2012 Queen Elizabeth Diamond Jubilee 50c PNC

Royal jubilees celebrate significant periods in both a nation's life and a monarch's reign. In 2012 Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth ll celebrates her Diamond Jubilee, marking 60 years as sovereign. Celebratory activities will take place in the United Kingdom and across the

Commonwealth throughout the year, with the highlight being an extended weekend in the United Kingdom, from 2 to 5 June 2012. The only other British monarch to celebrate a diamond jubilee was Queen Victoria, in 1897.

The Queen came to the throne on 6 February 1952 following the death of her father, King George VI. She was only 25 years old. Her coronation took place more than a year later on 2 June 1953. The Queen has stood as a unifying figure in both the United Kingdom and the

Commonwealth, despite the enormous social changes that have taken place since her coronation. Throughout her reign, the Queen has been loyally supported by the Duke of Edinburgh, her husband of 65 years