratings hit 90 per cent.[296] Her family came under scrutiny again in the last few years of her life due to her son Andrew's association with convicted sex offenders Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell, his lawsuit with Virginia Giuffre amidst accusations of sexual impropriety, and her grandson Harry and his wife Meghan's exit from the monarchy and subsequent move to the United States.[297] Polling in Great Britain during the Platinum Jubilee, however, showed Elizabeth's personal popularity remained strong.[298] As of 2021 she remained the third most admired woman in the world according to the annual Gallup poll, her 52 appearances on the list meaning she had been in the top ten more than any other woman in the poll's history.[299] Elizabeth was portrayed in a variety of media by many notable artists, including painters Pietro Annigoni, Peter Blake, Chinwe Chukwuogo-Roy, Terence Cuneo, Lucian Freud, Rolf Harris, Damien Hirst, Juliet Pannett and Tai-Shan Schierenberg.[300][301] Notable photographers of Elizabeth included Cecil Beaton, Yousuf Karsh, Anwar Hussein, Annie Leibovitz, Lord Lichfield, Terry O'Neill, John Swannell and Dorothy Wilding. The first official portrait photograph of Elizabeth was taken by Marcus Adams in 1926.[302] Finances Further information: Finances of the British royal family View of Sandringham House from the south bank of the Upper Lake Sandringham House, Elizabeth's residence in Norfolk, which she personally owned Elizabeth's personal wealth was the subject of speculation for many years. In 1971, Jock Colville, her former private secretary and a director of her bank, Coutts, estimated her wealth at £2 million (equivalent to about £30 million in 2021[303]).[304] In 1993, Buckingham Palace called estimates of £100 million "grossly overstated".[305] In 2002, she inherited an estate worth an estimated £70 million from her mother.[306] The Sunday Times Rich List 2020 estimated her personal wealth at £350 million, making her the 372nd richest person in the UK.[307] She was number one on the list when it began in the Sunday Times Rich List 1989, with a reported wealth of £5.2 billion (approximately £13.8 billion in today's value),[303] which included state assets that were not hers personally.[308] The Royal Collection, which includes thousands of historic works of art and the Crown Jewels, was not owned personally but was described as being held in trust by Elizabeth for her successors and the nation,[309] as were her official residences, such as Buckingham Palace and Windsor Castle,[310] and the Duchy of Lancaster, a property portfolio valued at £472 million in 2015.[311] The Paradise Papers, leaked in 2017, show that the Duchy of Lancaster held investments in the British tax havens of the Cayman Islands and Bermuda.[312] Sandringham House in Norfolk and Balmoral Castle in Aberdeenshire were personally owned by Elizabeth.[310] The Crown Estate—with holdings of £14.3 billion in 2019[313]—is held in trust and could not be sold or owned by her in a personal capacity.[314] Titles, styles, honours, and arms Main article: List of titles and honours of Elizabeth II Titles and styles Royal cypher of Elizabeth II, surmounted by St Edward's Crown. Personal flag of Elizabeth II 21 April 1926 – 11 December 1936: Her Royal Highness Princess Elizabeth of York[315] 11 December 1936 – 20 November 1947: Her Royal Highness The Princess Elizabeth 20 November 1947 – 6 February 1952: Her Royal Highness The Princess Elizabeth, Duchess of Edinburgh[316] 6 February 1952 – 8 September 2022: Her Majesty The Queen Elizabeth held many titles and honorary military positions throughout the Commonwealth, was sovereign of many orders in her own countries, and received honours and awards from around the world. In each of her realms, she had a distinct title that follows a similar formula: Queen of Saint Lucia and of Her other Realms and Territories in Saint Lucia, Queen of Australia and Her other Realms and Territories in Australia, etc. In the Channel Islands and Isle of Man, which are Crown Dependencies rather than separate realms, she was known as Duke of Normandy and Lord of Mann, respectively. Additional styles include Defender of the Faith and Duke of Lancaster. When conversing with Elizabeth, the correct etiquette was to address her initially as Your Majesty and thereafter as Ma'am (pronounced /mæm/), with a short 'a' as in jam.[317] Arms See also: Flags of Elizabeth II From 21 April 1944 until her accession, Elizabeth's arms consisted of a lozenge bearing the royal coat of arms of the United Kingdom differenced with a label of three points argent, the centre point bearing a Tudor rose and the first and third a cross of St George.[318] Upon her accession, she inherited the various arms her father held as sovereign. Elizabeth also possessed royal standards and personal flags for use in the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Jamaica, and elsewhere.[319] Issue Name Birth Marriage Children Grandchildren Date Spouse Charles III 14 November 1948 (age 73) 29 July 1981 Divorced 28 August 1996 Lady Diana Spencer William, Prince of Wales Prince George of Wales Princess Charlotte of Wales Prince Louis of Wales Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex Archie Mountbatten-Windsor Lilibet Mountbatten-Windsor 9 April 2005 Camilla Parker Bowles None Anne, Princess Royal 15 August 1950 (age 72) 14 November 1973 Divorced 28 April 1992 Mark Phillips Peter Phillips Savannah Phillips Isla Phillips Zara Tindall Mia Tindall Lena Tindall Lucas Tindall 12 December 1992 Timothy Laurence None Prince Andrew, Duke of York 19 February 1960 (age 62) 23 July 1986 Divorced 30 May 1996 Sarah Ferguson Princess Beatrice, Mrs Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi Sienna Mapelli Mozzi Princess Eugenie, Mrs Jack Brooksbank August Brooksbank Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex and Forfar 10 March 1964 (age 58) 19 June 1999 Sophie Rhys-Jones Lady Louise Mountbatten-Windsor None James Mountbatten-Windsor, Viscount Severn None Ancestry Ancestors of Elizabeth II[320] See also Household of Elizabeth II List of things named after Elizabeth II List of jubilees of Elizabeth II List of special addresses made by Elizabeth II Royal eponyms in Canada Royal descendants of Queen Victoria and of King Christian IX Notes  Her godparents were: King George V and Queen Mary; Lord Strathmore; Prince Arthur, Duke of Connaught and Strathearn (her paternal great-granduncle); Princess Mary, Viscountess Lascelles (her paternal aunt); and Lady Elphinstone (her maternal aunt).[5]  Television coverage of the coronation was instrumental in boosting the medium's popularity; the number of television licences in the United Kingdom doubled to 3 million,[71] and many of the more than 20 million British viewers watched television for the first time in the homes of their friends or neighbours.[72] In North America, almost 100 million viewers watched recorded broadcasts.[73]  The only previous state visit by a British monarch to Russia was made by King Edward VII in 1908. The King never stepped ashore, and met Nicholas II on royal yachts off the Baltic port of what is now Tallinn, Estonia.[148][149] During the four-day visit, which was considered to be one of the most important foreign trips of Elizabeth's reign,[150] she and Philip attended events in Moscow and Saint Petersburg.[151]  Russia invaded Ukraine one day later. 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(1973), "The Royal Lineage", Burke's Guide to the Royal Family, London: Burke's Peerage, ISBN 0-220-66222-3 Neil, Andrew (1996), Full Disclosure, Macmillan, ISBN 0-333-64682-7 Nicolson, Harold (1952), King George the Fifth: His Life and Reign, Constable & Co. Petropoulos, Jonathan (2006), Royals and the Reich: The Princes von Hessen in Nazi Germany, Oxford University Press, ISBN 0-19-516133-5 Pimlott, Ben (2001), The Queen: Elizabeth II and the Monarchy, HarperCollins, ISBN 0-00-255494-1 Roberts, Andrew (2000), Fraser, Antonia (ed.), The House of Windsor, Cassell & Co., ISBN 0-304-35406-6 Routledge, Paul (1994), Scargill: The Unauthorized Biography, London: Harper Collins, ISBN 0-00-638077-8 Shawcross, William (2002), Queen and Country, McClelland & Stewart, ISBN 0-7710-8056-5 Speaight, Robert (1970), Vanier, Soldier, Diplomat, Governor General: A Biography, London: William Collins, Sons and Co. Ltd., ISBN 978-0-00-262252-3 Tomaszewski, Fiona K. (2002), A Great Russia: Russia and the Triple Entente, 1905–1914, Greenwood Publishing Group, ISBN 978-0-275-97366-7 Warwick, Christopher (2002), Princess Margaret: A Life of Contrasts, London: Carlton Publishing Group, ISBN 978-0-233-05106-2 Williamson, David (1987), Debrett's Kings and Queens of Britain, Webb & Bower, ISBN 0-86350-101-X Wyatt, Woodrow (1999), Curtis, Sarah (ed.), The Journals of Woodrow Wyatt, vol. II, Macmillan, ISBN 0-333-77405-1 External links Listen to this article (54 minutes) 53:31 Spoken Wikipedia icon This audio file was created from a revision of this article dated 23 June 2014, and does not reflect subsequent edits. (Audio help · More spoken articles) Queen Elizabeth II at the Royal Family website Queen Elizabeth II at the website of the Government of Canada Portraits of Queen Elizabeth II at the National Portrait Gallery, London Edit this at Wikidata Queen Elizabeth II at IMDb Edit this at Wikidata Appearances on C-SPAN Edit this at Wikidata Titles and succession vte Elizabeth II Queen of the United Kingdom and the other Commonwealth realms (1952–2022) Monarchies Antigua and BarbudaAustraliaBahamasBarbadosBelizeCanadaCeylonFijiGambiaGhanaGrenadaGuyanaJamaicaKenyaMalawiMaltaMauritiusNew ZealandNigeriaPakistanPapua New GuineaSaint Kitts and NevisSaint LuciaSaint Vincent and the GrenadinesSierra LeoneSolomon IslandsSouth AfricaTanganyikaTrinidad and TobagoTuvaluUgandaUnited Kingdom Family Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh (husband) weddingwedding dresswedding cakeCharles III (son)Anne, Princess Royal (daughter)Prince Andrew, Duke of York (son)Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex and Forfar (son)George VI (father)Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother (mother)Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon (sister)Mountbatten-Windsor family Accession and coronation Proclamation of accessionCoronation Royal guestsParticipants in the processionCoronation chickenCoronation gownMedalHonoursAwardThe Queen's BeastsTreetops HotelMacCormick v Lord Advocate Reign Annus horribilisHouseholdPersonality and imagePrime ministersPillar Box WarRhodesia's Unilateral Declaration of Independence Queen of RhodesiaChristopher John Lewis incidentLithgow PlotMarcus Sarjeant incident1975 Australian constitutional crisis Palace lettersMichael Fagan incident1987 Fijian coups d'étatDeath of Diana, Princess of Wales1999 Australian republic referendumPerth AgreementState Opening of Parliament 20212022Operation London BridgeDeath and state funeral reactionsqueuedignitaries at the funeral Jubilees Silver Jubilee EventsMedalHonoursJubilee GardensJubilee lineJubilee Walkway Ruby Jubilee Queen's Anniversary Prize Golden Jubilee Prom at the PalaceParty at the PalaceMedalHonoursThe Odyssey Diamond Jubilee PageantArmed Forces Parade and MusterThames Pageant GlorianaSpirit of ChartwellConcertGibraltar FlotillaMedalHonours Sapphire Jubilee Platinum Jubilee MedalBeaconsPlatinum Party at the PalacePageantPlatinum Jubilee Celebration: A Gallop Through HistoryTrooping the ColourNational Service of ThanksgivingPlatinum PuddingThe Queen's Green CanopyPlatinum Jubilee Civic HonoursThe Bahamas Platinum Jubilee Sailing RegattaThe Queen's Platinum Jubilee ConcertBig Jubilee Read Commonwealth tours Antigua and BarbudaAustralia official openingsCanadaJamaicaNew ZealandSaint Lucia Ships used HMS Vanguard (23)SS Gothic (1947)HMY Britannia State visits Outgoing State visit to SpainState visit to RussiaState visit to Ireland Incoming Pope Benedict XVIPresident Michael D. HigginsPresident Xi Jinping Titles and honours Head of the CommonwealthDefender of the FaithSupreme Governor of the Church of EnglandHead of the British Armed ForcesCommander-in-Chief of the Canadian Armed ForcesLord of MannList of things named after Elizabeth IIRoyal Family OrderElizabeth CrossQueen's Official BirthdayFlags Depictions Televised addresses Royal address to the nationRoyal Christmas Message Documentaries Royal Journey (1951)A Queen Is Crowned (1953)The Queen in Australia (1954)The Royal Tour of the Caribbean (1966)Royal Family (1969)Elizabeth R: A Year in the Life of the Queen (1992)Monarchy: The Royal Family at Work (2007)The Diamond Queen (2012)Elizabeth at 90: A Family Tribute (2016)The Coronation (2018)Elizabeth: The Unseen Queen (2022) Film and television A Question of Attribution (1992 TV)Willi und die Windzors (1996)Her Majesty (2001)The Queen (2006)The Queen (2009 TV serial)Happy and Glorious (2012)A Royal Night Out (2015)Minions (2015)The Crown (2016–)The Queen's Corgi (2019)2020 Alternative Christmas message (2020)The Prince (2021) Plays A Question of Attribution (1988)The Audience (2013)Handbagged Portraits Conversation Piece at the Royal Lodge, WindsorWattle QueenPietro Annigoni's portraitsReigning QueensHer Majesty Queen Elizabeth II – An 80th Birthday PortraitThe QueenThe Coronation Theatre: Portrait of HM Queen Elizabeth IIBeautiful Portrait, The QueenQueen Elizabeth IIAlgorithm Queen Statues WindsorWinnipegLagosYork Minster Books The Queen and IThe Little PrincessesThe Uncommon ReaderWinnie-the-Pooh Meets the QueenQueen Camilla Songs "God Save the Queen" (Sex Pistols song)"Her Majesty" Stamps Machin series (list)Wilding seriesCastle seriesCanadian domestic rate stampCountry definitives Animals Corgis DookieSusan Horses AureoleBurmeseCarrozzaDunfermlineEstimateHeight of FashionHighclerePall MallWinston Related Jewels of Elizabeth IIElizabeth lineSagana LodgeVilla GuardamangiaDorgiChildren's Party at the PalaceThe Queen's Birthday PartyJeannette CharlesRosa 'Queen Elizabeth'Queen Elizabeth cake Links to related articles vte English, Scottish and British monarchs Monarchs of England until 1603 Monarchs of Scotland until 1603 Alfred the GreatEdward the ElderÆlfweardÆthelstanEdmund IEadredEadwigEdgar the PeacefulEdward the MartyrÆthelred the UnreadySweynEdmund IronsideCnutHarold IHarthacnutEdward the ConfessorHarold GodwinsonEdgar ÆthelingWilliam IWilliam IIHenry IStephenMatildaHenry IIHenry the Young KingRichard IJohnHenry IIIEdward IEdward IIEdward IIIRichard IIHenry IVHenry VHenry VIEdward IVEdward VRichard IIIHenry VIIHenry VIIIEdward VIJaneMary I and PhilipElizabeth I Kenneth I MacAlpinDonald IConstantine IÁedGiricEochaidDonald IIConstantine IIMalcolm IIndulfDubCuilénAmlaíbKenneth IIConstantine IIIKenneth IIIMalcolm IIDuncan IMacbethLulachMalcolm IIIDonald IIIDuncan IIEdgarAlexander IDavid IMalcolm IVWilliam IAlexander IIAlexander IIIMargaretJohnRobert IDavid IIEdward BalliolRobert IIRobert IIIJames IJames IIJames IIIJames IVJames VMary IJames VI Monarchs of England and Scotland after the Union of the Crowns from 1603 James I and VICharles ICharles IIJames II and VIIWilliam III and II and Mary IIAnne British monarchs after the Acts of Union 1707 AnneGeorge IGeorge IIGeorge IIIGeorge IVWilliam IVVictoriaEdward VIIGeorge VEdward VIIIGeorge VIElizabeth IICharles III Debatable or disputed rulers are in italics. vte British princesses The generations indicate descent from George I, who formalised the use of the titles prince and princess for members of the British royal family. Where a princess may have been or is descended from George I more than once, her most senior descent, by which she bore or bears her title, is used. 1st generation Sophia Dorothea, Queen in Prussia 2nd generation Anne, Princess Royal and Princess of OrangePrincess AmeliaPrincess CarolineMary, Landgravine of Hesse-KasselLouise, Queen of Denmark and Norway 3rd generation Augusta, Duchess of BrunswickPrincess ElizabethPrincess LouisaCaroline Matilda, Queen of Denmark and Norway 4th generation Charlotte, Princess Royal and Queen of WürttembergPrincess Augusta SophiaElizabeth, Landgravine of Hesse-HomburgPrincess Mary, Duchess of Gloucester and EdinburghPrincess SophiaPrincess AmeliaPrincess Sophia of GloucesterPrincess Caroline of Gloucester 5th generation Princess Charlotte, Princess Leopold of Saxe-Coburg-SaalfeldPrincess Elizabeth of ClarenceQueen VictoriaAugusta, Grand Duchess of Mecklenburg-StrelitzPrincess Mary Adelaide, Duchess of Teck 6th generation Victoria, Princess Royal and German EmpressAlice, Grand Duchess of Hesse and by RhinePrincess Helena, Princess Christian of Schleswig-HolsteinPrincess Louise, Duchess of ArgyllPrincess Beatrice, Princess Henry of BattenbergPrincess Frederica, Baroness von Pawel-RammingenPrincess Marie of Hanover 7th generation Louise, Princess Royal and Duchess of FifePrincess VictoriaMaud, Queen of NorwayMarie, Queen of RomaniaGrand Duchess Victoria Feodorovna of RussiaPrincess Alexandra, Princess of Hohenlohe-LangenburgPrincess Beatrice, Duchess of GallieraMargaret, Crown Princess of SwedenPrincess Patricia, Lady Patricia RamsayPrincess Alice, Countess of AthlonePrincess Marie Louise, Princess Maximilian of BadenAlexandra, Grand Duchess of Mecklenburg-SchwerinPrincess Olga of Hanover 8th generation Mary, Princess Royal and Countess of HarewoodPrincess Alexandra, 2nd Duchess of FifePrincess Maud, Countess of SoutheskPrincess Sibylla, Duchess of VästerbottenPrincess Caroline Mathilde of Saxe-Coburg and GothaFrederica, Queen of Greece 9th generation Queen Elizabeth IIPrincess Margaret, Countess of SnowdonPrincess Alexandra, The Honourable Lady Ogilvy 10th generation Anne, Princess Royal 11th generation Princess Beatrice, Mrs Edoardo Mapelli MozziPrincess Eugenie, Mrs Jack BrooksbankLady Louise Mountbatten-Windsor1 12th generation Princess Charlotte of WalesLilibet Mountbatten-Windsor1 1 Status debatable; see Lady Louise Windsor#Titles and styles and Lilibet Mountbatten-Windsor#Title and succession for details. vte Duchesses of Edinburgh Princess Augusta of Saxe-GothaDuchesses of Gloucester and EdinburghGrand Duchess Maria Alexandrovna of RussiaPrincess Elizabeth of the United KingdomCamilla Shand vte Time Persons of the Year 1927–1950 Charles Lindbergh (1927)Walter Chrysler (1928)Owen D. 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Glaser / Joshua Lederberg / Willard Libby / Linus Pauling / Edward Purcell / Isidor Rabi / Emilio Segrè / William Shockley / Edward Teller / Charles Townes / James Van Allen / Robert Woodward (1960)John F. Kennedy (1961)Pope John XXIII (1962)Martin Luther King Jr. (1963)Lyndon B. Johnson (1964)William Westmoreland (1965)The Generation Twenty-Five and Under (1966)Lyndon B. 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Bush (2004)The Good Samaritans: Bono / Bill Gates / Melinda Gates (2005)You (2006)Vladimir Putin (2007)Barack Obama (2008)Ben Bernanke (2009)Mark Zuckerberg (2010)The Protester (2011)Barack Obama (2012)Pope Francis (2013)Ebola Fighters: Dr. Jerry Brown / Dr. Kent Brantly / Ella Watson-Stryker / Foday Gollah / Salome Karwah (2014)Angela Merkel (2015)Donald Trump (2016)The Silence Breakers (2017)The Guardians: Jamal Khashoggi / Maria Ressa / Wa Lone / Kyaw Soe Oo / Staff of The Capital (2018)Greta Thunberg (2019)Joe Biden / Kamala Harris (2020)Elon Musk (2021) vte Monarchs of Canada House of Hanover (1867–1901) Victoria House of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha (1901–1917) Edward VIIGeorge V House of Windsor (1917–present) George VEdward VIIIGeorge VIElizabeth IICharles III vte Heads of state of Barbados Queen (1966–2021) Elizabeth II Flag of Barbados.svg President (from 2021) Mason vte Heads of state of Fiji Queen (1970–1987) Elizabeth II Flag of Fiji.svg President (from 1987) Rabuka§GanilauMaraBainimarama§IloiloBainimarama§IloiloNailatikauKonroteKatonivere §Head of the military regime vte Heads of State of The Gambia Queen (1965–1970) Elizabeth II flag The Gambia portal President of the First Republic (1970–1994) Jawara Military regime (1994–1996) Jammeh President of the Second Republic (from 1996) JammehBarrow vte Heads of State of Ghana Queen (1957–1960) Elizabeth II Flag of Ghana.svg President of the First Republic (1960–1966) Nkrumah Military regime (1966–1969) AnkrahAfrifa President of the Second Republic (1969–1972) AfrifaOllennu*E. Akufo-Addo Military regime (1972–1979) AcheampongAkuffoRawlings President of the Third Republic (1979–1981) Limann Military regime (1981–1993) Rawlings President of the Fourth Republic (from 1993) RawlingsKufuorMillsMahamaN. Akufo-Addo *Acting President vte Heads of State of Guyana Queen (1966–1970) Elizabeth II Flag of Guyana.svg President (from 1970) ChungBurnhamHoyteC. JaganHindsJ. JaganJagdeoRamotarGrangerAli vte Heads of state of Jamaica Monarch (from 1962) Elizabeth IICharles III flag Jamaica portal Governor-General (from 1962) BlackburneCampbellGlasspoleCookeHallAllen vte Heads of State of Kenya Queen of Kenya Elizabeth II Flag of Kenya.svg President of Kenya Jomo KenyattaDaniel arap MoiMwai KibakiUhuru KenyattaWilliam Ruto vte Heads of State of Malawi Queen (1964–1966) Elizabeth II Flag of Malawi.svg President (from 1966) H. BandaMuluziB. MutharikaJ. BandaP. MutharikaChakwera vte Heads of State of Malta Queen (1964–1974) Elizabeth II Flag of Malta.svg President (from 1974) MamoButtigiegHyzler*BarbaraXuereb*TaboneMifsud Bonnicide MarcoFenech AdamiAbelaColeiro PrecaVella *Acting President vte Heads of State of Mauritius Queen (1968–1992) Elizabeth II Flag of Mauritius.svg President (from 1992) RingadooUteemChettiar*Pillay*OffmannBundhun*JugnauthBellepeau*PurryagBellepeau*GuribVyapoory*Balancy*Roopun *Acting President vte Heads of state of Nigeria Queen (1960–1963) Elizabeth II Flag of Nigeria.svg President of the First Republic (1963–1966) Azikiwe Military regime (1966–1979) Aguiyi-IronsiGowonMohammedObasanjo President of the Second Republic (1979–1983) Shehu Shagari Military regime (1983–1999) BuhariBabangidaShonekan (interim)*AbachaAbubakar President of the Fourth Republic (from 1999) ObasanjoYar'AduaJonathanBuhari *Civilian; headed transition to abortive Third Republic vte Heads of State of Pakistan Monarch (1947–1956) George VIElizabeth II Flag of Pakistan.svg President (from 1956) MirzaA. Khan§Y. Khan§BhuttoChaudhryZia§G. KhanSajjad*LeghariSajjad*TararMusharraf§Soomro*ZardariHussainAlvi §Head of the military regime  *Acting President vte Heads of State of Sierra Leone Queen (1961–1971) Elizabeth II Flag of Sierra Leone.svg President of the First Republic (1971–1992) Cole*StevensMomoh Military regime (1992–1996) KanuStrasserBio President of the Second Republic (1996–1997) Kabbah Military regime (1997–1998) J. P. Koroma President of the Second Republic (since 1998) KabbahE. B. KoromaBio *Acting President vte Heads of State of Ceylon and Sri Lanka Monarch of Ceylon (1948–1972) George VIElizabeth II Flag of Ceylon (1951–1972).svg Flag of Ceylon (1951–1972).svg Flag of Sri Lanka.svg President of Sri Lanka (from 1972) GopallawaJayewardenePremadasaWijetungaKumaratungaRajapaksaSirisena vte Heads of State of South Africa Monarch (1910–1961) George VEdward VIIIGeorge VIElizabeth II Red Ensign of South Africa (1912–1951).svg Flag of South Africa (1928–1994).svg Flag of South Africa.svg State President (1961–1994) (under Apartheid) Charles Robberts SwartEben Dönges†Tom Naudé*Jim FouchéJan de Klerk*Nico Diederichs†Marais Viljoen*John VorsterMarais ViljoenP. W. BothaF. W. de Klerk President (from 1994) (post-Apartheid) Nelson MandelaThabo MbekiIvy Matsepe-Casaburri*Kgalema MotlantheJacob ZumaCyril Ramaphosa †Died in office *Acting President vte Heads of State of Tanzania Queen of Tanganyika (1961–1962) Elizabeth II Flag of Tanganyika Flag of Tanzania President of Tanganyika (1962–1964) Nyerere Tanzania* (from 1964) NyerereMwinyiMkapaKikweteMagufuli *Merger of Tanganyika and Zanzibar vte Heads of state of Trinidad and Tobago Queen (1962–1976) Elizabeth II Flag of Trinidad and Tobago.svg President (from 1976) ClarkeHassanaliRobinsonRichardsCarmonaWeekes Presidential elections 1976198219871992199720032008201320182023 vte Heads of State of Uganda Queen (1962–1963) Elizabeth II Flag of Uganda.svg President (from 1963) Edward Mutesa IIMilton OboteIdi AminYusuf LuleGodfrey BinaisaPaulo MuwangaPresidential CommissionMilton OboteBazilio Olara-OkelloTito OkelloYoweri Museveni vte Heads of State of Zimbabwe and its antecedents  Southern Rhodesia (1923–1965, the internationally accepted legal name until 1980) George VEdward VIIIGeorge VIElizabeth II  Rhodesia (1965–1979, an unrecognised state) Clifford DupontHenry Everard*John WrathallHenry Everard*Jack Pithey*Henry Everard*  Zimbabwe Rhodesia (1979, an unrecognised state) Josiah Zion Gumede  Zimbabwe (since 1980, a recognised state) Canaan BananaRobert MugabeEmmerson Mnangagwa *Acting President Portals: icon Monarchy  British Empire flag United Kingdom flag England icon London flag Scotland flag Wales icon Northern Ireland flag Australia flag Belize flag Canada flag Jamaica flag New Zealand flag Tuvalu Elizabeth II at Wikipedia's sister projects: Media from Commons News from Wikinews Quotations from Wikiquote Texts from Wikisource Textbooks from Wikibooks Data from Wikidata Authority control Edit this at Wikidata General ISNI 1VIAF 123WorldCat National libraries NorwayChileSpainFrance (data)CataloniaGermanyItalyIsraelUnited StatesLatviaJapanCzech RepublicAustraliaKoreaCroatiaPolandRussia 2SwedenVatican Art galleries and museums Te Papa (New Zealand) Art research institutes Artist Names (Getty) Biographical dictionaries Germany Scientific databases CiNii (Japan) Other Faceted Application of Subject TerminologyMusicBrainz artistNational Archives (US)RISM (France) 1RERO (Switzerland) 1Social Networks and Archival ContextSUDOC (France) 1Trove (Australia) 1 Categories: Elizabeth II1926 births2022 deaths20th-century British monarchs20th-century British women21st-century British monarchs21st-century British womenAuxiliary Territorial Service officersBritish AnglicansBritish philanthropistsBritish PresbyteriansBritish princessesBritish racehorse owners and breedersBritish women in World War IIBurials at St George's Chapel, Windsor CastleDaughters of emperorsDeaths in ScotlandDethroned monarchsDuchesses of EdinburghHeads of state of Antigua and BarbudaHeads of state of the BahamasHeads of state of BarbadosHeads of state of BelizeHeads of state of CanadaHeads of state of FijiHeads of state of the GambiaHeads of state of GhanaHeads of state of GrenadaHeads of state of GuyanaHeads of state of JamaicaHeads of state of KenyaHeads of state of MalawiHeads of state of MaltaHeads of state of MauritiusHeads of state of New ZealandHeads of state of NigeriaHeads of state of PakistanHeads of state of Papua New GuineaHeads of state of Saint Kitts and NevisHeads of state of Saint LuciaHeads of state of Saint Vincent and the GrenadinesHeads of state of Sierra LeoneHeads of state of the Solomon IslandsHeads of state of TanganyikaHeads of state of Trinidad and TobagoHeads of state of TuvaluHeads of state of UgandaHeads of the CommonwealthHeirs to the British throneHonorary air commodoresHouse of WindsorJewellery collectorsLord High AdmiralsMonarchs of AustraliaMonarchs of CeylonMonarchs of the Isle of ManMonarchs of South AfricaMonarchs of the United KingdomPeople from MayfairPeople named in the Paradise PapersQueens regnant in the British IslesTime Person of the YearWomen in the Canadian armed services Silver Jubilee of Elizabeth II Stamps issued in New Zealand to commemorate the Silver Jubilee of the Queen of New Zealand One of the twenty-five London Routemaster buses painted silver to commemorate the Silver Jubilee A commemorative teapot marking the Queen's Silver Jubilee The Silver Jubilee Bridge, Runcorn named in honour of the Queen's Silver Jubilee A plaque dedicated to the Queen at 17 Bruton Street in the Silver Jubilee Year of Her Reign who was born here on 21 April 1926 The Jubilee fountain at Westminster built to mark the Queen's Silver Jubilee Collage of commemorations of the jubilee, Clockwise: A commemorative stamp set from Seychelles; A Commemorative Teapot; Runcorn Bridge which was renamed Silver Jubilee Bridge; The Jubilee Fountain constructed in New Palace Yard; A Plaque dedicated for the Queen in the Silver Jubilee Year; Routemaster bus painted in Silver Jubilee livery Genre    Jubilee of the monarch of the United Kingdom and the other Commonwealth realms Date(s)    6 February 1977 Country         United Kingdom     Canada     Australia     New Zealand     Commonwealth of Nations Previous event    Silver Jubilee of George V Next event    Ruby Jubilee of Elizabeth II The Silver Jubilee of Elizabeth II marked the 25th anniversary of the accession of Queen Elizabeth II on 6 February 1952. It was celebrated with large-scale parties and parades throughout the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth throughout 1977, culminating in June with the official "Jubilee Days", held to coincide with the Queen's Official Birthday. The anniversary date itself was commemorated in church services across the land on 6 February 1977, and continued to be for the rest of that month. In March, preparations started for large parties in every major city of the United Kingdom, as well as for smaller ones for countless individual streets throughout the country. National and international goodwill visits Main article: List of events during the Silver Jubilee of Elizabeth II The Queen at the unveiling of a Scented Garden for the Blind, Haverstoe Park, Cleethorpes, 1977 No monarch before Queen Elizabeth II had visited more of the United Kingdom in such a short span of time (the trips lasted three months). All in all, the Queen and her husband Prince Philip visited a total of 36 counties. The trip started with record crowds gathering to see the Queen and Prince Philip in Glasgow, Scotland, on 17 May. After moving to England (where a record one million spectators came to greet the couple in Lancashire) and Wales, the Queen and Prince Philip wrapped up the first of their trips with a visit to Northern Ireland. Among the places visited during the national trips were numerous schools, which were the subject of a television special hosted by presenter Valerie Singleton. Later in the summer, the Queen and Prince Philip embarked on a Commonwealth visit that first brought them to island nations such as Fiji and Tonga, following up with longer stints in New Zealand and Australia, with a final stop in Papua New Guinea before going on to the British holdings in the West Indies. The final stop on the international tour was a trip to Canada, in which Prince Charles joined the couple to greet the crowds. Jubilee celebrations Australia The Australian aircraft carrier HMAS Melbourne at Spithead during the Silver Jubilee Fleet Review on 28 June During the Queen's Silver Jubilee tour of Australia in March 1977, a Silver Jubilee Parade was held in front of Parliament House in Canberra.[1] The Queen at Government House, Brisbane, during her Silver Jubilee tour of Australia The Royal Australian Mint released a commemorative Silver Jubilee 50c coin, which featured twenty-five representations of St Edward's Crown.[2] Two commemoratives stamps were released by Australia Post to celebrate the Jubilee. Australian artist, Paul Fitzgerald, was commissioned to complete the only official portrait of the Queen during the Silver Jubilee year.[3] The 1977 Silver Jubilee and Queen's Birthday Honours in Australia were announced on 14 June 1977.[4] Silver Jubilee celebrations culminated in December 1977 with 35,000 serving personnel taking part in open parades across Australia.[1] Canada Canadian version of the Silver Jubilee medal The Queen and her husband visited Canada in 1977 to mark her Silver Jubilee. During the tour, the Queen attended the opening of the Parliamentary session and delivered the Speech from the Throne, the second time in Canadian history that she had done so.[5] To mark the milestone, Canada instituted a Silver Jubilee medal on 6 February 1977. It was awarded to individuals who had been deemed to have made a significant contribution to their fellow citizens, their community or to Canada.[6] A 25-cent stamp was issued to celebrate the Silver Jubilee in Canada.[7] The Queen Elizabeth II Silver Jubilee Endowment Fund for Study in a Second Language was launched that provided funding for young Canadians interested in increasing their proficiency in another language.[8] New Zealand Stamps issued in New Zealand to commemorate the Queen's Silver Jubilee as monarch of New Zealand During the Queen's Silver Jubilee tour of New Zealand from 22 February to 7 March 1977, she and Prince Philip visited 11 centres in New Zealand. The Queen opened the Beehive, Parliament's new executive wing in Wellington.[9] The Queen opening the Beehive during her Silver Jubilee tour of New Zealand A set of stamps was released by New Zealand to mark the Queen's Silver Jubilee. To commemorate the Silver Jubilee, Queen Elizabeth the Second National Trust was established in New Zealand as a national trust to encourage and promote the provision, protection, and enhancement of open space for the benefit and enjoyment of the people of New Zealand.[10] The 1977 Queen's Silver Jubilee and Birthday Honours in New Zealand were announced on 11 June 1977.[11][12] United Kingdom The official emblem of the Queen's Silver Jubilee On 3 May, a humble address was presented to the Queen on the occasion of her Silver Jubilee.[13] The next day, she addressed Parliament at Westminster Hall, and her speech was deemed controversial by some parliamentarians. The Queen referred to "keen discussion of proposals for devolution to Scotland and Wales within the United Kingdom". While she could "readily understand these aspirations", the Queen added that she could not "forget that I was crowned Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Perhaps this Jubilee is a time to remind ourselves of the benefits which union has conferred, at home and in our international dealings, on the inhabitants of all parts of this United Kingdom". The SNP MP Donald Stewart later asked if Prime Minister James Callaghan accepted "responsibility" for the Queen's remarks.[14][15]     On such an occasion we think of the Throne as an institution and of the Queen as a person. In conjunction with Parliament, the Throne as an institution enables us to maintain a stability that is widely admired overseas. Together, the Sovereign and Parliament provide the instruments by which momentous changes have been, are and will continue to be reconciled with continuity in our country. James Callaghan, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, 1977[13] On 6 June, the Queen lit a bonfire beacon at Windsor Castle, the light of which spread across the night in a chain of other beacons throughout the whole country. On 7 June, crowds lined the route of the procession to St Paul's Cathedral, where the royal family attended a National service of thanksgiving alongside many world leaders, including United States President Jimmy Carter, and Prime Minister James Callaghan as well as all of the living former prime ministers (Harold Macmillan, The Lord Home of the Hirsel, Sir Harold Wilson and Edward Heath). The service was followed by lunch in the Guildhall, hosted by the Lord Mayor of the City of London Peter Vanneck. At the reception, the Queen was quoted as saying:     When I was twenty-one I pledged my life to the service of our people and I asked for God's help to make good that vow. Although that vow was made in my salad days, when I was green in judgement, I do not regret nor retract one word of it. Elaborate street parties were thrown across the country, like this one in Plymouth. After the luncheon, the procession continued down The Mall to Buckingham Palace, where an estimated one million people lined the pavements to see the family wave to onlookers. A further 500 million people around the Commonwealth watched the day's events on live television. On 7 June, streets and villages threw elaborate parties for all their residents, and many streets strung bunting (the little flags were usually modelled in pattern after the Union Flag) from rooftop to rooftop across the street. In addition to parties, many streets decorated motor vehicles as historical events from Britain's past, and drove them about town, organising their very own parades. In London alone there were over 4000 organised parties for individual streets and neighbourhoods. Throughout the entire day, onlookers were greeted by the Queen many times as she made several appearances for pictures from the balcony of Buckingham Palace. On 9 June, the Queen made a Royal Progress trip via boat up the River Thames from Greenwich to Lambeth, in a re-enactment of the famous progresses taken by Queen Elizabeth I. On the trip, the Queen officially opened the Silver Jubilee Walkway and the South Bank Jubilee Gardens, two of numerous places named after the festivities. In the evening, she presided over a fireworks display and was taken subsequently by a procession of lighted carriages to Buckingham Palace, where she greeted onlookers yet again from her balcony. Lasting impact Various places were named after the Jubilee. The under-construction "Fleet line" of the London Underground was renamed the Jubilee line, and given a silver line colour, though it did not open until 1979. Other places named after the Jubilee were the Silver Jubilee Walkway and the Jubilee Gardens in South Bank, London. The Silver Jubilee Bridge – connecting Runcorn and Widnes across the Mersey – was also renamed in honour of this jubilee. Apart from names, the Jubilee also saw the borough of Derby granted the status of a city. Similar parties and parades were planned for the Golden Jubilee in 2002. Sea Containers House decorated for Queen Elizabeth II's Diamond Jubilee. For the Diamond Jubilee of Elizabeth II in 2012, a 100 m (330 ft) by 70 m (230 ft) print of a photograph of the British Royal Family taken during her Silver Jubilee celebrations at Buckingham Palace was erected in front of the Sea Containers House under renovation.[citation needed] Commemorative memorabilia A Silver Jubilee Crown coin, 1977 A round silver pendant, designed by the then newly retired English rower, John Pinches, was issued by Franklin Mint in 1977 to commemorate the Queen Elizabeth II Silver Jubilee. The double-sided oval pendant has a distinctive design incorporating the four emblems of the countries of the United Kingdom: the Tudor rose for England, daffodils for Wales, thistles for Scotland and shamrocks for Northern Ireland. Around the edges of the pendant can be seen Silver Jubilee 1977, (C) JP 77 P and a full hallmark: JP (maker's mark for John Pinches), 925, London Assay Office mark for imported silver, date stamp C (for year 1977) and queen's head (for silver jubilee year). In popular culture Before, during, and after the events of Jubilee, the event was addressed in many media of popular culture throughout the Commonwealth. With the official UK record chart for Jubilee week about to be released, the Daily Mirror predicted that "God Save the Queen" by the British punk rock band the Sex Pistols would be number one. As it turned out, the controversial record placed second, behind a Rod Stewart single in its fourth week at the top. Many believed that the record had actually qualified for the top spot, but that the chart had been rigged to prevent a spectacle. McLaren later claimed that CBS Records, which was distributing both singles, told him that the Sex Pistols were actually outselling Stewart two to one. There is evidence that an exceptional directive was issued by the British Phonographic Institute, which oversaw the chart-compiling bureau, to exclude sales from record-company operated shops such as Virgin's for that week only.[16] On 7 June, Sex Pistols manager Malcolm McLaren and the record label Virgin arranged to charter a private boat and have the Sex Pistols perform while sailing down the River Thames, passing Westminster Pier and the Houses of Parliament. The event, a mockery of the Queen's river procession planned for two days later, ended in chaos. Police launches forced the boat to dock, and constabulary surrounded the gangplanks at the pier. While the band members and their equipment were hustled down a side stairwell, McLaren, Vivienne Westwood, and many of the band's entourage were arrested.[17] On 6 and 7 June, Queen finished their A Day at the Races Tour by playing two concerts at Earls Court, London to commemorate the Jubilee.[18] The concerts also saw the band use a lighting rig in the shape of a crown for the first time.[19] The soap opera Coronation Street wrote an elaborate Jubilee parade into the storyline, having Rovers' Return Inn manager Annie Walker dress up in elaborate costume as Elizabeth I. Ken Barlow and "Uncle Albert" played Sir Edmund Hillary and Sherpa Tenzing respectively. The Jubilee also figured into the time-travel storyline of a 1983 Doctor Who story, Mawdryn Undead. The Jubilee was depicted in the finale of the third season of The Crown with Olivia Colman as the Queen. See also     iconMonarchy portal flagUnited Kingdom portal flagCanada portal flagAustralia portal flagNew Zealand portal     List of events during the Silver Jubilee of Elizabeth II     Queen Elizabeth II Silver Jubilee Medal     1977 Silver Jubilee and Birthday Honours     Ruby Jubilee of Elizabeth II     Golden Jubilee of Elizabeth II     Diamond Jubilee of Elizabeth II     Sapphire Jubilee of Elizabeth II     Platinum Jubilee of Elizabeth II     Rosa 'Silver Jubilee'     List of monarchs in Britain by length of reign     List of jubilees of British monarchs References John Blaxland (2014), The Australian Army from Whitlam to Howard, Cambridge University Press, p. 48, ISBN 9781107043657 "Royal Australian Mint unveils commemorative coin for The Queen's Platinum Jubilee". Royal Australian Mint. 4 April 2022. "An Australian paints the Queen". The Australian Women's Weekly. 15 June 1977. p. 4. Retrieved 26 April 2012. "Australian Government Gazette – Special" (PDF). Government House of The Commonwealth of Australia. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2 April 2016. Retrieved 12 June 2016. "Jubilees and Coronation". Government of Canada. Retrieved 11 February 2022. "Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Medal (1977)". veterans.gc.ca. Retrieved 5 April 2022. Canada Post pays tribute to Queen Elizabeth II’s platinum jubilee "What Are the Plans for the Queen's Platinum Jubilee in Canada?". Royal tours: Queen Elizabeth II Queen Elizabeth the Second National Trust Act 1977 "No. 47237". The London Gazette (4th supplement). 11 June 1977. pp. 7127–7132. "Queen's Silver Jubilee and Birthday honours list 1977" (PDF). New Zealand Gazette. No. 66. 16 June 1977. pp. 1660–1662. Address To Her Majesty (Silver Jubilee) Platinum Jubilee: how will Parliament Address the Queen? A speech by The Queen to Parliament on her Silver Jubilee Savage, Jon, England's Dreaming, pp. 364–365; Leigh, Spencer (20 February 1998). "Music: Charting the Number Ones That Somehow Got Away". The Independent. London. Retrieved 18 March 2009. Savage, Jon, England's Dreaming, pp. 358–364; Strongman, Phil, Pretty Vacant, pp. 181–182. Whitfield, David (3 April 2019). "Freddie Mercury's sister Kashmira on the success of 'Bohemian Rhapsody' - and what happened when the Queen legend used to visit her in Nottingham". Nottingham Post. Retrieved 4 April 2019.     Hilburn, Robert (20 December 1978). "Pop Music Review: Putting Queen in Audio Seat Queen for a Night". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 4 April 2019. External links     The Queen's Silver Jubilee, 1977     The Queen's Silver Jubilee address (4 May 1977), from the BBC     This day in history (7 June 1977), from the BBC     vte Jubilees of British monarchs George III     Golden Jubilee (1809)         King's Statue Jubilee Rock Jubilee Tower (Moel Famau) Victoria     Golden Jubilee (1887)         Honours Medal Police Medal Clock Tower, Weymouth Clock Tower, Brighton Bust Adelaide Jubilee International Exhibition Jubilee Issue Diamond Jubilee (1897)         Honours Medal Jubilee Diamond Cherries jubilee "Recessional" Devonshire House Ball Victoria and Merrie England George V     Silver Jubilee (1935)         Medal Silver Jubilee (train) Silver Jubilee Railway Bridge Bharuch The King's Stamp Canadian silver dollar Jubilee (musical) Jubilee chicken Elizabeth II     Silver Jubilee (1977)         Events Medal Honours Jubilee Gardens Jubilee line Jubilee Walkway "God Save the Queen" (Sex Pistols song) Ruby Jubilee (1992)         Annus horribilis Elizabeth R: A Year in the Life of the Queen Queen's Anniversary Prize Golden Jubilee (2002)         Prom at the Palace Party at the Palace Medal Honours Jubilee Odyssey Great British Trees Golden Jubilee chicken Diamond Jubilee (2012)         Pageant Armed Forces Parade and Muster Thames Pageant         Gloriana Spirit of Chartwell Concert Gibraltar Flotilla Medal Honours The Coronation Theatre: Portrait of HM Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee chicken Sapphire Jubilee (2017)         Sapphire Jubilee Snowflake Brooch Platinum Jubilee (2022)         Medal Beacons Platinum Party at the Palace Pageant Platinum Jubilee Celebration: A Gallop Through History 2022 Trooping the Colour National Service of Thanksgiving Act of Loyalty Parade Platinum Pudding The Queen's Green Canopy Civic Honours Elizabeth: The Unseen Queen Statue of Elizabeth II (York Minster) The Bahamas Platinum Jubilee Sailing Regatta The Queen's Platinum Jubilee Concert Big Jubilee Read Algorithm Queen "Queenhood"     vte Elizabeth II Queen of the United Kingdom and the other Commonwealth realms (1952–2022) Monarchies         Antigua and Barbuda Australia Bahamas Barbados Belize Canada Ceylon Fiji Gambia Ghana Grenada Guyana Jamaica Kenya Malawi Malta Mauritius New Zealand Nigeria Pakistan Papua New Guinea Saint Kitts and Nevis Saint Lucia Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Sierra Leone Solomon Islands South Africa Tanganyika Trinidad and Tobago Tuvalu Uganda United Kingdom Family         Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh (husband)         wedding wedding dress wedding cake Charles III (son)         Investiture of Charles, Prince of Wales Proclamation of accession of Charles III Anne, Princess Royal (daughter) Prince Andrew, Duke of York (son) Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex and Forfar (son) George VI (father) Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother (mother) Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon (sister) Mountbatten-Windsor family Accession and coronation         Proclamation of accession Coronation         Royal guests Participants in the procession Coronation chicken Coronation gown Medal Honours Award The Queen's Beasts Treetops Hotel MacCormick v Lord Advocate Reign         Annus horribilis Household Personality and image Prime ministers Pillar Box War Rhodesia's Unilateral Declaration of Independence         Queen of Rhodesia Christopher John Lewis incident Lithgow Plot Marcus Sarjeant incident 1975 Australian constitutional crisis         Palace letters Michael Fagan incident 1987 Fijian coups d'état Death of Diana, Princess of Wales 1999 Australian republic referendum Perth Agreement State Opening of Parliament         2021 2022 Operation London Bridge Death and state funeral         reactions queue dignitaries at the funeral Jubilees     Silver Jubilee         Events Medal Honours Jubilee Gardens Jubilee line Jubilee Walkway Ruby Jubilee         Queen's Anniversary Prize Golden Jubilee         Prom at the Palace Party at the Palace Medal Honours The Odyssey Diamond Jubilee         Pageant Armed Forces Parade and Muster Thames Pageant         Gloriana Spirit of Chartwell Concert Gibraltar Flotilla Medal Honours Platinum Jubilee         Medal Beacons Platinum Party at the Palace Pageant Platinum Jubilee Celebration: A Gallop Through History Trooping the Colour National Service of Thanksgiving Platinum Pudding The Queen's Green Canopy Platinum Jubilee Civic Honours The Bahamas Platinum Jubilee Sailing Regatta The Queen's Platinum Jubilee Concert Big Jubilee Read Commonwealth tours         Antigua and Barbuda Australia         official openings Canada Jamaica New Zealand Saint Lucia Ships used         HMS Vanguard (23) SS Gothic (1947) HMY Britannia State visits     Outgoing         State visit to Spain State visit to Russia State visit to Ireland Incoming         Pope Benedict XVI President Michael D. Higgins President Xi Jinping Titles and honours         Head of the Commonwealth Defender of the Faith Supreme Governor of the Church of England Head of the British Armed Forces Commander-in-Chief of the Canadian Armed Forces Lord of Mann List of things named after Elizabeth II Royal Family Order Elizabeth Cross Queen's Official Birthday Flags Depictions     Televised addresses         Royal address to the nation Royal Christmas Message Documentaries         Royal Journey (1951) A Queen Is Crowned (1953) The Queen in Australia (1954) The Royal Tour of the Caribbean (1966) Royal Family (1969) Elizabeth R: A Year in the Life of the Queen (1992) Monarchy: The Royal Family at Work (2007) The Diamond Queen (2012) Elizabeth at 90: A Family Tribute (2016) The Coronation (2018) Elizabeth: The Unseen Queen (2022) Film and television         A Question of Attribution (1992 TV) Willi und die Windzors (1996) Her Majesty (2001) The Queen (2006) The Queen (2009 TV serial) Happy and Glorious (2012) A Royal Night Out (2015) Minions (2015) The Crown (2016–) The Queen's Corgi (2019) 2020 Alternative Christmas message (2020) The Prince (2021) Plays         A Question of Attribution (1988) The Audience (2013) Handbagged Portraits         Conversation Piece at the Royal Lodge, Windsor Wattle Queen Pietro Annigoni's portraits Reigning Queens Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II – An 80th Birthday Portrait The Queen The Coronation Theatre: Portrait of HM Queen Elizabeth II Beautiful Portrait, The Queen Queen Elizabeth II Algorithm Queen Statues         Windsor Winnipeg Lagos York Minster Books         The Queen and I The Little Princesses The Uncommon Reader Winnie-the-Pooh Meets the Queen Queen Camilla Songs         "God Save the Queen" (Sex Pistols song) "Her Majesty" Stamps         Machin series (list) Wilding series Castle series Canadian domestic rate stamp Country definitives Animals     Corgis         Dookie Susan Horses         Aureole Burmese Carrozza Dunfermline Estimate Height of Fashion Highclere Pall Mall Winston Related         Jewels of Elizabeth II Elizabeth line Sagana Lodge Villa Guardamangia Dorgi Children's Party at the Palace The Queen's Birthday Party Jeannette Charles Rosa 'Queen Elizabeth' Queen Elizabeth cake Categories:     Silver Jubilee of Elizabeth IIBritish Royal jubileesMonarchy in AustraliaMonarchy in CanadaMonarchy in New Zealand1977 in Australia1977 in Canada1977 in Jamaica1977 in New Zealand1977 in the United KingdomElizabeth IIFebruary 1977 events in the United KingdomSilver jubilees Charles III (Charles Philip Arthur George; born 14 November 1948) is King of the United Kingdom and the 14 other Commonwealth realms.[d] He was the longest-serving heir apparent and Prince of Wales and, at age 73, became the oldest person to accede to the British throne, upon the death of his mother, Elizabeth II, on 8 September 2022. Charles was born in Buckingham Palace during the reign of his maternal grandfather, King George VI, and was three when his mother ascended the throne in 1952, making him the heir apparent. He was made Prince of Wales in 1958 and his investiture was held in 1969. He was educated at Cheam and Gordonstoun schools, as was his father, Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. Charles later spent six months at the Timbertop campus of Geelong Grammar School in Victoria, Australia. After earning a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Cambridge, Charles served in the Air Force and Navy from 1971 to 1976. In 1981, he married Lady Diana Spencer, with whom he had two sons, William and Harry. In 1996, the couple divorced after they had each engaged in well-publicised extramarital affairs. Diana died in a car crash the following year. In 2005, Charles married his long-time partner, Camilla Parker Bowles. As Prince of Wales, Charles undertook official duties and engagements on behalf of the Queen. He founded the youth charity the Prince's Trust in 1976, sponsors the Prince's Charities, and is a patron, president, or a member of over 400 other charities and organisations. He has advocated for the conservation of historic buildings and the importance of architecture in society.[2] A critic of modernist architecture, Charles worked on the creation of Poundbury, an experimental new town based on his architectural tastes. He is also an author or co-author of over 20 books. An environmentalist, Charles supported organic farming and action to prevent climate change during his time as the manager of the Duchy of Cornwall estates, earning him awards and recognition from environmental groups;[3] he is also a prominent critic of the adoption of genetically modified food, while his support for homeopathy and other alternative medicine has been criticised. Early life, family and education Christening of Charles (centre, wearing the royal christening gown) in 1948: (from left to right) his grandfather King George VI; his mother, Princess Elizabeth, holding him; his father, Philip; and his grandmother Queen Elizabeth Charles was born at 21:14 (GMT) on 14 November 1948,[4] during the reign of his maternal grandfather, King George VI. He was the first child of Princess Elizabeth, Duchess of Edinburgh (later Queen Elizabeth II), and Philip, Duke of Edinburgh.[5] His parents had three more children, Anne (born 1950), Andrew (born 1960) and Edward (born 1964). On 15 December 1948, at four weeks old, he was christened in the Music Room of Buckingham Palace by the Archbishop of Canterbury, Geoffrey Fisher.[e][7] In February 1952, upon the death of his grandfather and the accession of his mother as Queen Elizabeth II, Charles became the heir apparent. Under a charter of King Edward III in 1337, and as the monarch's eldest son, he automatically assumed the traditional titles of the Duke of Cornwall and, in the Scottish peerage, the titles Duke of Rothesay, Earl of Carrick, Baron of Renfrew, Lord of the Isles, and Prince and Great Steward of Scotland.[8] On 2 June 1953, Charles attended his mother's coronation at Westminster Abbey.[9] When Charles turned five, a governess, Catherine Peebles, was appointed to oversee his education at Buckingham Palace.[10] On 7 November 1956, Charles commenced classes at Hill House School in west London.[11] He was the first heir apparent to attend school rather than be educated by a private tutor.[12] He did not receive preferential treatment from the school's founder and headmaster, Stuart Townend, who advised the Queen to have Charles train in football because the boys were never deferential to anyone on the football field.[13] Charles then attended two of his father's former schools, Cheam Preparatory School in Hampshire, England,[14] from 1958,[11] followed by Gordonstoun in the north-east of Scotland,[15] beginning classes there in April 1962.[11] With his parents and sister Anne, October 1957 In Charles's 1994 authorised biography by Jonathan Dimbleby, Elizabeth and Philip were described as physically and emotionally distant parents, and Philip was blamed for his disregard of Charles's sensitive nature and forcing him to attend Gordonstoun, where he was bullied.[16] Though Charles reportedly described Gordonstoun, noted for its especially rigorous curriculum, as "Colditz in kilts",[14] he subsequently praised Gordonstoun, stating it had taught him "a great deal about myself and my own abilities and disabilities. It taught me to accept challenges and take the initiative." In a 1975 interview, he said he was "glad" he had attended Gordonstoun and that the "toughness of the place" was "much exaggerated".[17] He spent two terms in 1966 at the Timbertop campus of Geelong Grammar School in Victoria, Australia, during which time he visited Papua New Guinea on a school trip with his history tutor, Michael Collins Persse.[18][19] In 1973, Charles described his time at Timbertop as the most enjoyable part of his whole education.[20] Upon his return to Gordonstoun, Charles emulated his father in becoming head boy. He left in 1967 with six GCE O-levels and two A-levels in history and French, at grades B and C respectively.[18][21] On his early education, Charles later remarked, "I didn't enjoy school as much as I might have, but that was only because I'm happier at home than anywhere else."[17] Charles broke royal tradition a second time when he proceeded straight to university after his A-levels, rather than joining the British Armed Forces.[14] In October 1967, he was admitted to Trinity College, Cambridge, where he read archaeology and anthropology for the first part of the Tripos, and then changed to history for the second part.[22][18] During his second year, Charles attended the University College of Wales in Aberystwyth, studying Welsh history and language for a term.[18] He graduated from the University of Cambridge with a 2:2 Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree on 23 June 1970, the first British heir apparent to earn a university degree.[18][23] As per tradition, on 2 August 1975, his BA was promoted to a Master of Arts (MA Cantab) degree: at Cambridge, Master of Arts is not a postgraduate degre William, Prince of Wales, KG, KT, PC, ADC (William Arthur Philip Louis; born 21 June 1982) is the heir apparent to the British throne. He is the elder son of King Charles III and Diana, Princess of Wales. Born in London, William was educated at Wetherby School, Ludgrove School and Eton College. He earned a Scottish Master of Arts degree in geography at the University of St Andrews. William then trained at Royal Military Academy Sandhurst prior to serving with the Blues and Royals. In April 2008, William graduated from Royal Air Force College Cranwell, joining RAF Search and Rescue Force in early 2009. He served as a full-time pilot with the East Anglian Air Ambulance for two years, starting in July 2015. William performs official duties and engagements on behalf of the King.[3] He holds patronage with over 30 charitable and military organisations, including the Tusk Trust, Centrepoint, and London's Air Ambulance Charity. He undertakes projects through The Royal Foundation, with his charity work revolving around mental health, conservation, and emergency workers. In December 2014, he founded the "United for Wildlife" initiative, which aims to reduce worldwide illegal wildlife trade. In April 2016, William, his wife Catherine and his brother Harry initiated the mental health awareness campaign "Heads Together" to encourage people to open up about their mental health issues. In October 2020, William announced the launch of the Earthshot Prize, a £50 million initiative to incentivise environmental solutions over the next decade. William was made Duke of Cambridge prior to his marriage to Catherine Middleton in 2011. The couple have three children: Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis. He became Duke of Cornwall and Duke of Rothesay following his father's accession to the throne on 8 September 2022. The following day, he was made Prince of Wales and Earl of Chester, titles reserved for the heir apparent of the monarch. Early life Shaking hands with Barbara Bush, 1991. His mother, Diana, and brother, Harry, look on. Prince William was born in London at St Mary's Hospital on 21 June 1982 as the first child of Charles, Prince of Wales (later King Charles III), and his first wife, Diana, Princess of Wales, during the reign of his grandmother Queen Elizabeth II.[4][5][6] Buckingham Palace announced his name, William Arthur Philip Louis, on 28 June.[4] On 4 August, the 82nd birthday of his paternal great-grandmother, Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother, he was christened in the Music Room of Buckingham Palace by the Archbishop of Canterbury, Robert Runcie.[b] William was the first child born to a prince and princess of Wales since Prince John was born to Prince George and Princess Mary (later King George V and Queen Mary) in 1905.[8] When he was nine months old, William accompanied his parents on their 1983 tour of Australia and New Zealand, as his first trip overseas.[9] It marked the first time that a royal baby was taken on an overseas tour.[10] William's younger brother, Prince Harry, was born in 1984. William and Harry were raised at Kensington Palace in London, and Highgrove House in Gloucestershire.[11][12][13] Known informally as "Wills" within the family,[14] William was nicknamed "Willy" by his brother and "Wombat" by his mother,[15][16] who wished him and his brother to obtain broader and more typical life experiences beyond royal upbringing, taking them to Walt Disney World, McDonald's, AIDS clinics, shelters for the homeless.[17] A "rambunctious" and "bratty" child, biographer Robert Lacey asserts that William grew "more reflective" with a "noticeably quiet character" as he began boarding school.[18] Diana was reported to have described William as "my little wise old man" on whom she started to rely as her confidant by his early teens.[19] William and Harry travelled to Canada on an official visit with their parents in 1991 and again with Prince Charles in 1998.[20][21] William's parents divorced in 1996. Diana died in a car accident in the early hours of 31 August 1997. William, then aged 15, together with his 12-year-old brother and their father, was staying at Balmoral Castle at the time. William and Harry were informed of their mother's death by their father Prince Charles, the following morning.[22] At his mother's funeral, William and his brother walked alongside their father, paternal grandfather Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, and maternal uncle Charles Spencer, 9th Earl Spencer, behind the funeral cortège from Kensington Palace to Westminster Abbey.[23] After his mother's death, William stated that he was "in a state of shock for many years."[24] William and his brother Harry inherited the majority of the £12.9 million left by their mother on their respective 30th birthdays, a figure that had grown to £10 million each in 2014.[25][26] In 2014, the brothers inherited their mother's wedding dress along with many other of her personal possessions including dresses, diamond tiaras, jewels, letters, and paintings. The brothers also received the original lyrics and score of "Candle in the Wind" by Bernie Taupin and Elton John as performed by John at Diana's funeral.[26] In 2002, The Times reported that William and his brother would also share £4.9 million from trust funds established by their great-grandmother, Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother, on their respective 21st birthdays, as well as £8 million upon their respective 40th birthday

  • Condition: In Excellent Condition
  • Denomination: 2 Coin Set
  • Year of Issue: 2002
  • Number of Pieces: 2
  • Time Period: 2000s
  • Fineness: 0.999
  • Collection: Millenium
  • Features: Commemorative
  • Country/Region of Manufacture: United Kingdom
  • Country of Origin: Great Britain
  • Colour: Silver

PicClick Insights - Year 2000 Solid Gold Silver Coin Millennium Royal Mint Queen Sterling 1999 Old PicClick Exclusive

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