Information
Britain through the reign of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II: Part 4
The Land of Hope and Glory Collection tells the story of Britain through the reign of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.
In the final instalment of the series, we will revisit some of the important events that have happened during Her Majesty’s reign in the past three decades.
Fire at Windsor Castle
On the 20th November, 1992 a terrible fire took place at Windsor Castle, the magnificent building Her Majesty the Queen calls home for most of her private weekends and one month a year over Easter.
Maintenance work was being carried out in the Castle at the time when a faulty spotlight overheated leading to it igniting. A nearby curtain took hold of the heat, lighting up in flames.
The fire spread dramatically.
Luckily, due to the work being carried out, much of the furniture which would have been near when the fire started, had already been removed to create space. This meant that a lot of possessions that would have been completely destroyed, were safely tucked away somewhere else.
Those working in the Castle, along with soldiers and members of the Royal family, all formed a human chain to pass items along out of the building. As such this meant that 300 clocks, historic manuscripts, thousands of valuable books, a forty-six-meter-long table, thirty-seven-meter-long carpet, and a collection of miniatures were all rescued.
Help quickly arrived and all together 1.5 million gallons (6,750 tons) of water from the mains water supply, a reservoir fire hydrant, a swimming pool, a pond, and the nearby River Thames were used to stop the fire.
After five years the Castle was returned to its former glory and remains open to the public throughout the year — continuing its 900 years of history today.
To find out more details of booking a visit to the Castle, click here >>
Channel Tunnel Opens
The American Society of Civil Engineers described this as one of the “seven wonders of the world” in 1996. Connecting Britain and the European mainland for the first time ever since the Ice Age, The Channel Tunnel reduced travel time between England and France to a mere thirty-five minutes. At the height of its construction fifteen thousand people were employed and eleven boring machines used. One boring machine is as long as two two football pitches, and all eleven together weighed an enormous twelve thousand tones.
Interestingly, one remains buried under the Channel and another was sold on eBay in 2004 for £39,999!
Her Majesty travelled from Waterloo to Calais on the 6th May, 1994 at a speed of 80 pmh. She joined President Mitterrand, who had travelled from Paris at 186 mph and together they officially opened the Channel, cutting red, white and blue ribbons to the sound of each’s national anthems.
The Angel of the North is constructed
Standing at an impressive sixty-five feet, the impressive Angel of the North is the height of four double decker buses!
In 1994, when winning artist Antony Gormley’s designs were revealed, the public were not too happy with the plans. Causing uproar, materials put forward were frowned upon, along with the size and magnitude of the sculpture in such an open and unlikely place.
However, many years on, those that live near have fallen in love with it. It has become a site of pleasure and this year celebrates its 24th birthday. Made from steel and a small amount of cooper, the Angel is meant to last for more than one hundred years. Coppers slows the erosion of the steel, and the materials together are quite malleable and can be easily manipulated into a variety of shapes and forms. The Angel of the North cost £800,000 to build and is seen by more than one person every second. It represents the history behind the site, societies future and our transition from the industrial age to the information age. An evolving sculpture to evolve with us.
The Millennium Fireworks
The millennium fireworks marked the movement into a new decade. Celebrations were held up and down the United Kingdom, with something for everyone to take part in, and crowds of more than two million took to London.
An incredible firework display took place by the River Thames. Outside of the UK, events were coordinated around the world to see in the new millennium, including an outdoor concert in Washington, United States.
On the Tower Bridge of London Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II lit a laser which shot fire across the river to the national beacon. This beacon took hold of the fire, signalling the embrace of a new century. Soon after, beacons across the UK all became lit, uniting everyone across England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. Her Majesty also attended the Millennium Dome in Greenwich which held a special concert.
Birth of Prince George
In 2012, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge announced that they were expecting their first child. This child would become third in line to the throne and would become a future monarch of the United Kingdom. On 22nd July 2013, Prince George was born at St Mary’s Hospital in Paddington.
Prior to his birth the Queen made some changes which impacted the Bill of Rights (1689) and the Act of Settlement (1701). A new Crown Act (2013) was brought into force which essentially put an end to a younger son displacing an elder daughter in the line of succession to the throne. Prince George is the first to have been born under this act. You can find out more about the line of succession here >>
As is tradition with any Royal birth, the announcement was placed on the easel outside Buckingham Palace. Along with this, many celebrated up and down the commonwealth countries, and certain water features across the globe were illuminated in blue.
This instalment marks the last in our Britain through the reign of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II blog series. We hope you have enjoyed travelling back with us through the different decades as much as we have.
If you’re interested…
The Land of Hope and Glory Collection celebrates Britain through the reign of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. And today, you can start the collection of a Lifetime. Click here to secure the Coronation Medal for FREE >>
Revisit the historic moments that have shaped Britain through the reign of Queen Elizabeth II with our Land of Hope and Glory blog series:
Click here to read instalment 1 of the Land of Hope and Glory blog series >>
Click here to read instalment 2 of the Land of Hope and Glory blog series >>
Click here to read instalment 3 of the Land of Hope and Glory blog series >>
Royal Mail launches a digital stamp that allows you to send videos and messages with your post!
Royal Mail has entered a ‘new digital era’ with the introduction of barcodes to ‘everyday’ definitive stamps.
Customers can now scan a barcode that sits beside the portrait of HM The Queen using the Royal Mail app. Currently, it shows you a video of Shaun the Sheep that Aardman have created especially for Royal Mail, but the capabilities of this feature are endless.
The barcodes will eventually provide information about services, further exclusive videos and even greetings for occasions such as birthdays. When sending mail, you will be able to choose what the recipient of the stamped item can see from these options.
But don’t worry, the barcode won’t stick out like a sore thumb on your letter, as it will remain the same colour as the rest of your stamp.
However, you’ll need to bear in mind that the barcode must not be removed. Like previous definitive stamps, a mail item may be liable to a surcharge if not all of the stamp is intact.
For those of us who still have non-barcoded or Christmas stamps, Royal Mail have created a ‘Swap Out’ scheme that will come into play from the 31st March 2022. Otherwise, they will be valid until January 2023.
This new feature hasn’t quite made it to Special Stamps yet, but it seems as though it will only be a matter of time before more of Royal Mail’s services will follow this digital step.
Are you excited for this new upgrade to our stamps? Let us know in the comments below!
Everything you need to know about the 2022 Annual Coins…
**INCLUDES TWO PLATINUM JUBILEE COMMEMORATIVES**
Each year, The Royal Mint marks important British anniversaries, events or accomplishments on our coins and today I’m delighted to reveal the UK’s new coin designs for 2022.
This year’s collection includes TWO special tributes to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II as she marks her Platinum Jubilee in 2022 – including the UK’s FIRST EVER Royal 50p.
Watch our latest video below to find out everything you need to know…
There are 5 new commemorative coins, paired alongside the eight definitive coins from the 1p to the £2, all newly dated for 2022.
The commemorative coins are:
- Platinum Jubilee 50p – the UK’s first ever Royal 50p!
- Commonwealth Games 50p – issued to commemorate the 22nd Commonwealth Games in Birmingham this year
- Alexander Graham Bell £2 – issued to mark 100 years since the passing of Scottish-born inventor, scientist, and engineer who invented the first telephone
- Dame Vera Lynn £2 – issued to commemorate the iconic wartime singer, famed for boosting morale and supporting British troops during the Second World War
- Platinum Jubilee £5 – issued to commemorate 70 years of Her Majesty the Queen’s reign
What’s more, you have the opportunity today to secure them in a variety of different presentations or specifications – there’s sure to be something for everyone…
UK 2022 Annual Coin Set BU Pack
To give as many collectors as possible the chance to own these highly sought-after coins, The Royal Mint has issued them in Brilliant Uncirculated quality, which is coveted by collectors as it means each coin is free from any marks you would find on circulated coins.
In this BU Pack you’ll find the five brand new commemorative coins alongside the eight definitive coins from the 1p to the £2, all newly dated for 2022.
Each one is protectively encapsulated in its attractive original packaging from The Royal Mint to preserve its quality for generations to come.
What’s more, you can secure this BU Pack for The Royal Mint’s official issue price of just £60 (+p&p). Click here to find out more >>
This set of coins is also available as a Change Checker CERTIFIED BU Commemorative Coin Set for £40 (+p&p). Click here to find out more >>
UK 2022 Annual Collector Proof Coin Set
Whilst being struck from base metal, the coins in this set have been struck to a stunning superior Proof finish.
Including all 5 commemorative coins alongside the new definitive coins for 2022, these sets are always extremely sought after.
You can order the UK 2022 Annual Collector Proof Coin Set here with a down payment of just £15.50 (+p&p) followed by 9 further interest-free instalments – that’s the Royal Mint issue price. Click here to find out more >>
UK 2022 DateStamp™ Specimen Set
The most limited way to own the five new 2022 commemorative coins is by securing the UK 2022 DateStamp™ Specimen Set. In fact, JUST 995 collectors worldwide can own this unique set.
What truly sets the 2022 Specimen Year Set apart from all other 2022 Annual Sets is the fact that it is forever set in time by the official Royal Mail postmark that marks the coins’ first day of release – 4th January 2022.
Each coin is struck to the highly desirable Brilliant Uncirculated quality, and come individually presented in tamper-proof capsules. What’s more, each set has a unique serial number, confirming its place in the tiny edition limit, and you can even register your set online to guarantee its provenance!
This DateStamp set has a track record of completely selling out within a matter of days, so if you want to secure a set for yourself you’ll need to be quick. You can reserve yours with a deposit of just £22. Click here to find out more >>