Queen to mark 70 years on throne this weekend

LONDON: Queen Elizabeth II on Sunday became the first British monarch to rule for 70 years, announcing the start of her Platinum Jubilee year despite retreating from public view.

But this weekend’s history will be less of a spectacle, as the 95-year-old king traditionally celebrates his father’s death in private.

The record-breaking era of sovereignty as head of state began when she was 25 years old and with her husband Prince Philip watching wildlife in a remote part of Kenya.

It has since become a staple in the age of rapid social and political change, a living link between modern Britain and its post-war and imperialist past.

The Queen – who is regularly topped the survey as the most popular monarch – left for her sprawling Sandringham estate in the east of England by helicopter on 23 January.

She was scheduled to stay at Sandringham House with her close family for Christmas and New Year’s Eve, but the annual tour was postponed due to the growing number of Omekron cases.