HRH Queen Elizabeth II
celebrates
her 80th Birthday this year on the 21st April..
The
official birthday is on the 21st June 2006.
Queen
Elizabeth the Queen Mother with
Princesses
Elizabeth and Margaret Rose. (1933)
(For enlargement click on photo)
Archive photographs
with kind permission of:
Science
and Society Picture Library
April 2006
It was 400 years ago this
week that King James VI of Scotland
and James Ist of England announced
by 'Royal Proclamation' the introduction
of what was to become the
'Union Jack'.
The official 'Coat of Arms'
for the United Kingdom of
Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
On the left, the shield is
supported by the English Lion.
On the right it is supported
by the Unicorn of Scotland.
The unicorn is chained because in mediaeval times a free unicorn
was considered a very dangerous
beast (only a virgin could tame a unicorn)!
The motto of England is :....
'Dieu et mon droit'..(God and my right)
The Motto of...... The Order
of theGarter...'Honi soit qui mal y pense'
(Shamed be he who thinks ill
of it) on a representation of the Garter behind the shield.
The motto was first used by
King Richard I in 1198
and adopted as the royal motto
of England in the time of Henry VI.
Princess Elizabeth with Princess
Margaret...1932.
The Queen with Prince
Charles 1948...photo by Cecil Beaton.
Click on above
Other related sites :
The
Royal Collection
Royal Palaces....Residences
... Art Collection
Sandringham
(The Country Estate of HM
The Queen)
The
British Monarchy Web Site
