The
Commonwealth Secretary-General, Baroness
Patricia Scotland, congratulated the Queen for reaching the Sapphire Jubilee as
Head of the Commonwealth and said that she has "been an inspirational monarch. It's clear how much she values the Commonwealth, how dear the Commonwealth family is to her heart, and in return how much the people of our 52 member states value and love her. ... Her wisdom, advice and wonderful support have been invaluable to me since I was elected to office in April 2016".
Australia On 8 February, in the
House of Representatives, Prime Minister
Malcolm Turnbull delivered a statement in which he congratulated the Queen on her Sapphire Jubilee, and said "She is so revered and respected here that few of us can say that we are not Elizabethans". The Leader of the Opposition,
Bill Shorten, said "Even staunch republicans cannot help but admire the dedication to public duty that the Queen has shown, the life of service that she has led". In the
Senate, a motion was introduced by the Senator for Western Australia,
Dean Smith, in which the Senate extended to the Queen "its continuing appreciation for the gracious manner in which she continues to fulfil her duties as Queen of Australia".
Canada On Accession Day,
Justin Trudeau, the
prime minister of Canada, congratulated the queen in a tweet: The
governor general of Canada,
David Johnston, congratulated the queen on her Sapphire Jubilee, and said "This impressive milestone, the first for any sovereign in our history, provides us with an opportunity to express our deepest gratitude for everything Her Majesty has done for the Canadian Crown". In the
House of Commons of Canada,
Randy Boissonnault, the member for
Edmonton Centre, said, "As we reflect on our history throughout Canada's 150th birthday, we also mark and honour the story of our amazing monarch. God save the Queen". During the year, a grove of 65 maple trees was planted in
Rockcliffe Park in Ottawa, to mark the Queen's Sapphire Jubilee. Other activities were hosted by lieutenant governors across the provinces, during the Jubilee year. in
Queen's Park in Toronto. Commissioned for the Sapphire Jubilee, the completion of the statue was delayed to 2023. A statue of Elizabeth II was commissioned in 2017 to mark the Sapphire Jubilee and the
150th anniversary of Canadian Confederation. However, its installation at
Queen's Park was delayed until 2023 due to financing issues.
Sapphire Jubilee Snowflake Brooch At a celebration of Canada's
sesquicentennial at
Canada House on 19 July 2017, the
Governor General of Canada David Johnston presented the Sapphire Jubilee Snowflake Brooch to the Queen as a gift from the Government of Canada to celebrate the Queen's Sapphire Jubilee and to commemorate
Canada 150. David Johnston presented the Queen with the brooch moments before she and the
Duke of Edinburgh unveiled a new Jubilee Walkway panel outside Canada House. The brooch was designed as a companion to the Diamond Maple Leaf brooch. The piece was made by Hillberg & Berk of Saskatchewan and consists of
sapphires from a cache found in 2002 on
Baffin Island by brothers Seemeega and Nowdluk Aqpik.
United Kingdom The Sapphire Jubilee featured blue stamps from the
Royal Mail, commemorative coins from the
Royal Mint, including one worth £50,000, and a reissue of an official 2014 portrait of Queen Elizabeth II by
David Bailey. In this official portrait, the Queen wears sapphire jewellery which she received as a wedding present from her father. The Jubilee also involved the ringing of the bells in
Westminster Abbey, a 41-
gun salute by the
King's Troop, Royal Horse Artillery in
Green Park, a 62-gun salute by the
Honourable Artillery Company at the
Tower of London and gun salutes in several other places around the United Kingdom.
Theresa May, the
prime minister of the United Kingdom, congratulated the queen, saying in part that the occasion was "another remarkable milestone for our remarkable Queen. ... I know the nation will join with me today in celebrating and giving thanks for the lifetime of service Her Majesty the Queen has given to our country and to the
Commonwealth. ... She has truly been an inspiration to all of us and I am proud, on behalf of the nation, to offer our humble thanks and congratulations on celebrating this Sapphire Jubilee".
Other tributes In September 2017, a new
community centre in
Collier Row,
Romford, was named the Sapphire Jubilee Community Centre in the Queen's honour. To mark the Queen's Sapphire Jubilee,
Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council instituted "The Queen's Sapphire Jubilee Awards", which are awarded to young people aged between 7 and 20 years, to support them to get started, improve and excel in sport, art, dance or drama. The awards are presented to successful candidates at the Annual Council.
Penhaligon's released a limited-edition version of their Lily of the Valley perfume, to commemorate the Queen's Sapphire Jubilee. Only 65 crystal bottles were produced – one to mark each year since the Queen's accession to the throne in 1952 and the bows on every single bottle were embroidered with a number. It was announced that a percentage of the profits from this product would go towards the
Queen Elizabeth Scholarship Trust. The British
Pobjoy Mint released special Titanium coins featuring the
Royal coat of arms to mark the Queen's Sapphire Jubilee. The obverse features a portrait of Queen Elizabeth II. Titanium reacts differently with every strike, making each coin unique in terms of colour. The coins also feature a lined effect due to its composition. The Sapphire Ice & Leisure Centre at
Romford, England, named to honour the Sapphire Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II, opened to the public on 3 February 2018. The building is five storeys high and includes an eight-lane pool for competitions and a 56m by 26m ice rink, and is home for the ice hockey team, the
London Raiders. From an external viewpoint, the combination of the building's rectangular shape and its lightweight facade were used to mimic the appearance of an ice cube. In 2018,
Garrard & Co unveiled a 118.88ct royal blue Burmese sapphire presented in a brooch that features a signature cluster setting. The jewel was named in honour of the 65th anniversary of Queen Elizabeth II's coronation, a date traditionally marked by the gift of a sapphire, and pays tribute to the House's role in remodelling the
Imperial State Crown for the occasion.
Guernsey In Guernsey, commemorative coins were issued to mark the Queen's Sapphire Jubilee. ==See also==