A Royal Celebration

Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburg recently celebrated their 70th wedding anniversary. The Queen met her third cousin Prince Philip when she was 8. They got engaged when she was 21.

They are parents of Prince Charles, Princess Anne, Prince Andrew and Prince Edward, and have eight grandchildren. Queen Elizabeth is the first British monarch to celebrate a 70th wedding anniversary, surpassing Queen Victoria, who previously held the record.

According to Us Weekly, Kensington Palace released new portraits of the couple to commemorate the milestone. The queen, who is 91, wore a long sleeved cream colored dress with a pearl necklace while sitting in a gold chair. The 93-year-old prince Philip wore a dapper gray suit and red tie. The queen is Britain’s longest-reigning monarch. Stamps were issued by the Royal Mail and the bells were rung at Westminster Abbey to commemorate the anniversary.

The couple was married near the end of World War II and have faced many trials during their marriage. Some of the difficult times include the demise of the marriages of three of their four children, as well as the traumatic death of Princess Diana. However, they are happily anticipating the birth of the third child of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, who will be their 6th great-grandchild. The couple has chosen to mark the occasion in a private fashion by celebrating with a small dinner including their close family and friends.