Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, appreciates the kinds words expressed by the people of the VI.

On June 4, at the Queen Elizabeth II Park, while addressing the people of the VI, he stated that the letter read, “Her Majesty the Queen Elizabeth II, thanks the people of the BVI for their kind message and greeting.”

He said, “Her Majesty much appreciates your kind words for her official birthday and Diamond Jubilee, and sends her good wishes in return.”

Governor McCleary told the people of the VI that he is delighted that the Territory has been taking a very active part in marking this momentous milestone in her Majesty’s reign. He added that this is the second time in history that a monarch has celebrated a Diamond Jubilee where the first one was over a hundred years ago in 1897 by Queen Victoria.

He stated that it will be the only Diamond Jubilee that himself and majority of the attendees will get to see in their lifetime.

Queen Elizabeth II, Alexandra Mary born on April 21, 1926 is the constitutional monarch of 16 sovereign states known as the Commonwealth realms and head of the 54-member Commonwealth of Nations. She is also Head of State of the Crown Dependencies.

On her appointment as Queen in 1952, she became Head of the Commonwealth and queen regnant of seven independent Commonwealth countries: the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Pakistan and Ceylon. Between 1956 and 1992, the number of her realms varied as territories gained independence and some realms became republics.

Today, in addition to the aforementioned countries, Elizabeth is Queen of Jamaica, Barbados, the Bahamas, Grenada, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Belize, Antigua and Barbuda, Saint Kitts and Nevis.

Her reign is the second longest for a British monarch; only Queen Victoria has reigned longer (63 years, 7 months).